Cell size control: governed by a spatial gradient.
The phenomenon of cell size homeostasis, whereby cells coordinate growth and division to maintain a uniform cell size, has been an outstanding issue in cell biology for many decades. Two recent studies in Nature in fission yeast demonstrate that a gradient of the polarity factor Pom1 is a sensor of cell length that determines the onset of Cdc2 activation and mitosis.
Almeida
Ricardo
R
Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK. r.almeida@ed.ac.uk
Tyers
Mike
M
D016203:CDC2 Protein Kinase / Q000378:metabolism; D016764:Cell Polarity / Q000502:physiology; D048429:Cell Size; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D006706:Homeostasis; D008938:Mitosis; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D012568:Schizosaccharomyces / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins; D011494:Protein Kinases; C112212:Pom1 protein, S pombe; C542567:Cdr2 protein, S pombe; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D016203:CDC2 Protein Kinase