scholarly journals The Drosophila Kinesin-like Protein KLP67A Is Essential for Mitotic and Male Meiotic Spindle Assembly

2004 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 121-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rita Gandhi ◽  
Silvia Bonaccorsi ◽  
Diana Wentworth ◽  
Stephen Doxsey ◽  
Maurizio Gatti ◽  
...  

We have performed a mutational analysis together with RNA interference to determine the role of the kinesin-like protein KLP67A in Drosophila cell division. During both mitosis and male meiosis, Klp67A mutations cause an increase in MT length and disrupt discrete aspects of spindle assembly, as well as cytokinesis. Mutant cells exhibit greatly enlarged metaphase spindle as a result of excessive MT polymerization. The analysis of both living and fixed cells also shows perturbations in centrosome separation, chromosome segregation, and central spindle assembly. These data demonstrate that the MT plus end-directed motor KLP67A is essential for spindle assembly during mitosis and male meiosis and suggest that the regulation of MT plus-end polymerization is a key determinant of spindle architecture throughout cell division.

Genetics ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 157 (3) ◽  
pp. 1267-1276
Author(s):  
Katayoun Afshar ◽  
Pierre Gönczy ◽  
Stephen DiNardo ◽  
Steven A Wasserman

Abstract A number of fundamental processes comprise the cell division cycle, including spindle formation, chromosome segregation, and cytokinesis. Our current understanding of these processes has benefited from the isolation and analysis of mutants, with the meiotic divisions in the male germline of Drosophila being particularly well suited to the identification of the required genes. We show here that the fumble (fbl) gene is required for cell division in Drosophila. We find that dividing cells in fbl-deficient testes exhibit abnormalities in bipolar spindle organization, chromosome segregation, and contractile ring formation. Cytological analysis of larval neuroblasts from null mutants reveals a reduced mitotic index and the presence of polyploid cells. Molecular analysis demonstrates that fbl encodes three protein isoforms, all of which contain a domain with high similarity to the pantothenate kinases of A. nidulans and mouse. The largest Fumble isoform is dispersed in the cytoplasm during interphase, concentrates around the spindle at metaphase, and localizes to the spindle midbody at telophase. During early embryonic development, the protein localizes to areas of membrane deposition and/or rearrangement, such as the metaphase and cellularization furrows. Given the role of pantothenate kinase in production of Coenzyme A and in phospholipid biosynthesis, this pattern of localization is suggestive of a role for fbl in membrane synthesis. We propose that abnormalities in synthesis and redistribution of membranous structures during the cell division cycle underlie the cell division defects in fbl mutant cells.


2006 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 716-721 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Goodman ◽  
Y. Zheng

Assembly and disassembly of the mitotic spindle are essential for both chromosome segregation and cell division. The small G-protein Ran has emerged as an important regulator of spindle assembly. In this review, we look at the role of Ran in different aspects of spindle assembly, including its effects on microtubule assembly dynamics and microtubule organization. In addition, we examine the possibility of a spindle matrix and the role Ran might play in such a structure.


2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (12) ◽  
pp. 3367-3382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Baixiao Niu ◽  
Liudan Wang ◽  
Liangsheng Zhang ◽  
Ding Ren ◽  
Ren Ren ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debashish U. Menon ◽  
Terry Magnuson

AbstractBRG1, a catalytic subunit of the mammalian SWI/SNF nucleosome remodeler is essential for male meiosis1. In addition to BRG1, multiple subunits (~10-14) some of which are mutually exclusive, constitute biochemically distinct SWI/SNF subcomplexes, whose functions in gametogenesis remain unknown. Here, we identify a role for the PBAF (Polybromo - Brg1 Associated Factor) complex in the regulation of meiotic cell division. The germ cell-specific depletion of PBAF specific subunit, ARID2 resulted in a metaphase-I arrest. Arid2cKO metaphase-I spermatocytes displayed defects in chromosome organization and spindle assembly. Additionally, mutant centromeres were devoid of Polo-like kinase1 (PLK1), a known regulator of the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC)2. The loss of PLK1 coincided with an abnormal chromosome-wide expansion of centromeric chromatin modifications such as Histone H3 threonine3 phosphorylation (H3T3P) and Histone H2A threonine120 phosphorylation (H2AT120P) that are critical for chromosome segregation3,4. Consistent with the known role of these histone modifications in chromosome passenger complex (CPC) recruitment, Arid2cKO metaphase-I chromosomes display defects in CPC association. We propose that ARID2 facilitates metaphase-I exit by regulating spindle assembly and centromeric chromatin.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomo Kondo ◽  
Akatsuki Kimura

AbstractThe anaphase-promoting complex (APC) is a major regulator of chromosome segregation and is implicated in centriole engagement, whose de-regulation causes abnormal number of centrosomes. The emb-27 gene in C. elegans encodes a subunit of APC. The paternal emb-27 mutant was reported to show cell division with multiple furrows, suggesting the presence of excess centrosomes. In this study, we examined the number of centrosomes and the mechanism underlying de-regulation of centrosome number in emb-27 mutants. Our observations indicated excess centrosomes in emb-27 sperms, which resulted in zygotes with excess centrosomes. Further, the secondary spermatocyte of emb-27 produced reduced number of spermatids, which is likely the direct cause of the excess number of centrosomes per sperm. We propose that a chromosome segregation defect in emb-27 induced centrosome separation defect, resulting in reduced number of buds. Additionally, treatment with cytoskeletal inhibiting drugs indicated presence of three kinds of forces working in combination to move the centrosomes into the spermatids. The present study suggested a novel role of microtubule in the budding cytokinesis of spermatocytes.


