August 5, 2015

Gary Brouhard, PhD., McGill University

Seminar Title:  Thoughts (and Experiments) on Microtubule Nucleation

Abstract:   Microtubules are born and reborn continuously, even during quiescence. These polymers are nucleated from templates, namely γ-tubulin ring complexes (γ-TuRCs) and severed microtubule ends. Interestingly, the rate of microtubule nucleation increases as cells enter mitosis, and all cells nucleate microtubules in distinct regions of their cytoplasms. How are these spatial and temporal profiles for microtubule nucleation established? I will discuss my lab’s recent attempts to answer this question using a mix of single-molecule biophysics, cell biology, and structural biology.

Host:  Chip Asbury