Dr. Oliver Gruß Nuclear functions in interphase and mitosis

Our group focuses on the molecular analysis of mechanisms which maintain the nuclear compartment in interphase and mitosis. In interphase, nuclear functions are organised in nuclear sub-compartments, which form as transient assemblies of functionally related proteins. We are for example interested to understand how the specific localisation of one of the key components of the Cajal body sub-compartment, the SMN complex, is established and maintained. In mitosis of higher eukaryotes, the nucleus disassembles and many nuclear proteins actively contribute to mitotic spindle formation and chromosome segregation. Our aim is to characterize novel nuclear proteins involved in these processes. We are using both siRNA approaches in intact vertebrate cells and biochemical experiments in a cell free system based on extracts of amphibian eggs to analyse the particular functions of nuclear proteins in interphase and mitosis.

Detailed information on the project can be found at
www.zmbh.uni-heidelberg.de/Gruss/default.shtml