About the Project
During embryonic development, a single fertilised egg ultimately generates every cell of an organism. To generate diverse types of cells, some cell divisions occur asymmetrically, resulting in daughter cells inheriting different proteins and organelles. The aim of this project is to identify the genetic factors that influence asymmetric cell divisions. We discovered a mechanism for asymmetric division based on a signal from the sex chromosome. Here we will genetically identify the specific molecular factors that could mediate this new mechanism. This study will also investigate novel interactions between the X chromosome and key organelles required for cellular energy (mitochondria).
This project uses a nematode system to uncover the mechanisms controlling asymmetric cell division. It will involve the use of use state-of-the-art genome engineering techniques, microscopy and bioinformatics tools to follow molecules in living organisms and mapping genetic traits.
Techniques that will be undertaken during the project:
- Gene editing tools to generated mutant nematodes (e.g., CRISPR/Cas9)
- Generation of transgenic nematodes (e.g., tagging of specific proteins with fluorescent markers)
- Microscopy (e.g., time lapse videos, confocal microscopy)
- Bioinformatics (e.g., writing scripts in Unix, R and Python)
- Statistics (R, Python)
Funding Notes
Studentship includes: fees, a tax-free stipend of at least £15,009 p.a (to rise in line with UKRI recommendation); a travel allowance in year 1; a travel / conference budget; a generous consumables budget and use of a MacBook Pro for the duration of the programme. In order to apply you must ensure that you are eligible.
References
Shlyakhtina, Y., Moran, K.L., and Portal, M.M. (2019). Asymmetric Inheritance of Cell Fate Determinants: Focus on RNA. Noncoding RNA 5, 38.
Winter, E.S., Schwarz, A., Fabig, G., Feldman, J.L., Pires-daSilva, A., Muller-Reichert, T., Sadler, P.L., and Shakes, D.C. (2017). Cytoskeletal variations in an asymmetric cell division support diversity in nematode sperm size and sex ratios. Development 144, 3253-3263.