Investigating the Role of Kinetochore Proteins in Microtubule Regulation

Ciara Garvey and George Nemeh

Kinetochore connects centromeric chromatin to microtubules during mitosis. Surprisingly, kinetochore proteins were found in postmitotic Drosophila neurons. When these proteins were knocked down, the number of growing plus ends in the dendrites of uninjured neurons increased, leading to the conclusion that kinetochore suppresses microtubule dynamics in dendrites by regulating nucleation. Overexpression and RNAi knockdown of various kinetochore proteins will determine whether any genes in centromeric DNA participate in the regulation of microtubule dynamics.

Major: 
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Exhibition Category: 
Health and Life Sciences
Exhibition Format: 
Poster Presentation
Campus: 
University Park
Faculty Sponsor: 
Melissa Rolls
Poster Number: 
202