Section: Figures

Andrea Pereira, Ph.D.

Academic Role: Research Assistant Professor

Faculty Appointment(s) In:
   Molecular Genetics and Microbiology

Other Affiliation(s):
   Cell Biology

Figures

Model of astral forces. The distribution of KLPs, KLP61F and KLP67A on astral and spindle microtubules is indicated. The effects of mutations in KLP61F and KLP67A in spindle assembly are shown. Mutations in KLP61F prevent centrosome separation in larval neuroblasts The abnormal length and shape of the KLP67A mutant spindle is speculated to be due to improper centrosome migration during prometaphase.

Kinesin like proteins are involved in various aspects of cell division and show homology to the motor domain of conventional kinesin, an ATPase motor used to move organelles on microtubule tracks. We are working on a kinesin like protein, KLP67A in Drosophila melanogaster. KLP67A localizes to the ends of astral microtubules where it is associated with mitochondria and an endosymbiont, Wolbachia. Wolbachia is a maternally inherited endosymbiotic bacteria that manipulates host reproduction to increase the number of infected individuals within the population. Various mutants have been made and studied to understand the function of KLP67A. Also, yeast two hybrid and coimmunoprecipitation procedures are used to study the proteins interacting with KLP67A.

The figure shows the cell cycle expression of KLP67A in embryos - Early blastoderm embryos were stained with KLP67A (red signal) and a-tubulin antibodies (green signal). DNA is shown in blue. A, Prophase B, Metaphase C, Telophase.

Immunolocalization of KLP67A in CHO cells (vertebrate kidney cells). Cells were labelled with anti-KLP67A antibodies (a) and mitochondria specific dye Mitotracker (b). The pattern in both the cases is similar suggesting that KLP67A co localize with mitochondria. This indicate that KLP67A might be interacting with mitochondria.

Office: 770B1
Phone: 508-856-6236
E-mail: Andrea.Pereira@umassmed.edu

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