Erfei Bi, PhD
Professor
Department of Cell and Developmental Biology
1156 BRB II/III
Research in the Bi laboratory is aimed at understanding the mechanisms of cytokinesis and septin assembly and function using both yeast and mammalian cells as the experimental systems and an integrative approach involving genetics, cutting-edge imaging technologies, and biochemistry. The cytokinesis projects focus on dissecting the architecture and regulation of the actomyosin ring as well as the mechanisms of targeted vesicle fusion and ECM remodeling at the division site. The septin projects focus on elucidating the mechanisms and functional impact of septin high-order assembly and remodeling at the division site during the cell cycle.
A transitional septin hourglass visualized by platinum-replica electron microscopy coupled with immune-gold labeling after unroofing the cell wall-removed spheroplast from the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Chen et al., 2020. Current Biology 30: 1477-1490). The paired (blue) and single (orange) septin filaments, myosin-II filaments (magenta), and the anillin-like protein Bud4 (gold particles) are highlighted. Cover image prepared by Dr. Kangji Wang in the Bi lab.