– Contributing to elucidation of the mechanism by which organisms maintain their genome stably –
The researcher has clarified the mechanism by which abnormalities occur in the structure of chromosomes built during cell division.
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Model of chromosomal abnormality induction by calcium ion deficiency |
Chromosome structure is formed during cell division, and DNA is distributed to daughter cells to transmit genetic information. While it was known that abnormalities can be found in the structure of chromosomes and cell division is not performed normally when there is a calcium ion deficiency, the mechanism behind this was unclear. Therefore, the researcher investigated the effect of calcium ions on chromosome structure during the cell division phase.
The researcher showed that chromosome structural abnormalities are caused by the destabilization of kinetochore microtubules composed of chromosome kinetochores and microtubules. Furthermore, they showed that this destabilization is caused by the loss of CENP-F, one of the kinetochore proteins with the role of connecting kinetochores and microtubules, due to the decreased calcium ion concentration.
By clarifying the mechanism by which calcium ions act on CENP-F, the researchers will contribute to the elucidation of the mechanism by which organisms maintain their genome stably.