The Contractile Ring
The Contractile Ring
The Role of Actin and Myosin in Non-muscle Cells
Cell Motility through Blebbing
Spindle Assembly
M-Cdk Drives Transition Into Mitosis
You might also read
Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.
Updated: Mar 26, 2026

Spatiotemporal Analysis of Cytokinetic Events in Fission Yeast
Published on: February 20, 2017
Franz Meitinger1, Saravanan Palani2
1Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, CMM East, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States.
This review explores how budding yeast cells divide through a process called cytokinesis. The division involves a contractile actomyosin ring and the formation of a septum. These processes must happen in the right order and at the right time to ensure proper division. The review summarizes recent findings on how these mechanisms are coordinated. It highlights the role of molecular players in regulating ring assembly and septum formation. The authors propose that these mechanisms are tightly linked to the cell cycle. Understanding these processes helps explain how yeast cells avoid division errors. The review provides insights into current research directions in this field.
Area of Science:
Background:
Cytokinesis remains a central yet complex process in cell division. Prior research has shown that contractile structures play a role in cell division across species. However, the specific coordination of these structures with cell cycle events is still unclear. Established knowledge includes the role of actin and myosin in forming contractile rings. No prior work had resolved how these rings interact with septum formation in budding yeast. This gap motivated recent investigations into the spatiotemporal regulation of cytokinesis. That uncertainty drove studies focusing on molecular mechanisms in yeast. The need to understand how these mechanisms ensure error-free division remains a key challenge.
Purpose Of The Study:
This review aims to synthesize recent findings on cytokinesis in budding yeast. The specific problem involves understanding how actomyosin rings coordinate with septum formation. The motivation comes from the need to clarify molecular mechanisms controlling this process. Researchers propose that this coordination is essential for accurate cell division. The review focuses on how these mechanisms are regulated in time and space. The goal is to highlight recent progress in this area. The authors aim to provide a comprehensive overview of current knowledge. This approach helps identify unresolved questions in cytokinesis research.
Main Methods:
The authors employed a review approach to compile recent studies on yeast cytokinesis. They analyzed literature on actomyosin ring assembly and constriction. The review included findings on septum formation and cell wall deposition. Data sources included peer-reviewed articles and molecular studies. The synthesis focused on spatiotemporal regulation of these processes. The authors evaluated how these events align with cell cycle progression. They examined molecular players involved in ring formation and septation. The review approach allowed them to identify key findings from the literature.
Main Results:
Key findings from the literature suggest that actomyosin rings assemble before constriction. The review highlights that septum formation occurs simultaneously with ring constriction. Molecular mechanisms regulating ring assembly remain partially understood. The role of cell cycle checkpoints in timing these events is emphasized. Evidence suggests that septum formation serves as a template for cell wall deposition. The review notes that these processes are tightly coupled to cell cycle progression. The data indicate that errors in timing may lead to division defects. These findings provide insights into how yeast cells achieve error-free division.
Conclusions:
The synthesis and implications of the literature suggest that actomyosin rings are central to cytokinesis in yeast. The authors propose that these rings coordinate with septum formation to ensure division accuracy. The review highlights that molecular mechanisms are spatiotemporally regulated. The findings suggest that these mechanisms are crucial for cell cycle progression. The authors note that further research is needed to clarify specific regulatory pathways. The synthesis indicates that understanding these processes is vital for cell biology. The review concludes that current knowledge provides a foundation for future studies. These conclusions align with the authors' stated focus on recent progress in this field.
The actomyosin ring is central to cell division in budding yeast. It constricts to divide the cell while coordinating with septum formation.
Septum formation occurs simultaneously with actomyosin ring constriction. Both processes are tightly coupled to ensure accurate division.
Spatiotemporal regulation ensures that ring constriction and septum formation occur in sync with the cell cycle. This coordination prevents division errors.
Cell wall deposition follows septum formation and is guided by the primary septum. It ensures structural integrity after division.
These processes are regulated in time and space to align with cell cycle checkpoints. This regulation ensures proper division timing.
The review suggests that understanding regulatory pathways is a priority. Further studies may clarify how these mechanisms ensure division accuracy.