Project 452202

The control of cell division is an essential process for all living organisms, from single-celled bacteria to humans. For example, our body is made up of trillions of cells, all of which arose through successive divisions of pre-existing cells, starting from a fertilized egg. The process of cell division is extremely complex and tightly controlled molecular machines in our cells that have been deeply conserved during evolution. When this regulation goes awry, defective cell division can predispose individuals to developing diseases such as cancer. While most research has focused on the role of protein machines in the control of cell division, we have found that another class of cellular molecules, ribonucleic acids (RNA), can play a key role in this regulation. We will employ diverse experimental systems, including genetic studies in human cells and in the fruit fly Drosophila, as well as cutting edge approaches in genomics and cell biology, to define the roles played by RNA molecules in cell division control. This work will reveal new mechanisms of cell division regulation and will lay the groundwork for the development of RNA-oriented therapies to treat human diseases.