February 28, 2019, New York—Researchers at the San Diego Branch of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research have identified an entirely new mechanism that supports the development of the nervous system during embryogenesis.
The study, led by Ludwig San Diego Member Arshad Desai and published in the current issue of Developmental Cell, focused on the dynamic linking of protein cables known as microtubules to kinetochores—protein machines built on a defined region in the middle of chromosomes known as the centromere. Centromeres assemble kinetochores during cell division and the complex, in cooperation with microtubules, drives a copy of each chromosome to opposite poles of the dividing cell, ensuring that its daughters get an equal complement of all chromosomes.
In their new paper, Desai and colleagues report that the evolutionarily ancient kinetochore-microtubule coupling machine, called the KMN network, also plays a critical role in the formation of neurons in the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans.
“We’ve found molecular similarity between the movement of chromosomes in dividing cells and the formation of neuronal projections, both of which involve microtubule polymers that dynamically grow and shorten,” said Desai, adding that the findings may help illuminate the underlying pathology of some neurological conditions.
The UC San Diego release from which this summary is derived can be found here.
About Ludwig Cancer Research
Ludwig Cancer Research is an international collaborative network of acclaimed scientists that has pioneered cancer research and landmark discovery for more than 40 years. Ludwig combines basic science with the ability to translate its discoveries and conduct clinical trials to accelerate the development of new cancer diagnostics and therapies. Since 1971, Ludwig has invested $2.7 billion in life-changing science through the not-for-profit Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and the six U.S.-based Ludwig Centers. To learn more, visit www.ludwigcancerresearch.org.
For further information please contact Rachel Reinhardt, rreinhardt@lcr.org or +1-212-450-1582.