ZYG-9, a Caenorhabditis elegans protein required for microtubule organization and function, is a component of meiotic and mitotic spindle poles.

ABSTRACT: We describe the molecular characterization of zyg-9, a maternally acting gene essential for microtubule organization and function in early Caenorhabditis elegans embryos. Defects in zyg-9 mutants suggest that the zyg-9 product functions in the organization of the meiotic spindle and the formation of long microtubules. One-cell zyg-9 embryos exhibit both meiotic and mitotic spindle defects. Meiotic spindles are disorganized, pronuclear migration fails, and the mitotic apparatus forms at the posterior, orients incorrectly, and contains unusually short microtubules. We find that zyg-9 encodes a component of the meiotic and mitotic spindle poles. In addition to the strong staining of spindle poles, we consistently detect staining in the region of the kinetochore microtubules at metaphase and e

SUBMITTER: Matthews LR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2137183 | biostudies-literature | 1998 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature