New Key Mechanism in Cell Division Discovered

In every organism, cells grow and divide into two daughter cells through an orderly succession of events called "cell cycle." Cells have to complete four main processes during the cell cycle: growth (G1 and G2 phases), doubling the DNA (S phase), segregation of chromosomes (M phase, mitosis) and division (cytokinesis). In the S phase or DNA replication, the genetic material is duplicated and then during the M phase or mitosis, cells separate the duplicated chromosomes between two daughter cells. This will ensure correct inheritance of genetic information from one cell generation to the next. Chromosomal stability The transmission of genetic information (DNA) from parent to child (or equivalently, from cell to cell) is a fundamental question in biology. Aneuploidy, ie lack or excess of chromosomes, is a feature present in almost all human cancers and promotes tumour development. Regulation of mitosis is particularly important for maintaining chromosomal stability. For example, tumour cells are aneuploid due to defects in the segregation of chromosomes, which originate cells with more or less genetic material than usual. However, in spite of its importance, very little is known about the output regulation of mitosis. In the article published in the Journal of Cell Science, the Cell Cycle research group at IDIBELL led by Ethel Queralt, discovers a new mechanism of regulation of mitotic exit. Separase protein is a key component for proper chromosome segregation and the regulation of mitosis. In previous work, the group of Dr. Queralt described for the first time the involvement of Zds1 protein in mitosis. This protein cooperates with the separase to...

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Japanese scientists use particle accelerator to create salt-resistant rice

An unfortunate and little reported side effect of last year’s Japanese earthquake and tsunami is that thousands of acres of farmland were contaminated with seawater. Rice is a staple crop in Japan, and it requires large amounts of water to grow. The salt in seawater, however, stunts or outright kills the plant. Researchers out of Riken Nishina Centre near Tokyo have been looking at the problem, and it just so happens they have a particle accelerator laying around. You can probably see where this is going. Researchers have been working to develop a strain of rice that can tolerate salt for a number of years, but this new method could vastly improve rice agriculture. All agriculture is about nurturing desired traits in a crop; it’s just how you go about it that ruffles some feathers. Before modern science, it was a painstaking process to selectively breed plants to...

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