scholarly journals Analysis of kinesin motor function at budding yeast kinetochores

2006 ◽  
Vol 172 (6) ◽  
pp. 861-874 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica D. Tytell ◽  
Peter K. Sorger

Accurate chromosome segregation during mitosis requires biorientation of sister chromatids on the microtubules (MT) of the mitotic spindle. Chromosome–MT binding is mediated by kinetochores, which are multiprotein structures that assemble on centromeric (CEN) DNA. The simple CENs of budding yeast are among the best understood, but the roles of kinesin motor proteins at yeast kinetochores have yet to be determined, despite evidence of their importance in higher eukaryotes. We show that all four nuclear kinesins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae localize to kinetochores and function in three distinct processes. Kip1p and Cin8p, which are kinesin-5/BimC family members, cluster kinetochores into their characteristic bilobed metaphase configuration. Kip3p, a kinesin-8,-13/KinI kinesin, synchronizes poleward kinetochore movement during anaphase A. The kinesin-14 motor Kar3p appears to function at the subset of kinetochores that become detached from spindle MTs. These data demonstrate roles for structurally diverse motors in the complex processes of chromosome segregation and reveal important similarities and intriguing differences between higher and lower eukaryotes.

Genetics ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 159 (2) ◽  
pp. 453-470
Author(s):  
Sue Biggins ◽  
Needhi Bhalla ◽  
Amy Chang ◽  
Dana L Smith ◽  
Andrew W Murray

Abstract Accurate chromosome segregation requires the precise coordination of events during the cell cycle. Replicated sister chromatids are held together while they are properly attached to and aligned by the mitotic spindle at metaphase. At anaphase, the links between sisters must be promptly dissolved to allow the mitotic spindle to rapidly separate them to opposite poles. To isolate genes involved in chromosome behavior during mitosis, we microscopically screened a temperature-sensitive collection of budding yeast mutants that contain a GFP-marked chromosome. Nine LOC (loss of cohesion) complementation groups that do not segregate sister chromatids at anaphase were identified. We cloned the corresponding genes and performed secondary tests to determine their function in chromosome behavior. We determined that three LOC genes, PDS1, ESP1, and YCS4, are required for sister chromatid separation and three other LOC genes, CSE4, IPL1, and SMT3, are required for chromosome segregation. We isolated alleles of two genes involved in splicing, PRP16 and PRP19, which impair α-tubulin synthesis thus preventing spindle assembly, as well as an allele of CDC7 that is defective in DNA replication. We also report an initial characterization of phenotypes associated with the SMT3/SUMO gene and the isolation of WSS1, a high-copy smt3 suppressor.


2008 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 387-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Mendoza ◽  
Yves Barral

During anaphase, the spindle pulls the sister kinetochores apart until the sister chromatids are fully separated from each other. Subsequently, cytokinesis cleaves between the two separated chromosome masses to form two nucleated cells. Results from Schizosaccharomyces pombe suggested that cytokinesis and chromosome segregation are not co-ordinated with each other. However, recent studies indicate that, at least in budding yeast, a checkpoint called NoCut prevents abscission when spindle elongation is impaired, and might delay cytokinesis until all chromosomes are pulled out of the cleavage plane. Here, we discuss this possibility and summarize evidence suggesting that such a checkpoint is likely to be conserved in higher eukaryotes.


2010 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 1667-1675 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernardo Orr ◽  
Olga Afonso ◽  
Tália Feijão ◽  
Claudio E. Sunkel

The kinetochore is a complex molecular machine that serves as the interface between sister chromatids and the mitotic spindle. The kinetochore assembles at a particular chromosomal locus, the centromere, which is essential to maintain genomic stability during cell division. The kinetochore is a macromolecular puzzle of subcomplexes assembled in a hierarchical manner and fulfils three main functions: microtubule attachment, chromosome and sister chromatid movement, and regulation of mitotic progression though the spindle assembly checkpoint. In the present paper we compare recent results on the assembly, organization and function of the kinetochore in human and Drosophila cells and conclude that, although essential functions are highly conserved, there are important differences that might help define what is a minimal chromosome segregation machinery.


2012 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 836-841 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Houseley

Unstable non-coding RNAs are produced from thousands of loci in all studied eukaryotes (and also prokaryotes), but remain of largely unknown function. The present review summarizes the mechanisms of eukaryotic non-coding RNA degradation and highlights recent findings regarding function. The focus is primarily on budding yeast where the bulk of this research has been performed, but includes results from higher eukaryotes where available.


2011 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. 1473-1485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zuzana Storchová ◽  
Justin S. Becker ◽  
Nicolas Talarek ◽  
Sandra Kögelsberger ◽  
David Pellman

The conserved mitotic kinase Bub1 performs multiple functions that are only partially characterized. Besides its role in the spindle assembly checkpoint and chromosome alignment, Bub1 is crucial for the kinetochore recruitment of multiple proteins, among them Sgo1. Both Bub1 and Sgo1 are dispensable for growth of haploid and diploid budding yeast, but they become essential in cells with higher ploidy. We find that overexpression of SGO1 partially corrects the chromosome segregation defect of bub1Δ haploid cells and restores viability to bub1Δ tetraploid cells. Using an unbiased high-copy suppressor screen, we identified two members of the chromosomal passenger complex (CPC), BIR1 (survivin) and SLI15 (INCENP, inner centromere protein), as suppressors of the growth defect of both bub1Δ and sgo1Δ tetraploids, suggesting that these mutants die due to defects in chromosome biorientation. Overexpression of BIR1 or SLI15 also complements the benomyl sensitivity of haploid bub1Δ and sgo1Δ cells. Mutants lacking SGO1 fail to biorient sister chromatids attached to the same spindle pole (syntelic attachment) after nocodazole treatment. Moreover, the sgo1Δ cells accumulate syntelic attachments in unperturbed mitoses, a defect that is partially corrected by BIR1 or SLI15 overexpression. We show that in budding yeast neither Bub1 nor Sgo1 is required for CPC localization or affects Aurora B activity. Instead we identify Sgo1 as a possible partner of Mps1, a mitotic kinase suggested to have an Aurora B–independent function in establishment of biorientation. We found that Sgo1 overexpression rescues defects caused by metaphase inactivation of Mps1 and that Mps1 is required for Sgo1 localization to the kinetochore. We propose that Bub1, Sgo1, and Mps1 facilitate chromosome biorientation independently of the Aurora B–mediated pathway at the budding yeast kinetochore and that both pathways are required for the efficient turnover of syntelic attachments.


