RanGTP and CLASP1 cooperate to position the mitotic spindle.

ABSTRACT: Accurate positioning of the mitotic spindle is critical to ensure proper distribution of chromosomes during cell division. The small GTPase Ran, which regulates a variety of processes throughout the cell cycle, including interphase nucleocytoplasmic transport and mitotic spindle assembly, was recently shown to also control spindle alignment. Ran is required for the correct cortical localization of LGN and nuclear-mitotic apparatus protein (NuMA), proteins that generate pulling forces on astral microtubules (MTs) through cytoplasmic dynein. Here we use importazole, a small-molecule inhibitor of RanGTP/importin-β function, to study the role of Ran in spindle positioning in human cells. We find that importazole treatment results in defects in astral MT dynamics, as well as in mislocalization

SUBMITTER: Bird SL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3744954 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature