CMCB Life Sciences Seminar: Prof. Jeffrey Woodruff, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Host: Stephen Enos

Title: "Resisting the Pull: uncovering the molecular basis of centrosome strength"

Abstract: Centrosomes are micron-scale organelles that nucleate thousands of microtubules in mitotically dividing cells. We combine bottom-up protein reconstitution, live-cell imaging, cryo-electron microscopy, and nano-rheology to study how centrosomes assemble, nucleate microtubule asters, and resist tensile stresses. In our prior work, we developed an in vitro system that recapitulates centrosome assembly and microtubule nucleation, and employed a microscope that uses optically-induced flow perturbations to measure the material properties of centrosomes in a living embryo. These studies revealed the minimal components needed for centrosome assembly in C. elegans embryos and how regulation of material properties (e.g., strength, ductility) enables centrosome disassembly. Our current work uses cross-linking mass spectrometry (XL-MS) paired with structural modeling to identify the molecular interactions undergirding centrosome scaffold assembly and resistance to tensile stress.