scholarly journals Interdependency of Fission Yeast Alp14/TOG and Coiled Coil Protein Alp7 in Microtubule Localization and Bipolar Spindle Formation

2004 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 1609-1622 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masamitsu Sato ◽  
Leah Vardy ◽  
Miguel Angel Garcia ◽  
Nirada Koonrugsa ◽  
Takashi Toda

The Dis1/TOG family plays a pivotal role in microtubule organization. In fission yeast, Alp14 and Dis1 share an essential function in bipolar spindle formation. Here, we characterize Alp7, a novel coiled-coil protein that is required for organization of bipolar spindles. Both Alp7 and Alp14 colocalize to the spindle pole body (SPB) and mitotic spindles. Alp14 localization to these sites is fully dependent upon Alp7. Conversely, in the absence of Alp14, Alp7 localizes to the SPBs, but not mitotic spindles. Alp7 forms a complex with Alp14, where the C-terminal region of Alp14 interacts with the coiled-coil domain of Alp7. Intriguingly, this Alp14 C terminus is necessary and sufficient for mitotic spindle localization. Overproduction of either full-length or coiled-coil region of Alp7 results in abnormal V-shaped spindles and stabilization of interphase microtubules, which is induced independent of Alp14. Alp7 may be a functional homologue of animal TACC. Our results shed light on an interdependent relationship between Alp14/TOG and Alp7. We propose a two-step model that accounts for the recruitment of Alp7 and Alp14 to the SPB and microtubules.

1982 ◽  
Vol 94 (2) ◽  
pp. 341-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
S M King ◽  
J S Hyams ◽  
A Luba

Mitotic spindles were isolated from a cell division cycle mutant of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae by the lysis of sphateroplasts on an air:buffer interface and were negatively stained with 1% gold thioglucose. Isolated spindles were incubated under conditions which promoted the sliding disintegration of parallel preparations of Tetrahymena axonemes, namely the addition of ATP to 20 microM. In no experiment was a corresponding change in microtubule organization of the spindle observed even when spindles were first pretreated with either 1-10 microgram/ml trypsin or 0.2-2% Triton X-100. During these experiments a number of spindles were isolated from cells that had passed through the imposed temperature block, and from the images obtained a detailed model of spindle formation and elongation has been constructed. Two sets of microtubules, one from each spindle pole body (SPB), completely interdigitate to form a continuous bundle, and a series of discontinuous microtubules are then nucleated by each SPB. As the spindle elongates, the number of microtubules continuous between the two SPBs decreases until, at a length of 4 micrometer, only one remains. The spindle, composed of only one microtubule, continues to elongate until it reaches the maximal nuclear dimension of 8 micrometer. The data obtained from negatively stained preparations have been verified in thin sections of wild-type cells. We suggest that, as in the later stages of mitosis only one microtubule is involved in the separation of the spindle poles, the microtubular spindle in S. cerevisiae is not a force-generating system but rather acts as a regulatory mechanism controlling the rate of separation.


2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (18) ◽  
pp. 2750-2760 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fan Zheng ◽  
Tianpeng Li ◽  
Dong-yan Jin ◽  
Viktoriya Syrovatkina ◽  
Kathleen Scheffler ◽  
...  

Accurate chromosome segregation requires timely bipolar spindle formation during mitosis. The transforming acidic coiled-coil (TACC) family proteins and the ch-TOG family proteins are key players in bipolar spindle formation. They form a complex to stabilize spindle microtubules, mainly dependent on their localization to the centrosome (the spindle pole body [SPB] in yeast). The molecular mechanism underlying the targeting of the TACC–ch-TOG complex to the centrosome remains unclear. Here we show that the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe TACC orthologue alp7p is recruited to the SPB by csi1p. The csi1p-interacting region lies within the conserved TACC domain of alp7p, and the carboxyl-terminal domain of csi1p is responsible for interacting with alp7p. Compromised interaction between csi1p and alp7p impairs the localization of alp7p to the SPB during mitosis, thus delaying bipolar spindle formation and leading to anaphase B lagging chromosomes. Hence our study establishes that csi1p serves as a linking molecule tethering spindle-stabilizing factors to the SPB for promoting bipolar spindle assembly.


2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (25) ◽  
pp. 3647-3659 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masashi Yukawa ◽  
Tomoki Kawakami ◽  
Masaki Okazaki ◽  
Kazunori Kume ◽  
Ngang Heok Tang ◽  
...  

