biostudies-literatureSana SDepartment of Biotechnology (DBT)-Indian Institute of Science Partnership ProgramWellcome Trust India Alliance Fellowshipe202203127https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9539458biostudies-literatureUnknown221(12)In animal cells, spindle elongation during anaphase is temporally coupled with cleavage furrow formation. Spindle elongation during anaphase is regulated by NuMA/dynein/dynactin complexes that occupy the polar region of the cell membrane and are excluded from the equatorial membrane. How NuMA/dynein/dynactin are excluded from the equatorial membrane and the biological significance of this exclusion remains unknown. Here, we show that the centralspindlin (Cyk4/Mklp1) and its interacting partner RhoGEF Ect2 are required for NuMA/dynein/dynactin exclusion from the equatorial cell membrane. The Ect2-based (Ect2/Cyk4/Mklp1) and NuMA-based (NuMA/dynein/dynactin) complexes occupy mutually exclusive membrane surfaces during anaphase. The equatorial membrane enrichment of Ect2-based complexes is esThe Journal of cell biologyMembrane compartmentalization of Ect2/Cyk4/Mklp1 and NuMA/dynein regulates cleavage furrow formation.PMC9539458BT/PR36084/BRB/10/1857/2020IA/I/15/2/502077Kotak SRajeevan ASana SfalseMembrane compartmentalization of Ect2/Cyk4/Mklp1 and NuMA/dynein regulates cleavage furrow formation.In animal cells, spindle elongation during anaphase is temporally coupled with cleavage furrow formation. Spindle elongation during anaphase is regulated by NuMA/dynein/dynactin complexes that occupy the polar region of the cell membrane and are excluded from the equatorial membrane. How NuMA/dynein/dynactin are excluded from the equatorial membrane and the biological significance of this exclusion remains unknown. Here, we show that the centralspindlin (Cyk4/Mklp1) and its interacting partner RhoGEF Ect2 are required for NuMA/dynein/dynactin exclusion from the equatorial cell membrane. The Ect2-based (Ect2/Cyk4/Mklp1) and NuMA-based (NuMA/dynein/dynactin) complexes occupy mutually exclusive membrane surfaces during anaphase. The equatorial membrane enrichment of Ect2-based complexes is es2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Dec2025-04-04T10:41:52.499Z2025-04-04T10:41:52.499ZS-EPMC95394583619734010.1083/jcb.202203127