Dynamics of the Golgi complex during interphase

Investigator: Avishkar Sawant Ph.D.

The mammalian Golgi complex is an organelle with several roles in the cell, including the processing and trafficking newly synthesized proteins. Additionally, the Golgi complex is a microtubule organizing center, with the ability to nucleate its own subset of microtubule tracks which facilitate post-mitotic Golgi formation and post-Golgi trafficking events. It has been shown that the highly dynamic Golgi membrane system undergoes extensive fragmentation in late G2/prophase. However, we lack an understanding of Golgi dynamics in interphase.

We have observed distinct changes in the Golgi complex morphology and localization, specifically in relation to the centrosomes, as a cell progresses through G1, S, and G2 phases of the cell cycle. Avishkar currently studies how microtubules and molecular motors are changed during these transitions, leading to the Golgi relocation.