Asymmetric cell division in the morphogenesis of Drosophila melanogaster macrochaetae

2011 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 63-72
Author(s):  
T. A. Bukharina ◽  
D. P. Furman
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Cell Division ◽  
Asymmetric Cell Division

scholarly journals Understanding microcephaly through the study of centrosome regulation in Drosophila neural stem cells

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (5) ◽  
pp. 2101-2115
Author(s):  
Beverly V. Robinson ◽  
Victor Faundez ◽  
Dorothy A. Lerit
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Cell Division ◽  
Virus Infection ◽  
Neural Stem Cells ◽  
Head Circumference ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Asymmetric Cell Division ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Neuronal Progenitors

Microcephaly is a rare, yet devastating, neurodevelopmental condition caused by genetic or environmental insults, such as the Zika virus infection. Microcephaly manifests with a severely reduced head circumference. Among the known heritable microcephaly genes, a significant proportion are annotated with centrosome-related ontologies. Centrosomes are microtubule-organizing centers, and they play fundamental roles in the proliferation of the neuronal progenitors, the neural stem cells (NSCs), which undergo repeated rounds of asymmetric cell division to drive neurogenesis and brain development. Many of the genes, pathways, and developmental paradigms that dictate NSC development in humans are conserved in Drosophila melanogaster. As such, studies of Drosophila NSCs lend invaluable insights into centrosome function within NSCs and help inform the pathophysiology of human microcephaly. This mini-review will briefly survey causative links between deregulated centrosome functions and microcephaly with particular emphasis on insights learned from Drosophila NSCs.

scholarly journals PLP inhibits the activity of interphase centrosomes to ensure their proper segregation in stem cells

2013 ◽  
Vol 202 (7) ◽  
pp. 1013-1022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorothy A. Lerit ◽  
Nasser M. Rusan
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Cell Division ◽  
Neural Stem Cells ◽  
Asymmetric Cell Division ◽  
Negative Regulator ◽  
Daughter Cells ◽  
Polo Kinase ◽  
Central Brain ◽  
Pericentriolar Material

Centrosomes determine the mitotic axis of asymmetrically dividing stem cells. Several studies have shown that the centrosomes of the Drosophila melanogaster central brain neural stem cells are themselves asymmetric, organizing varying levels of pericentriolar material and microtubules. This asymmetry produces one active and one inactive centrosome during interphase. We identify pericentrin-like protein (PLP) as a negative regulator of centrosome maturation and activity. We show that PLP is enriched on the inactive interphase centrosome, where it blocks recruitment of the master regulator of centrosome maturation, Polo kinase. Furthermore, we find that ectopic Centrobin expression influenced PLP levels on the basal centrosome, suggesting it may normally function to regulate PLP. Finally, we conclude that, although asymmetric centrosome maturation is not required for asymmetric cell division, it is required for proper centrosome segregation to the two daughter cells.

Centromere assembly and non-random sister chromatid segregation in stem cells

2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 223-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben L. Carty ◽  
Elaine M. Dunleavy
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Cell Division ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Sister Chromatid ◽  
Asymmetric Cell Division ◽  
Protein A ◽  
Germline Stem Cells ◽  
Sister Chromatids ◽  
Centromere Protein A ◽  
Oocyte Meiosis

Abstract Asymmetric cell division (ACD) produces daughter cells with separate distinct cell fates and is critical for the development and regulation of multicellular organisms. Epigenetic mechanisms are key players in cell fate determination. Centromeres, epigenetically specified loci defined by the presence of the histone H3-variant, centromere protein A (CENP-A), are essential for chromosome segregation at cell division. ACDs in stem cells and in oocyte meiosis have been proposed to be reliant on centromere integrity for the regulation of the non-random segregation of chromosomes. It has recently been shown that CENP-A is asymmetrically distributed between the centromeres of sister chromatids in male and female Drosophila germline stem cells (GSCs), with more CENP-A on sister chromatids to be segregated to the GSC. This imbalance in centromere strength correlates with the temporal and asymmetric assembly of the mitotic spindle and potentially orientates the cell to allow for biased sister chromatid retention in stem cells. In this essay, we discuss the recent evidence for asymmetric sister centromeres in stem cells. Thereafter, we discuss mechanistic avenues to establish this sister centromere asymmetry and how it ultimately might influence cell fate.

scholarly journals Replicative Aging in Pathogenic Fungi

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 6
Author(s):  
Somanon Bhattacharya ◽  
Tejas Bouklas ◽  
Bettina C. Fries
Keyword(s):  
Cell Division ◽  
Candida Glabrata ◽  
Asymmetric Cell Division ◽  
Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Yeast Cells ◽  
Candida Auris ◽  
Replicative Aging ◽  
Yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Phenotypic Variations ◽  
Systemic Infections

Candida albicans, Candida auris, Candida glabrata, and Cryptococcus neoformans are pathogenic yeasts which can cause systemic infections in immune-compromised as well as immune-competent individuals. These yeasts undergo replicative aging analogous to a process first described in the nonpathogenic yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The hallmark of replicative aging is the asymmetric cell division of mother yeast cells that leads to the production of a phenotypically distinct daughter cell. Several techniques to study aging that have been pioneered in S. cerevisiae have been adapted to study aging in other pathogenic yeasts. The studies indicate that aging is relevant for virulence in pathogenic fungi. As the mother yeast cell progressively ages, every ensuing asymmetric cell division leads to striking phenotypic changes, which results in increased antifungal and antiphagocytic resistance. This review summarizes the various techniques that are used to study replicative aging in pathogenic fungi along with their limitations. Additionally, the review summarizes some key phenotypic variations that have been identified and are associated with changes in virulence or resistance and thus promote persistence of older cells.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document