Research led by Mark Alliegro, PhD, Professor of Cell Biology and Anatomy at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center at New Orleans, provides evidence for the first time that centrosomes, which play a key role in cell division, may carry their own genetic machinery, answering a controversial question of long standing.
Dr. Alliegro found five RNA sequences that appear to be unique to the centrosome. The discovery, providing new insight into centrosome function, heredity, and evolution is published in today's issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The research team included Mary Anne Alliegro, a Research Associate at LSU Health Sciences Center at New Orleans, and Robert Palazzo, PhD, Professor of Biology and Director of the Center for
Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The research was conducted at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA.
Studying surf clam eggs, the research team focused on centrosomes, small areas of cytoplasm that serve an organizational purpose which not only assures proper cell division, but also genetic stability. The most recent review of the question of whether or not centrosomes contain nucleic acids concluded that there is no evidence of DNA, but the presence of RNA, although controversial, was still an open question. RNA is the nucleic acid that governs protein synthesis as well as the transmission of genetic material.