Centrosome Dynamics

PD Dr. Tamara Mikeladze-Dvali

+49 89 2180 74288

tmdvali@bio.lmu.de

D02.052

LSM - Graduate School Life Science Munich

Find us on Bluesky: tdvalilab.bsky.social

‘I would rather have questions that can't be answered than answers that can't be questioned.’

Richard Feynman

Research

Cell division and the accurate segregation of cellular contents into two daughter cells are essential for all multicellular organisms. In animal cells, centrosomes act as the primary microtubule-organizing centers, directing the formation of the bipolar spindle during cell division. Centrosomes are membraneless organelles composed of a pair of centrioles surrounded by a protein matrix, the pericentriolar material (PCM). The PCM is dynamic in its nature, changing in size and physical properties throughout the cell cycle. It also acts as a platform for regulatory proteins and mRNAs that control cell cycle progression. Deregulation of centrosomal components is associated with various human diseases, from microcephaly to cancer, highlighting the importance of precise regulation of centrosome dynamics and biogenesis.

Our research focuses on several key questions of centrosome biogenesis and dynamics: Which molecular mechanisms drive centrosome remodeling during the cell cycle? How can a membraneless organelle remain dynamic while resisting the forces generated by microtubules? And how do pericentrosomal structures, such as centriolar satellites, influence centrosome behavior?

Curiosity in fundamental processes drives our research, but the path we follow is always full of surprises.

Methods and Approaches

Due to its amenability to genetic manipulations the Caenorhabditis elegans is our model system of choice. A major advantage of C. elegans is its relatively simplistic protein composition, while its core biological pathways remain highly conserved. We use C. elegans as a model for developmental studies, focusing on the one-cell embryo for live-cell imaging, where processes can be precisely manipulated in space and time. To address the questions of our interest, we integrate multiple approaches, including quantitative live-cell imaging, molecular biology, genetics, and biochemistry.

Key Publications

Schreiner A, Heim A, Pletschacher L, Alznauer LM, Schwenkert S, Wolff F, Zanin E, Mikeladze-Dvali T. PCMD-1 stabilizes the PCM scaffold and facilitates centriole separation. J Cell Biol. 2025 Dec 1;224(12):e202411107.

Lebedev M, Chan FY, Rackles E, Bellessem J, Mikeladze-Dvali T, Xavier Carvalho A, Zanin E. Anillin mediates unilateral furrowing during cytokinesis by limiting RhoA binding to its effectors. (2025) J Cell Biol. Jun 2;224(6):e202405182.

Stenzel L, Schreiner A, Zuccoli E, Üstüner S, Mehler J, Zanin E, Mikeladze-Dvali T. PCMD-1 bridges the centrioles and the pericentriolar material scaffold in C. elegans. (2021) Development. Oct 15;148(20):dev198416.

Erpf AC, Stenzel L, Memar N, Antoniolli M, Osepashvili M, Schnabel R, Conradt B, Mikeladze-Dvali T. PCMD-1 Organizes Centrosome Matrix Assembly in C. elegans. (2019) Curr Biol. 2019 Apr 22;29(8):1324-1336.e6.

von Tobel L, Mikeladze-Dvali T, Delattre M, Balestra FR, Blanchoud S, Finger S, et al. SAS-1 Is a C2 Domain Protein Critical for Centriole Integrity in C. elegans. (2014) PLoS Genet 10(11): e1004777.

Mikeladze-Dvali T, von Tobel L, Strnad P, Knott G, Leonhardt H, Schermelleh L, Gönczy P. Analysis of centriole elimination during C. elegans oogenesis. (2012) Development. May;139(9):1670-9.

Full publication list on Pubmed