DivIDe — A multidisciplinary approach to cell division: From human oocyte to synthetic biology

Results in brief

A multidisciplinary approach to cell division: From human oocyte to synthetic biology

Cell division is a fundamental process for the development, growth and tissue maintenance and renewal of all organisms. There are two type of cell divisions, mitosis (producing two identical daughter cells) and meiosis (producing female and male gametes). Mistakes occurring during cell division may have dramatic consequences for the development and health of the organisms that may lead to cell death, infertility and cancer. The process of cell division is therefore critical for the life and health of higher organism. In fact, the cell relies on highly complex regulatory networks involving specific sets of genes and proteins as well as error correction mechanisms to avoid mistakes in chromosome segregation during mitosis and meiosis. DivIDE was a European training network of international researchers that aimed to address the mechanisms underlying cell division through an interdisciplinary approach combining molecular biology, biophysics, engineering, mathematical modelling, clinical embryology, and drug discovery. The network had two main objectives. First, training a new generation of molecular engineers with interdisciplinary and intersectoral skills to address cell division from a wide technological perspective. Second, to develop interconnected research projects addressing the functional role of post-translational modifications of the microtubules as well as essential protein complexes and mechanisms occurring during mitosis and meiosis.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

The cell is the universal unit of living matter, and there cannot be propagation of life without cell division. DivIDe aims to investigate the mechanisms and principles of cell division and to reproduce them in vitro with synthetic approaches. Crucial to cell division is the mitotic spindle, a structure whose main duty is the separation of chromosomes. The spindle is made of microtubules (MT), molecular motors, and MT-binding factors, some of which show astounding complexity. The mitotic spindle is the one of the cellular structures that best represents the ability of biological matter to self-organize though arrays of dynamic protein-protein interactions. It rapidly assembles when cells enter mitosis, and it disassembles, after sister chromatid separation and mitotic exit. The complexity and dynamic behaviour of the mitotic spindle captures the imagination of synthetic biologists and modellers. These “molecular engineers” try to understand and harness the principles of self-organization to generate new biological structures endowed with the most typical features of biological matter, the ability to harness energy to do mechanical or chemical work. The emerging discipline of synthetic biology aims to bring together modellers, physicists, and chemists, with biochemists, structural biologists and cell biologists. So does DivIDe, which will train a new generation of molecular engineers endowed with a strong basis in quantitative computational and biochemical methods, and therefore capable of addressing cellular and molecular mechanisms. Furthermore, molecular engineering harbours industrial applications, and DivIDe will continuously provide results for potential exploitation by the three SME partners. Training in management skills, conceptual and ethical thinking, communication and networking will complement the scientific offer. In summary, DivIDe will be able to teach an integrated package of skills and will train the molecular biologists of the future.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

FUNDACIO CENTRE DE REGULACIO GENOMICA · BarcelonaCoordinatorSpain
CHERRY BIOTECH · MONTREUILFrance
ELVESYS · PARISFrance
EUROPEAN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY LABORATORY · HeidelbergGermany
EUVITRO SLU · BARCELONASpain
INSTITUT CURIE · ParisFrance
INSTITUT FUER MOLEKULARE BIOTECHNOLOGIE GMBH · WienAustria
LEAD DISCOVERY CENTER GMBH · DortmundGermany
MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER WISSENSCHAFTEN EV · MUNCHENGermany
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET DRESDEN · DresdenGermany
THE FRANCIS CRICK INSTITUTE LIMITED · LondonUnited Kingdom
surfrenderNetherlands

DivIDe · A multidisciplinary approach to cell division: From human oocyte to synthetic biology

Results in brief

A multidisciplinary approach to cell division: From human oocyte to synthetic biology

Project objective

Participants

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