"Cytokinesis: Scaffolding the Contractile Ring ... and Beyond"

Cytokinesis of all animal cells involves dramatic changes in cell shape typified by assembly of an equatorial actin-, myosin- and septin-based contractile ring (CR). After closure of this ring, sister cells remain connected by an intercellular bridge, comprising a microtubule-based midbody encircled by a cortical midbody ring (MR) that mature together in poorly understood ways until abscission completes cytokinesis. Traditionally, the CR, MR and abscission stages have been considered separately. However, our recent work in Drosophila cells suggest that they represent a continuum, sharing a common machinery that evolves as cytokinesis progresses. The multi-domain scaffold protein, Anillin, is at the hub of this machinery, capable of integrating many other components. We are working towards deciphering how Anillin and its interactors coordinate cytokinetic progression. This will help us to understand how cells ordinarily execute cytokinesis with extreme fidelity, how the machinery is adapted to suit the needs of different developmental contexts, and how the machinery may be hijacked and/or targeted during cancer development.