10 Questions
What was the key observation in Tim Hunt's experiment with sea urchin eggs?
A protein whose levels fluctuated in a cyclic manner as the cells progressed through the cell cycle
How were the cycling proteins identified in the experiment?
By adding radioactive methionine to the fertilized sea urchin eggs and analyzing protein samples at regular intervals
What was the characteristic pattern observed for the cycling proteins?
Their levels gradually built up but were rapidly degraded during cell division
What was the correlation observed between the cycling proteins and cell division?
The levels of the cycling proteins fell just before cleavage or cell division
Why were these cycling proteins named 'cyclins'?
Because their levels cycled or fluctuated during the cell cycle
In which other organisms were similar cycling proteins observed?
Clams and sea urchins from different species
What was the correlation observed between the peak of cyclin levels and MPF activity?
The peak of cyclin levels correlated with higher MPF activity
What was the biochemical composition of MPF?
It had two subunits
What was the significance of the observation that cyclin levels fluctuated during the cell cycle?
It suggested that cyclins might play a role in regulating the cell cycle
What was the significance of the correlation between cyclin levels and MPF activity?
It suggested that cyclins might be involved in the regulation of MPF activity
Learn about an experiment conducted in Tim Hunt's lab involving sea urchin eggs to study cell cycle regulators by observing the fluctuation of specific proteins throughout the cell cycle. Radioactive methionine was used to track protein synthesis in fertilized sea urchin eggs at intervals of 10 minutes.
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