Accurate chromosome segregation relies on the bipolar mitotic spindle. In many eukaryotes, spindle formation is driven by the plus-end–directed motor kinesin-5 that generates outward force to establish spindle bipolarity. Its inhibition leads to the emergence of monopolar spindles with mitotic arrest. Intriguingly, simultaneous inactivation of the minus-end–directed motor kinesin-14 restores spindle bipolarity in many systems. Here we show that in fission yeast, three independent pathways contribute to spindle bipolarity in the absence of kinesin-5/Cut7 and kinesin-14/Pkl1. One is kinesin-6/Klp9 that engages with spindle elongation once short bipolar spindles assemble. Klp9 also ensures the medial positioning of anaphase spindles to prevent unequal chromosome segregation. Another is the Alp7/TACC-Alp14/TOG microtubule polymerase complex. Temperature-sensitive alp7cut7pkl1 mutants are arrested with either monopolar or very short spindles. Forced targeting of Alp14 to the spindle pole body is sufficient to render alp7cut7pkl1 triply deleted cells viable and promote spindle assembly, indicating that Alp14-mediated microtubule polymerization from the nuclear face of the spindle pole body could generate outward force in place of Cut7 during early mitosis. The third pathway involves the Ase1/PRC1 microtubule cross-linker that stabilizes antiparallel microtubules. Our study, therefore, unveils multifaceted interplay among kinesin-dependent and -independent pathways leading to mitotic bipolar spindle assembly.


2002 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. 1113-1124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takahiro Nakamura ◽  
Koji Nagao ◽  
Yukinobu Nakaseko ◽  
Mitsuhiro Yanagida

2005 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 3052-3063 ◽  
Author(s):  
Srinivas Venkatram ◽  
Jennifer L. Jennings ◽  
Andrew Link ◽  
Kathleen L. Gould

Microtubules regulate diverse cellular processes, including chromosome segregation, nuclear positioning, and cytokinesis. In many organisms, microtubule nucleation requires γ-tubulin and associated proteins present at specific microtubule organizing centers (MTOCs). In fission yeast, interphase cytoplasmic microtubules originate from poorly characterized interphase MTOCs and spindle pole body (SPB), and during late anaphase from the equatorial MTOC (EMTOC). It has been previously shown that Mto1p (Mbo1p/Mod20p) function is important for the organization/nucleation of all cytoplasmic microtubules. Here, we show that Mto2p, a novel protein, interacts with Mto1p and is important for establishing a normal interphase cytoplasmic microtubule array. In addition, mto2Δ cells fail to establish a stable EMTOC and localize γ-tubulin complex members to this medial structure. As predicted from these functions, Mto2p localizes to microtubules, the SPB, and the EMTOC in an Mto1p-dependent manner. mto2Δ cells fail to anchor the cytokinetic actin ring in the medial region of the cell and under conditions that mildly perturb actin structures, these rings unravel in mto2Δ cells. Our results suggest that the Mto2p and the EMTOC are critical for anchoring the cytokinetic actin ring to the medial region of the cell and for proper coordination of mitosis with cytokinesis.


1988 ◽  
Vol 89 (3) ◽  
pp. 343-357 ◽  
Author(s):  
I.M. Hagan ◽  
J.S. Hyams

We have characterized the changes in microtubule organization that occur through the cell division cycle of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy. During interphase, groups of cytoplasmic microtubules, independent of the spindle pole body (SPB), form an array extending between the cell tips. These microtubules are involved in positioning the nucleus at the cell equator and in the establishment of cell polarity. At mitosis, the interphase array disappears and is replaced by an intranuclear spindle extending between the now duplicated SPBs. Elongation of the spindle sees the appearance of astral microtubules emanating from the cytoplasmic face of the SPBs. These persist until the end of anaphase whereupon the spindle microtubules depolymerize and two microtubule organizing centres (MTOCs) at the cell equator re-establish the interphase array. We have used the unique properties of various cell division cycle mutants to investigate further the function of these different microtubule arrays and their temporal and positional control.


2001 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 2519-2533 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Schaerer ◽  
Garry Morgan ◽  
Mark Winey ◽  
Peter Philippsen

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the spindle pole body (SPB) is the functional homolog of the mammalian centrosome, responsible for the organization of the tubulin cytoskeleton. Cytoplasmic (astral) microtubules essential for the proper segregation of the nucleus into the daughter cell are attached at the outer plaque on the SPB cytoplasmic face. Previously, it has been shown that Cnm67p is an integral component of this structure; cells deleted forCNM67 are lacking the SPB outer plaque and thus experience severe nuclear migration defects. With the use of partial deletion mutants of CNM67, we show that the N- and C-terminal domains of the protein are important for nuclear migration. The C terminus, not the N terminus, is essential for Cnm67p localization to the SPB. On the other hand, only the N terminus is subject to protein phosphorylation of a yet unknown function. Electron microscopy of SPB serial thin sections reveals that deletion of the N- or C-terminal domains disturbs outer plaque formation, whereas mutations in the central coiled-coil domain of Cnm67p change the distance between the SPB core and the outer plaque. We conclude that Cnm67p is the protein that connects the outer plaque to the central plaque embedded in the nuclear envelope, adjusting the space between them by the length of its coiled-coil.


