scholarly journals The stoichiometry of the outer kinetochore is modulated by microtubule-proximal regulatory factors

2019 ◽  
Vol 218 (7) ◽  
pp. 2124-2135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karthik Dhatchinamoorthy ◽  
Jay R. Unruh ◽  
Jeffrey J. Lange ◽  
Michaella Levy ◽  
Brian D. Slaughter ◽  
...  

The kinetochore is a large molecular machine that attaches chromosomes to microtubules and facilitates chromosome segregation. The kinetochore includes submodules that associate with the centromeric DNA and submodules that attach to microtubules. Additional copies of several submodules of the kinetochore are added during anaphase, including the microtubule binding module Ndc80. While the factors governing plasticity are not known, they could include regulation based on microtubule–kinetochore interactions. We report that Fin1 localizes to the microtubule-proximal edge of the kinetochore cluster during anaphase based on single-particle averaging of super-resolution images. Fin1 is required for the assembly of normal levels of Dam1 and Ndc80 submodules. Levels of Ndc80 further depend on the Dam1 microtubule binding complex. Our results suggest the stoichiometry of outer kinetochore submodules is strongly influenced by factors at the kinetochore–microtubule interface such as Fin1 and Dam1, and phosphorylation by cyclin-dependent kinase. Outer kinetochore stoichiometry is remarkably plastic and responsive to microtubule-proximal regulation.

Genetics ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 165 (2) ◽  
pp. 489-503 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen E Ross ◽  
Orna Cohen-Fix

Abstract Cdh1p, a substrate specificity factor for the cell cycle-regulated ubiquitin ligase, the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C), promotes exit from mitosis by directing the degradation of a number of proteins, including the mitotic cyclins. Here we present evidence that Cdh1p activity at the M/G1 transition is important not only for mitotic exit but also for high-fidelity chromosome segregation in the subsequent cell cycle. CDH1 showed genetic interactions with MAD2 and PDS1, genes encoding components of the mitotic spindle assembly checkpoint that acts at metaphase to prevent premature chromosome segregation. Unlike cdh1Δ and mad2Δ single mutants, the mad2Δ cdh1Δ double mutant grew slowly and exhibited high rates of chromosome and plasmid loss. Simultaneous deletion of PDS1 and CDH1 caused extensive chromosome missegregation and cell death. Our data suggest that at least part of the chromosome loss can be attributed to kinetochore/spindle problems. Our data further suggest that Cdh1p and Sic1p, a Cdc28p/Clb inhibitor, have overlapping as well as nonoverlapping roles in ensuring proper chromosome segregation. The severe growth defects of both mad2Δ cdh1Δ and pds1Δ cdh1Δ strains were rescued by overexpressing Swe1p, a G2/M inhibitor of the cyclin-dependent kinase, Cdc28p/Clb. We propose that the failure to degrade cyclins at the end of mitosis leaves cdh1Δ mutant strains with abnormal Cdc28p/Clb activity that interferes with proper chromosome segregation.


2003 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 4181-4195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chad G. Pearson ◽  
Paul S. Maddox ◽  
Ted R. Zarzar ◽  
E.D. Salmon ◽  
Kerry Bloom

The interaction of kinetochores with dynamic microtubules during mitosis is essential for proper centromere motility, congression to the metaphase plate, and subsequent anaphase chromosome segregation. Budding yeast has been critical in the discovery of proteins necessary for this interaction. However, the molecular mechanism for microtubule–kinetochore interactions remains poorly understood. Using live cell imaging and mutations affecting microtubule binding proteins and kinetochore function, we identify a regulatory mechanism for spindle microtubule dynamics involving Stu2p and the core kinetochore component, Ndc10p. Depleting cells of the microtubule binding protein Stu2p reduces kinetochore microtubule dynamics. Centromeres remain under tension but lack motility. Thus, normal microtubule dynamics are not required to maintain tension at the centromere. Loss of the kinetochore (ndc10-1, ndc10-2, and ctf13-30) does not drastically affect spindle microtubule turnover, indicating that Stu2p, not the kinetochore, is the foremost governor of microtubule dynamics. Disruption of kinetochore function with ndc10-1 does not affect the decrease in microtubule turnover in stu2 mutants, suggesting that the kinetochore is not required for microtubule stabilization. Remarkably, a partial kinetochore defect (ndc10-2) suppresses the decreased spindle microtubule turnover in the absence of Stu2p. These results indicate that Stu2p and Ndc10p differentially function in controlling kinetochore microtubule dynamics necessary for centromere movements.


