A research group led by Norio Takeshita, Assistant Professor of International Tenure Track, University of Tsukuba (currently concurrently serving as Group Leader, Department of Applied Microbiology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology), super-resolution microscopes show the behavior of polar markers that could not be visualized with conventional fluorescence microscopes. By visualizing with, we clarified the process of polar growth controlled spatiotemporally.
The cells are not uniform spheres, but have an uneven shape.This is called cell polarity and is an essential property for the function of various cells.By growing according to polarity, cells are formed in a cell morphology suitable for each function.The establishment and maintenance of polarity is brought about by the polar markers on the cell membrane determining the polar site and the transport of membrane vesicles towards it.However, it has not been clarified how polar markers are maintained without diffusion on the elongating cell membrane as the cell membrane elongates due to fusion of membrane vesicles.
In this study, we used a super-resolution microscope to visualize the behavior of polar markers using filamentous fungi as a model.As a result, it was observed that the polar markers temporarily gathered on the cell membrane and then diffused on the cell membrane.It was found that the polarity is efficiently maintained and the polarity grows by repeating the establishment of the temporary polarity in this way.In the future, it is expected to lead to the elucidation of the mechanism of cell polarity and morphogenesis in cells in general.