2013 ◽  
Vol 24 (18) ◽  
pp. 2894-2906 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hirohisa Masuda ◽  
Risa Mori ◽  
Masashi Yukawa ◽  
Takashi Toda

γ-Tubulin plays a universal role in microtubule nucleation from microtubule organizing centers (MTOCs) such as the animal centrosome and fungal spindle pole body (SPB). γ-Tubulin functions as a multiprotein complex called the γ-tubulin complex (γ-TuC), consisting of GCP1–6 (GCP1 is γ-tubulin). In fungi and flies, it has been shown that GCP1–3 are core components, as they are indispensable for γ-TuC complex assembly and cell division, whereas the other three GCPs are not. Recently a novel conserved component, MOZART1, was identified in humans and plants, but its precise functions remain to be determined. In this paper, we characterize the fission yeast homologue Mzt1, showing that it is essential for cell viability. Mzt1 is present in approximately equal stoichiometry with Alp4/GCP2 and localizes to all the MTOCs, including the SPB and interphase and equatorial MTOCs. Temperature-sensitive mzt1 mutants display varying degrees of compromised microtubule organization, exhibiting multiple defects during both interphase and mitosis. Mzt1 is required for γ-TuC recruitment, but not sufficient to localize to the SPB, which depends on γ-TuC integrity. Intriguingly, the core γ-TuC assembles in the absence of Mzt1. Mzt1 therefore plays a unique role within the γ-TuC components in attachment of this complex to the major MTOC site.


Genetics ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 162 (2) ◽  
pp. 705-720 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather B McDonald ◽  
Astrid Hoes Helfant ◽  
Erin M Mahony ◽  
Shaun K Khosla ◽  
Loretta Goetsch

AbstractThe ubiquitin/proteasome pathway plays a key role in regulating cell cycle progression. Previously, we reported that a conditional mutation in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene RPT4/PCS1, which encodes one of six ATPases in the proteasome 19S cap complex/regulatory particle (RP), causes failure of spindle pole body (SPB) duplication. To improve our understanding of Rpt4p, we created 58 new mutations, 53 of which convert clustered, charged residues to alanine. Virtually all mutations that affect the N-terminal region, which contains a putative nuclear localization signal and coiled-coil motif, result in a wild-type phenotype. Nine mutations that affect the central ATPase domain and the C-terminal region confer recessive lethality. The two conditional mutations identified, rpt4-145 and rpt4-150, affect the C terminus. After shift to high temperature, these mutations generally cause cells to progress slowly through the first cell cycle and to arrest in the second cycle with large buds, a G2 content of DNA, and monopolar spindles, although this phenotype can vary depending on the medium. Additionally, we describe a genetic interaction between RPT4 and the naturally polymorphic gene SSD1, which in wild-type form modifies the rpt4-145 phenotype such that cells arrest in G2 of the first cycle with complete bipolar spindles.


1996 ◽  
Vol 134 (2) ◽  
pp. 429-441 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Spang ◽  
S Geissler ◽  
K Grein ◽  
E Schiebel

Tub4p is a novel tubulin in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that most closely resembles gamma-tubulin. We report in this manuscript that the essential Tub4p is associated with the inner and outer plaques of the yeast microtubule organizing center, the spindle pole body (SPB). These SPB substructures are involved in the attachment of the nuclear and cytoplasmic microtubules, respectively (Byers, B., and L. Goetsch. 1975. J. Bacteriol. 124:511-523). Study of a temperature sensitive tub4-1 allele revealed that TUB4 has essential functions in microtubule organization. Remarkably, SPB duplication and separation are not impaired in tub4-1 cells incubated at the nonpermissive temperature. However, SPBs from such cells contain less or misdirected nuclear microtubules. Further analysis revealed that tub4-1 cells are able to assemble a short bipolar spindle, suggesting that the defect in microtubule organization occurs after spindle formation. A role of Tub4p in microtubule organization is further suggested by an increase in chromosome loss in tub4-1 cells. In addition, cell cycle arrest and survival of tub4-1 cells is dependent on the mitotic checkpoint control gene BUB2 (Hoyt, M.A., L. Totis, B.T. Roberts. 1991. Cell. 66:507-517), one of the cell's monitors of spindle integrity.


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