2011 ◽  
Vol 22 (16) ◽  
pp. 2848-2861 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dai Tsuchiya ◽  
Claire Gonzalez ◽  
Soni Lacefield

In many eukaryotes, disruption of the spindle checkpoint protein Mad2 results in an increase in meiosis I nondisjunction, suggesting that Mad2 has a conserved role in ensuring faithful chromosome segregation in meiosis. To characterize the meiotic function of Mad2, we analyzed individual budding yeast cells undergoing meiosis. We find that Mad2 sets the duration of meiosis I by regulating the activity of APCCdc20. In the absence of Mad2, most cells undergo both meiotic divisions, but securin, a substrate of the APC/C, is degraded prematurely, and prometaphase I/metaphase I is accelerated. Some mad2Δ cells have a misregulation of meiotic cell cycle events and undergo a single aberrant division in which sister chromatids separate. In these cells, both APCCdc20 and APCAma1 are prematurely active, and meiosis I and meiosis II events occur in a single meiotic division. We show that Mad2 indirectly regulates APCAma1 activity by decreasing APCCdc20 activity. We propose that Mad2 is an important meiotic cell cycle regulator that ensures the timely degradation of APC/C substrates and the proper orchestration of the meiotic divisions.


2011 ◽  
Vol 22 (14) ◽  
pp. 2448-2457 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin L. Barnhart ◽  
Russell K. Dorer ◽  
Andrew W. Murray ◽  
Scott C. Schuyler

Chromosome segregation depends on the spindle checkpoint, which delays anaphase until all chromosomes have bound microtubules and have been placed under tension. The Mad1–Mad2 complex is an essential component of the checkpoint. We studied the consequences of removing one copy of MAD2 in diploid cells of the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Compared to MAD2/MAD2 cells, MAD2/mad2Δ heterozygotes show increased chromosome loss and have different responses to two insults that activate the spindle checkpoint: MAD2/mad2Δ cells respond normally to antimicrotubule drugs but cannot respond to chromosomes that lack tension between sister chromatids. In MAD2/mad2Δ cells with normal sister chromatid cohesion, removing one copy of MAD1 restores the checkpoint and returns chromosome loss to wild-type levels. We conclude that cells need the normal Mad2:Mad1 ratio to respond to chromosomes that are not under tension.


2008 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 1199-1209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brendan M. Kiburz ◽  
Angelika Amon ◽  
Adele L. Marston

Chromosome segregation must be executed accurately during both mitotic and meiotic cell divisions. Sgo1 plays a key role in ensuring faithful chromosome segregation in at least two ways. During meiosis this protein regulates the removal of cohesins, the proteins that hold sister chromatids together, from chromosomes. During mitosis, Sgo1 is required for sensing the absence of tension caused by sister kinetochores not being attached to microtubules emanating from opposite poles. Here we describe a differential requirement for Sgo1 in the segregation of homologous chromosomes and sister chromatids. Sgo1 plays only a minor role in segregating homologous chromosomes at meiosis I. In contrast, Sgo1 is important to bias sister kinetochores toward biorientation. We suggest that Sgo1 acts at sister kinetochores to promote their biorientation.


2016 ◽  
Vol 113 (4) ◽  
pp. 966-971 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon Kaisari ◽  
Danielle Sitry-Shevah ◽  
Shirly Miniowitz-Shemtov ◽  
Avram Hershko

The mitotic (or spindle assembly) checkpoint system prevents premature separation of sister chromatids in mitosis and thus ensures the fidelity of chromosome segregation. Kinetochores that are not attached properly to the mitotic spindle produce an inhibitory signal that prevents progression into anaphase. The checkpoint system acts on the Anaphase-Promoting Complex/Cyclosome (APC/C) ubiquitin ligase, which targets for degradation inhibitors of anaphase initiation. APC/C is inhibited by the Mitotic Checkpoint Complex (MCC), which assembles when the checkpoint is activated. MCC is composed of the checkpoint proteins BubR1, Bub3, and Mad2, associated with the APC/C coactivator Cdc20. The intermediary processes in the assembly of MCC are not sufficiently understood. It is also not clear whether or not some subcomplexes of MCC inhibit the APC/C and whether Mad2 is required only for MCC assembly and not for its action on the APC/C. We used purified subcomplexes of mitotic checkpoint proteins to examine these problems. Our results do not support a model in which Mad2 catalytically generates a Mad2-free APC/C inhibitor. We also found that the release of Mad2 from MCC caused a marked (although not complete) decrease in inhibitory action, suggesting a role of Mad2 in MCC for APC/C inhibition. A previously unknown species of MCC, which consists of Mad2, BubR1, and two molecules of Cdc20, contributes to the inhibition of APC/C by the mitotic checkpoint system.


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