Exercise # 6

The Cell Cycle

Research Questions:

1. Provide three important functions of mitosis and explain briefly.

The process of mitosis has several functions that are critical for the development of organisms.
Mitosis ensures a parent cell transmits one copy of every chromosome to each of its two
daughter cells. As a result, the number of chromosomes is preserved through successive mitotic
divisions (Berg, 2007). This in turn enables plants to form new parts such as roots, leaves, and
stems. Most body cells of plants divide by mitosis. Moreover, plants are able to repair their
damaged parts through mitosis. Mitosis helps in producing identical copies of cells. Thus, plants
are capable of repairing damaged tissue and replacing the worn-out cells. Lastly, mitosis is used
for asexual reproduction in unicellular organisms such as bacteria. Through mitosis, unicellular
organisms produce an identical copy of the parent cell (e.g. binary fission in amoeba).

2. Why is that zygote cells specifically skip the G1 and G2 phases?

In zygote cells, interphase and mitosis alternate subsequently without the intervention of G1 and
G2 phases due to the successive activation and inactivation of a key protein complex, M phase-
promoting factor or MPF (Masui and Markert, 1971; Kishimoto, 1988). This protein complex
consists of a cdc2, a cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK), and its regulating protein known as cyclin
B. Synthesis and degradation of cyclin B significantly affect CDK regulation in zygote cells
(Arion et al., 1988; Dunphy and Newport, 1988). As a result of the different mechanisms in
regulating CDKs, variations in cell cycle occur; that is, somatic cells undergo G1 and G2 phases,
whereas zygote cells skip G1 and G2 phase.

3. What are significant events in the cell cycle? Explain.

The major phases in the cell cycle are the replication of DNA in the chromosomes and the
segregation of copies into two genetically identical daughter cells. The cell grows and DNA
replicates during interphase. To allow more time for growth, interphase is divided into the first
gap phase (G1), the synthesis phase (S), and the second gap phase (G2). G1 phase occurs
between mitosis and S phase, whereas G2 phase occurs between S phase and mitosis. After S
phase, mitotic phase or M phase occurs. In this stage, chromosomes start to segregate the
copied DNA resulting in two daughter nuclei. After which, the cell is pinched in two by
cytoplasmic division to form two daughter cells. This stage of cell division is known as
cytokinesis.

References

Alberts, B., Johnson, A., Lewis, J. (2002). An Overview of the Cell Cycle. Retrieved from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK26869/
 Arion, D., Meijer, L., Brizuela, L., and Beach, D. (1988). cdc2 is a component of the
M phase–specific histone H1 kinase: Evidence for identity with MPF. Cell 55, 371–378.

Berg, L. (2007). Introductory Botany: Plants, People, and the Environment, Media
Edition. Retrieved from:
https://books.google.com.ph/books/about/Introductory_Botany_Plants_People_and_th.h
tml?id=I71WWH9ZmfsC&redir_esc=y

Corellou, F., Brownlee, C., Detivaud, L., Kloareg, B., & Bouget, F.-Y. (2001). Cell
Cycle in the Fucus Zygote Parallels a Somatic Cell Cycle but Displays a Unique Translational
Regulation of Cyclin-Dependent Kinases. The Plant Cell, 13(3), 585–598.

Dunphy, W.G., and Newport, J.W. (1988). Mitosis-inducing factors are present in a
latent form during interphase in the Xenopus embryo. J. Cell Biol. 106, 2047–2056.

Kishimoto, T. (1988). Regulation of metaphase by maturation promoting

factor. Dev. Growth Differ. 30, 105–115.

Masui, Y., and Markert, C.L. (1971). Cytoplasmic control of nuclear behavior during
meiotic maturation of frog oocytes. J. Exp. Zool. 177,129–146.