Blood ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 122 (21) ◽  
pp. 801-801
Author(s):  
Rikki Enzor ◽  
Zahi Abdul Sater ◽  
Donna Cerabona ◽  
Zejin Sun ◽  
Su-jung Park ◽  
...  

Abstract Fanconi anemia (FA) is a heterogenous genome instability syndrome with a high risk of cancer. The FA proteins are essential for interphase DNA damage repair. However, it is incompletely understood why FA-deficient cells also develop gross aneuploidy and multinucleation, which are symptoms of error-prone chromosome segregation. Emerging evidence indicates that the FA signaling network functions as a guardian of the genome throughout the cell cycle, including chromosome segregation during mitosis. However, the mechanistic aspects of the critical role of the FA signaling in mitosis remain poorly understood. We have recently shown that the FA signaling network localizes to the mitotic apparatus to control the spindle assembly checkpoint and centrosome maintenance (J Clin Invest 2013, in press). The spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) is a complex tumor suppressor signaling network that prevents premature separation of sister chromatids by delaying the metaphase-to-anaphase transition until all the kinetochores are properly attached to the mitotic spindle. Since weakened SAC promotes stochastic chromosome segregation, mutagenesis and cancer, these findings shed new light on the role of FA signaling in maintenance of genomic stability. We found the subcellular localization of FA proteins to the mitotic apparatus is spatiotemporally regulated as cells divide. Our new data revealed the pathways connecting the FANCA protein with canonical mitotic phosphosignaling networks. We have employed unbiased kinome-wide phospho-mass spectrometry to compare the landscape of abnormalities of mitotic signaling pathways in primary FANCA-/- patient cells and gene-corrected isogenic cells. These experiments led us to identify and quantify a wide range of phosphorylation abnormalities of multiple FANCA-dependent centrosome-, kinetochore- and chromosome-associated regulators of mitosis. Our data illuminated the role for FA signaling in three critical stages of cell division: (1) the spindle assembly checkpoint, (2) anaphase and (3) cytokinesis. Thus, we employed live phase-contrast imaging of primary FANCA-/- patient cells in comparison to gene-corrected cells to separately quantify aberrations in (1) chromosome congression and metaphase-anaphase transition (SAC malfunction), (2) execution of anaphase and (3) completion of cytokinesis. Our findings further our understanding of human cell cycle control and provide new insights into the origins of genomic instability in Fanconi anemia by establishing mechanistic connection between the FANCA protein and key mitotic signaling networks. The identification of cell division pathways regulated by FANCA has implications for future targeted drug development in Fanconi anemia and FA-deficient malignancies in the general population. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


1997 ◽  
Vol 110 (6) ◽  
pp. 721-730 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.R. Esteban ◽  
M.C. Campos ◽  
A.L. Perondini ◽  
C. Goday

Spindle formation and chromosome elimination during male meiosis in Sciara ocellaris (Diptera, Sciaridae) has been studied by immunofluorescence techniques. During meiosis I a monopolar spindle is formed from a single polar complex (centrosome-like structure). This single centrosomal structure persists during meiosis II and is responsible for the non-disjunction of the maternal X chromatids. During meiosis I and II non-spindle microtubules are assembled in the cytoplasmic bud regions of the spermatocytes. The chromosomes undergoing elimination during both meiotic divisions are segregated to the bud region where they associate with bundles of microtubules. The presence and distribution of centrosomal antigens in S. ocellaris meiotic spindles and bud regions has been investigated using different antibodies. gamma-Tubulin and centrin are present in the bud as well as in the single polar complex of first meiotic spindle. The results suggest that spermatocyte bud regions contain microtubule-organizing centres (MTOCs) that nucleate cytoplasmic microtubules that are involved in capturing chromosomes in the bud regions. The distribution of actin and myosin in the spermatocytes during meiosis is also reported.


Genome ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Osamah Batiha ◽  
Andrew Swan

The spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) plays an important role in mitotic cells to sense improper chromosome attachment to spindle microtubules and to inhibit APCFzy-dependent destruction of cyclin B and Securin; consequent initiation of anaphase until correct attachments are made. In Drosophila , SAC genes have been found to play a role in ensuring proper chromosome segregation in meiosis, possibly reflecting a similar role for the SAC in APCFzy inhibition during meiosis. We found that loss of function mutations in SAC genes, Mad2, zwilch, and mps1, do not lead to the predicted rise in APCFzy-dependent degradation of cyclin B either globally throughout the egg or locally on the meiotic spindle. Further, the SAC is not responsible for the inability of APCFzy to target cyclin B and promote anaphase in metaphase II arrested eggs from cort mutant females. Our findings support the argument that SAC proteins play checkpoint independent roles in Drosophila female meiosis and that other mechanisms must function to control APC activity.


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