2018 ◽  
Vol 217 (11) ◽  
pp. 3886-3900 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aida Llauró ◽  
Hanako Hayashi ◽  
Megan E. Bailey ◽  
Alex Wilson ◽  
Patryk Ludzia ◽  
...  

Kinetochores are multiprotein machines that drive chromosome segregation by maintaining persistent, load-bearing linkages between chromosomes and dynamic microtubule tips. Kinetochores in commonly studied eukaryotes bind microtubules through widely conserved components like the Ndc80 complex. However, in evolutionarily divergent kinetoplastid species such as Trypanosoma brucei, which causes sleeping sickness, the kinetochores assemble from a unique set of proteins lacking homology to any known microtubule-binding domains. Here, we show that the T. brucei kinetochore protein KKT4 binds directly to microtubules and maintains load-bearing attachments to both growing and shortening microtubule tips. The protein localizes both to kinetochores and to spindle microtubules in vivo, and its depletion causes defects in chromosome segregation. We define a microtubule-binding domain within KKT4 and identify several charged residues important for its microtubule-binding activity. Thus, despite its lack of significant similarity to other known microtubule-binding proteins, KKT4 has key functions required for driving chromosome segregation. We propose that it represents a primary element of the kinetochore–microtubule interface in kinetoplastids.


2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (6) ◽  
pp. 1665-1672 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire T. Friel ◽  
Julie P. Welburn

The Kinesin superfamily is a large group of molecular motors that use the turnover of ATP to regulate their interaction with the microtubule cytoskeleton. The coupled relationship between nucleotide turnover and microtubule binding is harnessed in various ways by these motors allowing them to carry out a variety of cellular functions. The Kinesin-13 family is a group of specialist microtubule depolymerising motors. Members of this family use their microtubule destabilising activity to regulate processes such as chromosome segregation, maintenance of cilia and neuronal development. Here, we describe the current understanding of the structure of this family of kinesins and the role different parts of these proteins play in their microtubule depolymerisation activity and in the wider function of this family of kinesins.


2002 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 2289-2300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brett K. Kaiser ◽  
Zachary A. Zimmerman ◽  
Harry Charbonneau ◽  
Peter K. Jackson

In budding yeast, the Cdc14p phosphatase activates mitotic exit by dephosphorylation of specific cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) substrates and seems to be regulated by sequestration in the nucleolus until its release in mitosis. Herein, we have analyzed the two human homologs of Cdc14p, hCdc14A and hCdc14B. We demonstrate that the human Cdc14A phosphatase is selective for Cdk substrates in vitro and that although the protein abundance and intrinsic phosphatase activity of hCdc14A and B vary modestly during the cell cycle, their localization is cell cycle regulated. hCdc14A dynamically localizes to interphase but not mitotic centrosomes, and hCdc14B localizes to the interphase nucleolus. These distinct patterns of localization suggest that each isoform of human Cdc14 likely regulates separate cell cycle events. In addition, hCdc14A overexpression induces the loss of the pericentriolar markers pericentrin and γ-tubulin from centrosomes. Overproduction of hCdc14A also causes mitotic spindle and chromosome segregation defects, defective karyokinesis, and a failure to complete cytokinesis. Thus, the hCdc14A phosphatase appears to play a role in the regulation of the centrosome cycle, mitosis, and cytokinesis, thereby influencing chromosome partitioning and genomic stability in human cells.


2009 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 1116-1120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soni Lacefield ◽  
Derek T. C. Lau ◽  
Andrew W. Murray

1999 ◽  
Vol 145 (5) ◽  
pp. 933-950 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iain D. Russell ◽  
Adam S. Grancell ◽  
Peter K. Sorger

Kinetochores are smaller and more accessible experimentally in budding yeast than in any other eukaryote. Believing that simple and complex kinetochores have important structural and functional properties in common, we characterized the structure of CBF3, the essential centromere-binding complex that initiates kinetochore formation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We find that the four subunits of CBF3 are multimeric in solution: p23Skp1 and p58Ctf13 form a heterodimer, and p64Cep3 and p110Ndc10 form homodimers. Subcomplexes involving p58 and each of the other CBF3 subunits can assemble in the absence of centromeric DNA. In these subcomplexes, p58 appears to function as a structural core mediating stable interactions among other CBF3 proteins. p58 has a short half-life in yeast, being subject to ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis, but we find that it is much more stable following association with p64. We propose that p23Skp1-p58-p64 complexes constitute the primary pool of active p58 in yeast cells. These complexes can either dissociate, reexposing p58 to the degradation pathway, or can bind to p110 and centromeric DNA, forming a functional CBF3 complex in which p58 is fully protected from degradation. This pathway may constitute an editing mechanism preventing the formation of ectopic kinetochores and ensuring the fidelity of chromosome segregation.


