cell division

This episode of Chalk Talk gives viewers a look inside the "power plant" of most complex cells. Mitochondria provide energy for cells to move, divide, and do all the things they need to do to function properly. Mitochondria are found within almost all living organisms with complex cell structures.

Cytokinetic nodes are precursor structures that assemble into the actomyosin contractile ring that separates daughter cells in cytokinesis. Chen and Pollard describe how the actin-severing protein cofilin promotes the rapid formation of a complete contractile ring by limiting the actin-based connections between individual nodes. This biosights episode presents the paper by Chen and Pollard from the October 31, 2011, issue of The Journal of Cell Biology, and includes an interview with authors...

A quick tour through the field of genomics, from simple to complex - an algal cell dividing, lyonization in a cat, and newborn genetic testing, among other topics. This is a re-upload.

The third lecture presents evidence, largely from McIntosh's lab, that shows how microtubule depolymerization can move chromosomes in vitro and explores the nature of some of the protein complexes that can couple chromosomes to microtubules and take advantage of this reaction.

The second lecture describes some key experiments showing the dynamics of a formed mitotic spindle and the ways these may contribute to accurate chromosome motion. Experiments that reveal aspects of the processes by which chromosomes attach to the spindle are presented. Mitotic motors are introduced and discussed in the light of what they probably do and do not accomplish to effect chromosome motion, including acting to improve the accuracy of chromosome segregation.

Oscillation of MinD (orange), MinDE (purple) and MinE (cyan) with transient membrane attachment of MinE after being recruited to the membrane by MinD.

Oscillations of MinD (orange), MinDE (purple) and MinE (cyan) with transient membrane attachment of MinE after being recruited to the membrane by MinD.

An overview of the biology of algae and microorganisms.