Kinesin-12 differentially affects spindle assembly depending on its microtubule substrate.

ABSTRACT:

Background

During mitosis, the microtubule (MT) cytoskeleton rearranges into a bipolar spindle that drives chromosome segregation. Two kinesin subtypes, kinesin-5 and kinesin-12, help build this bipolar array by separating the spindle poles. However, unlike kinesin-5, the kinesin-12 mechanism is not well understood.

Results

At physiologically normal protein levels, we demonstrate that the human kinesin-12 Kif15 acts predominantly on kinetochore fibers to regulate their lengths. This activity limits the extent to which spindle poles separate, leading to transient spindle length instabilities when the motor is absent. Using a novel cell line wherein Kif15 usurps kinesin-5 function, we further show that Kif15 can assume a commanding role in spindle pole separation as a conseque

SUBMITTER: Sturgill EG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3725213 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature