One fundamental tenet of cell biology is that nuclear inheritance, the process whereby nuclei and chromosomes are segregated during cell division, is tightly regulated and essential for cell proliferation. While this process is well studied, very little is known regarding the inheritance events associated with other organelles. Part of our research focuses on mitochondrial inheritance.
Mitochondria are essential organelles that can arise only from pre-existing mitochondria.
Thus, mitochondrial inheritance, like nuclear inheritance, is an integral part of the cell division cycle that insures that each cell contains this indispensable organelle. Until recently, however, the function of these proteins was not well understood. In addition, we obtained the first experimental evidence that the function of myosin I is to control actin organization. In yeast, myosin I control of actin organization is required for establishment of cell polarity during asymmetric growth and cell division. Finally, we find that targeting of myosin I protein to their site of action is a multistep process.