Identification of novel factors that organize mitotic and meiotic chromosomes

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Christian H. Häring
• Subject Area: Cell Biology
• Term: from 2009 to 2015
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 116325492

A fundamental requirement for the correct segregation of chromosomes during mitotic and meiotic cell divisions is their transformation into highly organized compact structures that can be partitioned by mitotic and meiotic spindles. Even though the events that lead to the formation of mitotic chromo-somes has been described already in the 19th century, surprisingly little is still known about the mo-lecular mechanisms of chromosome condensation. To understand how the architecture of mitotic and meiotic chromosomes is established, it will be essential to identify the key factors that drive this con-densation process. The aim of this project is to discover proteins that are essential for chromosome condensation. We propose to develop a high-throughput microscopy assay for measuring quantitatively and with high temporal and spatial resolution chromosome condensation in live fission yeast cells. Using this assay, we will screen a newly generated S. pombe mutant collection that allows the conditional inactivation of essential genes to identify candidate proteins with functions in chromosome condensation and/or segregation. We will then characterize the molecular activities of the identified proteins during mitosis and meiosis, their regulation, and their interplay with other known structural components of mitotic and meiotic chromosomes (e.g. the condensin complex) using biochemical and cell biological approaches.

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes
• Subproject of: SPP 1384: Mechanisms of Genome Haploidisation