RESEARCH IN CHEN LAB

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Cytokinesis is driven by the placement, assembly, and constriction of an actomyosin contractile ring at the cleavage furrow. Failure in cytokinesis could lead to polyploid cells which are implicated in cancer, blood disorders, and neurological disorders. We are interested in the molecular mechanisms and regulation of cytokinesis.

           

We use Fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe), a unicellular eukaryotic model organism to understand cytokinesis. The core machinery of cytokinesis in S. pombe is similar to humans, making this genetically tractable model organism a powerful tool in cell biology to study cytokinesis. 

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Currently, our research is focused on 3 major areas:
 

Research Project 1: What is the role of Calcium during cytokinesis? Our lab has discovered calcium spikes (transient increase in intracellular calcium levels) during the cytokinesis of Fission yeast and showed its importance to cytokinesis. We are interested to know:

• What is the important role/function of such calcium spikes during cytokinesis?

• What upstream calcium-signaling proteins (ion channels, pumps) mediates such calcium spikes during cytokinesis?

• What downstream regulatory mechanisms (calmodulin, calcineurin, and other calcium-binding proteins) control calcium spikes during cytokinesis?

 

Research Project 2: How do Pkd2 channels regulate cell growth? Our lab has discovered the essential Fission yeast polycystin homolog, Pkd2, a plasma-membrane localized non-selective ion channel that plays an important role during cell growth and cytokinesis. We are interested to know: 

• The molecular mechanism of how Pkd2 regulates cell growth and key steps in cytokinesis?

• How is Pkd2 activated during cytokinesis and recruited at the plasma membrane?

• What is the essential function of the Pkd2 protein?

• How does Pkd2 mediate calcium signaling during cytokinesis?

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Research Project 3: How do actin-assembled cellular structures regulate cytokinesis? Actin-assembled structures undergo constant turnover during cell division through their interactions with dozens of actin-binding proteins (ABPs). We are interested to know:

• How does a cell assembles/disassembles actin-based cellular structures (like actomyosin ring) during cytokinesis?

• How does a dividing cell initiate cell separation?

• What and how do ABPs regulate actin turnover and control cytokinesis?

We are using a variety of approaches and tools to address these questions including: 

• Cell-based molecular techniques

• Gene editing

• Yeast genetics

• Live-cell time-lapse microscopy 

• Computational image analysis