Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 6, 2025

Author Spotlight: Establishing CENP-E Knockout HeLa Cells – A Novel Approach to Study Kinesin-7 CENP-E Biology and its Inhibitors
Published on: June 23, 2023
Photochemical Control of Cell Division Using a Photoswitchable CENP-E Inhibitor
Akira Matsura1, Shota Hiruma1, Nobuyuki Tamaoki2
1Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
Abstract:
Photoswitchable compounds are potent tools for elucidating molecular functions in dynamic cellular processes. Photoswitchable inhibitors targeting various mitotic spindle factors have been developed. In this chapter, we describe experimental methods for photo-controlling mitotic chromosome dynamics using a recently developed photoswitchable inhibitor of mitotic kinesin, CENP-E. This inhibitor undergoes reversible photoisomerization to a more inhibitory trans or less inhibitory cis state by visible or UV light irradiation, respectively, enabling photoswitching of CENP-E function both in vitro and in vivo. First, we explain the procedures used to optimize the experimental condition for efficient photoswitching of CENP-E functionality in cultured cells. We then describe how to conduct de novo photo-control of mitotic chromosome motion using the inhibitor under a microscope.
More Related Videos
08:13Spatiotemporal Subcellular Manipulation of the Microtubule Cytoskeleton in the Living Preimplantation Mouse Embryo using Photostatins
Published on: November 30, 2021
13:17In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of Photocontrolled Biologically Active Compounds - Potential Drug Candidates for Cancer Photopharmacology
Published on: September 29, 2023
Related Concept Videos
Inhibition of Cdk Activity
Negative Regulator Molecules
Molecular Factors Affecting Cell Division
Several proteins function as internal regulators to ensure each cell cycle stage is completed faithfully before proceeding to the next. Regulator molecules may act directly or influence the activity or production of other...
The Cell Cycle Control System
Cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) are the primary cell cycle regulators and...
Separation of Sister Chromatids
At the onset of anaphase, separase, a proteolytic enzyme, is...
DNA Damage can Stall the Cell Cycle