The workshop on Cell Dynamics and Chromosomal Stability will exploredynamic cellular, subcellular and molecular mechanisms that underpinchromosomal stability. We will also be introducing the imaging facilitieswithin the Center for Cell Dynamics (CCD) and Al-guided SpinXsoftware for object tracking (now available via Zeiss arivis Cloud).
Programme
11:45 Desk open for the workshop and the poster session. Coffee and Sweets will be served around the registration desk.
12:00 Welcome opening remarks and Keynote speaker short introduction (Prof. Viji Draviam)
Session 1: Chromosomal Stability Mechanisms
12:05 Prof. Jingyan Fu (China Agriculture University, Beijing, China)Protein architecture at Drosophila centriole core. The centrosome is a highly conserved organelle that serves as the main microtubule-organizing center. It comprises of two orthogonally arranged centrioles surrounded by a mass of protein-rich matrix. In many cell types one centriole provides a template for cilium assembly. Extra copies of centrosomes are common features among cancer cells, whereas defects in ciliogenesis cause a wide range of human diseases including microcephaly and a group of disorders collectively known as the ciliopathies. Genome-wide RNAi screens have identified many molecules critical for centriole duplication, but their organization is far from clear. We have used several super-resolution techniques to investigate the organization of centriolar and peri-centriolar proteins throughout the cell division cycle, and provided a direct view of how centriolar proteins are organized.
12:30 Prof. Paola Vagnarelli (Brunel University, London, UK)ki-67: is it really important for cell division? Abstract TBC
12:55 Dr Vladimir Volkov (Queen Mary University of London, London, UK)In vitro reconstitution of multivalent kinetochore-microtubule interactions. To achieve errorless division of the genome, microtubules of the mitotic spindle attach with their ends to kinetochores. Conserved protein complexes that couple microtubule dynamics to the movement of chromosomes, such as the Ndc80 complex, are binding to each microtubule end with multiple copies. To understand the role of these multivalent interaction in ensuring the correct attachment between kinetochores and microtubule ends, we reconstitute them using purified components in vitro. We then probe these interactions using single-molecule biophysical approaches. In my talk I will present our recent results showing how multiple self-interaction interfaces within the Ndc80 complex contribute to its function as the main connection hub at the microtubule-kinetochore interface.
13:20 Dr Duccio Conti (Max Planck Institute for Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, Germany)The role of PLK1 kinase on the epigenetic maintenance of centromeres. Centromere positioning along the chromosome’s body must be accurately maintained throughout cellular life, as it is crucial for the organism's viability. In higher eukaryotes, centromeres are epigenetically marked by the presence of the histone variant CENP-A. Deposition of new CENP-A in early G1 compensates for its equal partition to the sister chromatids during DNA replication. The MIS18 complex, consisting of MIS8α, MIS18β, and M18BP1, together with the CENP-A chaperone HJURP are required for new CENP-A loading onto chromatin. CDK kinases restrict this process to happen only in the G1 phase by negatively regulating the MIS18 complex formation. In contrast, Polo-like kinase (PLK1) was shown to positively direct new CENP-A deposition, but the molecular details of this process are still obscure. In this study, we discover that the N-terminus of M18BP1 is a master regulator of PLK1 localisation and activity at centromeres. Using separation-of-function mutants we show that M18BP1-bound PLK1 regulates the interaction between HJURP and the MIS18 complex. In further biochemical dissections, we demonstrate that PLK1 is needed to promote a conformational switch of MIS18α's N-terminus, thus enhancing its binding to HJURP. We finally show that PLK1 needs to bind to both MIS18α and HJURP to allow this molecular switch to happen. In conclusion, our findings illuminate how PLK1 contributes to the epigenetic maintenance of centromeres in the G1 phase of the cell cycle.
13:45 Short break - Coffee/Tea/Sweets (15 minutes)
Session 2: Cell Dynamics and Analysis
14:00 Dr Susan Cox (Kings College London, London, UK)Dissecting cell dynamics. New fluorescence microscopy techniques enable imaging of live cells with high speed and resolution, enabling new tradeoffs in detecting structure and movement. Furthermore, AI-based segmentation approaches enable significant improvements in data analysis, allowing cell behaviour to be analysed more systematically and in greater detail. This talk will discuss how improvements in these two areas of technology have the potential to enable new scientific discovery.
14:25 Prof. Noriko Hiroi (Kanagawa Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan)Application of Transformer for complex tracking problem of mesoscopic objects. Correct distribution of chromosomes is significant for human health at every stage and the precise control of spindle is the key for the mechanisms. We will apply Transfomer based program for commet tracking to investigate molecular control of spindles.
14:50 Dr Chengchen Wu (Queen Mary University of London, London, UK)Introducing the imaging facilities in the Center for Cell Dynamics(CCD). The Center for Cell Dynamics(CCD) in the School of Biosciences and behaviourial Sciences in Queen Mary University of London houses cutting-edge microscopes along with advanced digital image processing tools to work at the forefront of life science research. I will share the Elyra 7 and LLS7 user experience and experimental results. I will also introduce the Rapp Opto laser system integrated to Elyra 7 to implement the FRAP (Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching) in the Super-Resolution regime to track the dynamics of proteins in living cells.
15:05 Dr Binghao Chai (Queen Mary University of London, London, UK)AI in biomedical image and movie analysis. In the evolving field of cell biology, artificial intelligence (AI) offers transformative solutions for image and movie analysis. This talk explores the application of AI and deep learning in cell biology image and movie analysis, discussing existing tools, challenges, and opportunities. We introduce a Draviam lab-developed multi-spindle tracker as a case study to show the capabilities of computational methods in tracking spindles and modelling cells. The spindle tracker (base module) is available for free on Zeiss/Arivis for cell biologists with no coding experience to readily use the AI-guided image analysis method.
15:20 Closing remarks of workshop (Prof. Viji Draviam, Thank-you note).
15:25 Coffee and Discussion.
