LMCB - Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology
Research Associate, Baum Lab
d.mutavchiev@ucl.ac.uk
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On the outside, the small cells of archaea look nothing like a typical eukaryotic cell. Additionally, the harsh environment in which many species of archaea thrive is incompatible with eukaryotic life. Despite these facts, there is growing genetic evidence to suggest that the evolutionary origins of many complex biological processes, present in eukaryotes, stem from archaea. Strikingly, the cell cycle organisation of the extremophile archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarious is very similar to that of eukaryotes. Yet, very little is known on how such an organisation is achieved. My work in the Baum lab is aimed at uncovering the logic of cell cycle regulation in Sulfolobus by applying classical genetics, as well as advanced imaging and sequencing approaches. By doing this, I hope to discover more about the fundamental biology of archaea and place my findings in the broad context of eukaryotic evolution.
BBSRC
Signalling pathways, Cell cycle regulation