Description of Research Area

Physical Description of a Biological Reaction-Diffusion in a Model Cell

Research Subject

Min system, a reaction diffusion wave of Min proteins, is a spatio-temporal regulator of bacterial cell division. Although this wave has been reconstituted on planner membranes by several groups, there is no report on reconstitution of Min waves in closed space like in artificial cells. We are now trying to reconstitute the wave in artificial cells by controlling intracellular environments. Our present results imply that the physics of reaction-diffusion in live cells is totally different from that in bulk systems. The purpose of our project is to elucidate the physics of reaction diffusion inside live cells by using a reconstituted Min system in artificial cells.