MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology
One of the world's leading research institutes, our scientists are working to advance understanding of biological processes at the molecular level - providing the knowledge needed to solve key problems in human health.
Apoptosis is a highly controlled form of cell death important for cell turnover during life, in embryonic development, including separation of fingers and toes, and as a cellular response against cancer. Although mitochondria are more widely known for their role as the energy-generating “powerhouses” of the cell, they also have an important role in initiating apoptosis: rupture of the mitochondria releases factors that contribute to an accelerating cascade towards cell death.
Movement of cells is vital during processes such as wound healing and development. Where cells move is usually controlled by gradients of chemicals in the environment that guide them to particular destinations. These attractive chemicals, or chemoattractants, are detected by receptors on the cell surface, which signal to the cytoskeleton to control movement in the appropriate direction.
Although humans have a similar number of genes as flies, part of our greater complexity comes from a process called alternative splicing, in which multiple different variants of proteins can be made from a single gene. This process is controlled by a molecular machine called the spliceosome. Until recently, much of the work on spliceosomes has been done using yeast spliceosomes as this system is well conserved and works very similarly across all eukaryotes.
Our daily cycle of sleep and wakefulness – our circadian rhythm – is controlled by a central master clock in our brains: the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Previously, Michael Hastings’ group in the LMB’s Neurobiology Division had demonstrated that astrocytes were not merely the supporting cells that they had been thought to be, but also had a role in driving the body clock alongside the approximately 10,000 neurons found in the SCN.
Practically all brain functions are controlled through a finely tuned balance of neuronal excitation and inhibition. The main inhibitory neurotransmitter in vertebrates is gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA signals through two types of cell surface receptors: GABAA and GABAB, with GABAA receptors mediating millisecond-fast neurotransmission and GABAB receptors mediating slower signalling events.
Enzymes are proteins that accelerate the conversion of substrate molecules into product molecules. Many enzymes accelerate reactions through formation of chemical bonds to their substrates, but the complexes formed this way are difficult to characterise, as they are intrinsically short-lived.