Wellcome Trust Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression
Professor Jason Swedlow
Position:
Professor of Quantitative Cell Biology
Address:
Wellcome Trust Centre for Gene Regulation and Expression
College of Life Sciences
University of Dundee
Dundee,
DD1 5EH
Telephone:
+44 (0)1382 385819, internal ext. 85819
Fax:
+44 (0)1382 388072
Email:
Links:
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Research Overview
Mechanism of mitotic chromosome condensation
During cell division, the two copies of a cell's genetic material are completely separated and delivered to a pair of new daughter cells. Proper chromosome segregation requires the formation of correct attachments between the genetic material, assembled into chromosomes, and ends of microtubules. Our research is focussed on establishing the molecular mechanisms that mediate and monitor the correct attachment of chromosomes to microtubule at a special structure known as the kinetochore. To achieve this, we make use of advanced tools for imaging the components of cell division, especially in living cells and specialised mass spectrometry methods to probe the molecular machinery of cell division. Recently, we used these tools to discover a new protein, Bod1, that plays a critical role in the formation of correct attachments between microtubules and chromosomes by modulating the activity of Aurora B protein kinase. We recently installed a newly developed OMX microscope and are using this system to probe the inner workings of the centromere and kinetochore of the mitotic chromosome.
Like many cell biology labs, we generate large sets of image data. To manage, analyse and understand this data, we, long with our collaborators, formed the Open Microscopy Environment Consortium. OME develops data specifications, file format translators and data management software for imaging applications. OME tools are used in thousands of labs around the world. For more info on OME, see the Consortium's web site.
Selected Recent Publications
- Jaqaman K, King EM, Amaro AC, Winter JR, Dorn JF, Elliott HL, Mchedlishvili N, McClelland SE, Porter IM, Posch M, Toso A, Danuser G, McAinsh AD, Meraldi P, Swedlow JR. (2010) Kinetochore alignment within the metaphase plate is regulated by centromere stiffness and microtubule depolymerases. J. Cell Biol. 188:681-692. View Paper
- Swedlow, J.R., Goldberg, I.G., Eliceiri, K.W., the OME Consortium (2009) Bioimage informatics for experimental biology. Annu Rev Biophys. 38:327-346. View Paper
- Khoudoli, G.A., Gillespie, P.J., Stewart, G., Andersen, J.S., Swedlow, J.R., and Blow, J.J. (2008) Temporal profiling of the chromatin proteome reveals system-wide responses to replication inhibition. Curr. Biol. 18:838-43. View Paper
- Murray, J.M., Appleton, P.L., Swedlow, J.R., and Waters, J.C. (2007) Evaluating Performance in three-dimensional fluorescence microscopy. J Microsc. 228(3):390-405. View Paper
- Porter, I.M., McClelland, S., Khoudoli, G.A., Hunter, C., Andersen, J., McAinsh, A.D., Blow, J.J., and Swedlow, J.R. (2007) Bod1, a novel kinetochore protein required for chromosome biorientation. J Cell Biol. 179(2):187-97. View Paper
- Wilcock, A.C., Swedlow, J.R., and Storey, K.G. (2007) Mitotic spindle orientation distinguishes stem cell and terminal modes of neuron production in the early spinal cord. Development 134:1943-1954. View Paper
- Goldberg, I.G., Allan, C., Burel, J-M., Creager, D., Falconi, A., Hochheiser, H.S., Johnston, J., Mellenm, J., Sorger, P.K., and Swedlow, J.R. (2005) The Open Microscopy Environment (OME) data model and XML File: open tools for informatics and quantitative analysis in biological Imaging. Genome Biol. 6:R47. View Paper
- Andrews, P.D., Ovechkina, Y., Morrice, N., Wagenbach, M., Duncan, K., Wordeman, L., and Swedlow, J.R. (2004) Aurora B regulates MCAK at the mitotic centromere. Dev Cell 6:253-268. View Paper