2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chong Wai Tio ◽  
Gregory Omerza ◽  
Timothy Phillips ◽  
Hua Jane Lou ◽  
Benjamin E. Turk ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Smk1 is a meiosis-specific mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that couples spore morphogenesis to the completion of chromosome segregation. Similar to other MAPKs, Smk1 is controlled by phosphorylation of a threonine (T) and a tyrosine (Y) in its activation loop. However, it is not activated by a dual-specificity MAPK kinase. Instead, T207 in Smk1's activation loop is phosphorylated by the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)-activating kinase (Cak1), and Y209 is autophosphorylated in an intramolecular reaction that requires the meiosis-specific protein Ssp2. In this study, we show that Smk1 is catalytically inert unless it is bound by Ssp2. While Ssp2 binding activates Smk1 by a mechanism that is independent of activation loop phosphorylation, binding also triggers autophosphorylation of Y209 in Smk1, which, along with Cak1-mediated phosphorylation of T207, further activates the kinase. Autophosphorylation of Smk1 on Y209 also appears to modify the specificity of the MAPK by suppressing Y kinase and enhancing S/T kinase activity. We also found that the phosphoconsensus motif preference of Ssp2/Smk1 is more extensive than that of other characterized MAPKs. This study therefore defines a novel mechanism of MAPK activation requiring binding of an activator and also shows that MAPKs can be diversified to recognize unique phosphorylation motifs.


2015 ◽  
Vol 211 (6) ◽  
pp. 1141-1156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Itaru Samejima ◽  
Christos Spanos ◽  
Flavia de Lima Alves ◽  
Tetsuya Hori ◽  
Marinela Perpelescu ◽  
...  

Kinetochores orchestrate mitotic chromosome segregation. Here, we use quantitative mass spectrometry of mitotic chromosomes isolated from a comprehensive set of chicken DT40 mutants to examine the dependencies of 93 confirmed and putative kinetochore proteins for stable association with chromosomes. Clustering and network analysis reveal both known and unexpected aspects of coordinated behavior for members of kinetochore protein complexes. Surprisingly, CENP-T depends on CENP-N for chromosome localization. The Ndc80 complex exhibits robust correlations with all other complexes in a “core” kinetochore network. Ndc80 associated with CENP-T interacts with a cohort of Rod, zw10, and zwilch (RZZ)–interacting proteins that includes Spindly, Mad1, and CENP-E. This complex may coordinate microtubule binding with checkpoint signaling. Ndc80 associated with CENP-C forms the KMN (Knl1, Mis12, Ndc80) network and may be the microtubule-binding “workhorse” of the kinetochore. Our data also suggest that CENP-O and CENP-R may regulate the size of the inner kinetochore without influencing the assembly of the outer kinetochore.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcus A Begley ◽  
April L Solon ◽  
Elizabeth Mae Davis ◽  
Michael Grant Sherrill ◽  
Ryoma Ohi ◽  
...  

AbstractThe mitotic spindle, a self-constructed microtubule-based machine, segregates chromosomes into two eventual daughter nuclei. In mammalian cells, microtubule bundles called kinetochore-fibers (k-fibers) anchor chromosomes within the spindle. Chromosome segregation thus depends on the mechanical integrity of k-fibers. Here, we investigate the physical and molecular basis of k-fiber bundle cohesion. We sever k-fibers using laser ablation, thereby detaching them from poles and testing the contribution of pole-localized force generation to k-fiber cohesion. We then measure the physical response of the remaining kinetochore-bound segments of the k-fibers. We observe that microtubules within ablated k-fibers often, but not always, splay apart from their minus-ends. Furthermore, we find that minus-end clustering forces induced in response to ablation seem at least partially responsible for k-fiber splaying. We also investigate the role of the putative k-fiber-binding kinesin-12 Kif15. We find that pharmacological inhibition of Kif15 microtubule binding reduces k-fiber mechanical integrity. In contrast, inhibition of its motor activity but not its microtubule binding does not greatly affect splaying. Altogether, the data suggest that forces holding k-fibers together are of similar magnitude to other spindle forces, and that Kif15, acting as a microtubule crosslinker, helps fortify and repair k-fibers. This feature of Kif15 may help support robust k-fiber function and prevent chromosome segregation errors.


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