biosights

Mitotic spindle microtubules have long been thought to deliver a signal to the cell cortex that positions the cytokinetic cleavage furrow. A new study reveals that accurate cytokinesis still occurs in the absence of contact between microtubules and the plasma membrane, and suggests that multiple spatial cues combine to define the furrow's location. This biosights episode presents the paper by von Dassow et al. from the December 14th, 2009 issue of the Journal of Cell Biology, and includes interviews with authors George von Dassow and Bill Bement. Produced by Eun Choi and Ben Short.

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Melanosomes are specialized pigment-producing organelles that arise from the endosomal system. A new study reveals that the clathrin adaptor AP-1 and the kinesin motor KIF13A combine to sort melanosomal cargo and position endosomes near to developing melanosomes where they deliver the cargo via direct tubular contacts. This biosights episode presents the paper by Delevoye et al. from the October 19th, 2009 issue of the Journal of Cell Biology, and includes interviews with authors Graça Raposo and Cédric Delevoye. Produced by Eun Choi and Ben Short.

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In this month's biosights, we profile Elaine Fuchs, whose 30 years of research on mammalian skin development has recently been honored with the National Medal of Science and the 2009 L'Oréal-UNESCO award for Women in Science. The video includes excerpts from an interview with Dr. Fuchs, and was produced by Eun Choi and Ben Short.

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Early stages of drosophila development are marked by rapid cell cycles that go directly from S phase to mitosis without any obvious gap phases. Having previously investigated the role that cyclins play in timing these divisions, McCleland et al. now look at the role that S phase plays in regulating cell cycle progression. This episode of biosights presents two papers by McCleland et al. from the March 9, 2009 and October 5, 2009 issues of the Journal of Cell Biology and includes interviews with authors Mark McCleland and Patrick O'Farrell. Produced by Eun Choi.

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The contractile vacuole is an osmoregulatory organelle in protozoans that expels excess water from the cytosol through a complex sequence of membrane movements. A new study identifies a myosin motor protein that orchestrates these movements in Dictyostelia. This biosights episode presents the paper by Jung et al. from the August 24th, 2009 issue of the Journal of Cell Biology, and includes an interview with senior author John Hammer III. Produced by Eun Choi and Ben Short.

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Traditional methodologies can not detect the majority of action occurring in complex protein assemblies such as focal adhesions. A new study applied a high throughput screen and multi-parametric analysis to identify genes implicated in focal adhesion formation. This biosights episode presents a paper by Winograd-Katz et al. in the Journal of Cell Biology and includes interviews with authors Sabina Winograd-Katz and Benjamin Geiger. Produced by Eun Choi and Aimee deCathelineau.

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The C-terminus of α-tubulin was thought to lose a tyrosine residue in response to microtubule stabilization, but new research shows that the opposite is true: tyrosine removal causes microtubules to stabilize by reducing the efficiency of depolymerizing motor proteins. This biosights episode presents a paper by Peris et al. in the Journal of Cell Biology, and includes interviews with authors Leticia Peris and Annie Andrieux. Produced by Justin Paul and Ben Short.

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Most cell migration studies are performed in 2D culture dishes, but new work suggests that studying cells migrating along 1D lines might give a better indication of how migration occurs in vivo. This biosights episode presents a paper by Doyle et al. in the Journal of Cell Biology, and includes excerpts from an interview with first author Andrew Doyle. Produced by Justin Paul and Ruth Williams.

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Dictyostelium cells migrate in an orderly head-to-tail arrangement. They do this by leaving a trail of vesicles (thought to contain chemoattractant) for their fellow cells to follow. This biosights episode presents a paper by Kriebel et al. in the Journal of Cell Biology, and includes excerpts from an interview with senior author Carole Parent. Produced by Justin Paul and Ruth Williams.

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The Rockefeller University Press [email protected]

Discover how a well-known polarity protein keeps intestinal cells facing the right way by controlling their division direction. This biosights episode presents a paper by Jaffe et al. in The Journal of Cell Biology, and includes excerpts from an interview with senior author Alan Hall. Produced by Justin Paul and Ruth Williams.