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Control of apoptosis by asymmetric cell division
Julia Hatzold1, Barbara Conradt
1Department of Genetics, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States of America.
Plos Biology
|April 11, 2008
Summary
Asymmetric cell division and apoptosis are linked by a conserved pathway in C. elegans. This pathway, involving genes dnj-11, ces-2, and ces-1, directly controls programmed cell death during development.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Asymmetric cell division and apoptosis are crucial for multicellular organism development.
- These fundamental processes ensure proper tissue formation and organismal function.
- Understanding their interplay is key to developmental biology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the functional link between asymmetric cell division and apoptosis.
- To identify the genetic pathway mediating this connection in C. elegans.
- To explore the evolutionary conservation of this pathway.
Main Methods:
- Utilized genetic analysis in Caenorhabditis elegans.
- Investigated the roles of dnj-11 (MIDA1), ces-2 (HLF), and ces-1 (Snail) genes.
- Examined the control of apoptotic machinery by this pathway.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated a functional link between asymmetric cell division and apoptosis in C. elegans.
- Identified a pathway involving dnj-11, ces-2, and ces-1 that directly regulates apoptosis.
- Found evidence of conserved components (MIDA1, Snail-related proteins) in other species.
Conclusions:
- The dnj-11, ces-2, and ces-1 pathway directly controls apoptotic fate in C. elegans.
- This pathway for asymmetric cell division and apoptosis may be conserved across plant and animal kingdoms.
- Suggests a conserved mechanism linking cell division asymmetry to programmed cell death.
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