B4.2025: Chromosome transport along microtubules in the crowded cytoplasm and across actin filament networks
Lead PI: Péter Lénárt
Collaborating PIs: Timo Betz, Anne Wald, Melina Schuh
We have extensively studied chromosome transport in oocytes. In these very large cells, the actin and microtubule cytoskeleton cooperate to collect and transport chromosomes to the cell cortex, essential for the subsequent formation of the fertilizable egg. Intriguingly, chromosome transport coincides with changes in cell shape mediated by contraction of the actin cortex. In this project, we will address how these changes in cell shape affect chromosome transport inside the cell. To this end, we will use jellyfish oocytes that are very well suited for live imaging and show particularly dramatic contractions causing visible streaming of the cytoplasm. We will use diverse fluorescent markers and particle velocimetry to visualize and track cellular structures combined with molecular and mechanical perturbations as well as microrheology measurements.
Core field: cell biology
PhD training objectives: molecular biology (mRNA synthesis, protein purification and labeling); microinjection of oocytes; automated quantitative live cell microscopy; advanced image analysis; data analysis (e.g., chromosome trajectories); modeling.