biostudies-literaturePalumbo VAssociazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul CancroRoyal SocietyBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Counciljcs236786https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC6983718biostudies-literatureUnknown133(2)Morgana (Mora, also known as CHORD in flies) and its mammalian homologue, called CHORDC1 or CHP1, is a highly conserved cysteine and histidine-rich domain (CHORD)-containing protein that has been proposed to function as an Hsp90 co-chaperone. Morgana deregulation promotes carcinogenesis in both mice and humans while, in Drosophila, loss of mora causes lethality and a complex mitotic phenotype that is rescued by a human morgana transgene. Here, we show that Drosophila Mora localises to mitotic spindles and co-purifies with the Hsp90-R2TP-TTT supercomplex and with additional well-known Hsp90 co-chaperones. Acute inhibition of Mora function in the early embryo results in a dramatic reduction in centrosomal microtubule stability, leading to small spindles nucleated from mitotic chromatin. PuriJournal of cell scienceDrosophila Morgana is an Hsp90-interacting protein with a direct role in microtubule polymerisation.PMC6983718NF151014BB/K017837/1IG 20528BB/K017937/1Metz JGatti MTariq ABrancaccio MBonaccorsi SBorgal LPalumbo VWakefield JGfalseDrosophila Morgana is an Hsp90-interacting protein with a direct role in microtubule polymerisation.Morgana (Mora, also known as CHORD in flies) and its mammalian homologue, called CHORDC1 or CHP1, is a highly conserved cysteine and histidine-rich domain (CHORD)-containing protein that has been proposed to function as an Hsp90 co-chaperone. Morgana deregulation promotes carcinogenesis in both mice and humans while, in Drosophila, loss of mora causes lethality and a complex mitotic phenotype that is rescued by a human morgana transgene. Here, we show that Drosophila Mora localises to mitotic spindles and co-purifies with the Hsp90-R2TP-TTT supercomplex and with additional well-known Hsp90 co-chaperones. Acute inhibition of Mora function in the early embryo results in a dramatic reduction in centrosomal microtubule stability, leading to small spindles nucleated from mitotic chromatin. Puri2020-01-01T00:00:00Z2020 Jan2025-04-18T15:51:37.142Z2020-05-22T08:34:29ZS-EPMC69837183190720610.1242/jcs.236786