Research

Genetics of Cell Division

Professor Robert Saint
Dr. Michael Murray

During animal development, cells divide, change shape, regulate their adhesion, migrate, differentiate and/or die in a way that is tightly regulated. The broad aim of our research is to understand the genetic and molecular basis of these cellular behaviours in normal embryogenesis, with a view to increasing our understanding of diseases such as cancer in which these processes are misregulated.
We use the vinegar-fly Drosophila melanogaster because of its power as a model system and because studies in Drosophila impact directly on our understanding of gene function and embryogenesis in all animals, including ourselves.
Our research interests fall into three main areas: cell division, cell migration and epithelial to mesenchymal transitions.

Cell Division

The final stage of cell division is cytokinesis, in which an actomyosin contractile ring divides the cytoplasm in two. Using a combination of genetic and cellular approaches and advanced imaging techniques we have identified several of the key components of the cytokinetic machinery and shed light on their interactions and molecular functions. We are also using Drosophila to understand how a failure in cytokinesis can lead to tumour formation.

Cell migration

We are interested in the genetic regulation and cellular mechanisms of cell migration in primary embryonic tissues. Previously we have studied the role of the RhoGEF Pebble in mesoderm migration and have used advanced fluorescence imaging techniques such as a Photoactivatable form of the Green Fluorescent Protein (PAGFP) to track cells during migration. Our work is now expanding to include the migration of another primary tissue, the endoderm.

Epithelial/Mesenchymal Transitions

A key feature of animal development is the ability of cells to transition between stationary epithelial cell types and migratory mesenchymal cell types (i.e. undergo an EMT). EMTs are also of great interest in cancer studies since they are a key step in the metastasis of tumours. We are therefore currently studying a number of EMT and MET events (i.e. the reverse process) that occur during normal development, with a view to conducting genome-wide screens for new genes that regulate these processes.

Saint-Murray Lab Personnel

Recent Publications