The Toxoplasma gondii kinetochore is required for centrosome association with the centrocone (spindle pole).

ABSTRACT: The kinetochore is a multi-protein structure assembled on eukaryotic centromeres mediating chromosome attachment to spindle microtubules. Here we identified the kinetochore proteins Nuf2 and Ndc80 in the apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Localization revealed that kinetochores remain clustered throughout the cell cycle and colocalize with clustered centromeres at the centrocone, a structure containing the spindle pole embedded in the nuclear envelope. Pharmacological disruption of microtubules resulted in partial loss of some kinetochore and centromere clustering, indicating microtubules are necessary but not strictly required for kinetochore clustering. Generation of a TgNuf2 conditional knock-down strain revealed it is essential for chromosome segregation, but dispensable for cent

SUBMITTER: Farrell M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3933516 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature