The Ndc80 Loop Region Facilitates Formation of Kinetochore Attachment to the Dynamic Microtubule Plus End

Jean-Francois Maure, Shinya Komoto, Yusuke Oku, Akihisa Mino, Sebastiano Pasqualato, Kayo Natsume, Lesley Clayton, Andrea Musacchio, Tomoyuki U. Tanaka (Lead / Corresponding author)

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    81 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Proper chromosome segregation in mitosis relies on correct kinetochore-microtubule (KT-MT) interactions. The KT initially interacts with the lateral surface of a single MT (lateral attachment) extending from a spindle pole and is subsequently anchored at the plus end of the MT (end-on attachment) [1]. The conversion from lateral to end-on attachment is crucial because end-on attachment is more robust [2-4] and thought to be necessary to sustain KT-MT attachment when tension is applied across sister KTs upon their biorientation [1]. The mechanism for this conversion is still elusive. The Ndc80 complex is an essential component of the KT-MT interface [1, 5], and here we studied a role of the Ndc80 loop region, a distinct motif looping out from the coiled-coil shaft of the complex [6], in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. With deletions or mutations of the loop region, the lateral KT-MT attachment occurred normally; however, subsequent conversion to end-on attachment was defective, leading to failure in sister KT biorientation. The Ndc80 loop region was required for Ndc80-Dam1 interaction and KT loading of the Dam1 complex, which in turn supported KT tethering to the dynamic MT plus end [3, 7]. The Ndc80 loop region, therefore, has an important role in the conversion from lateral to end-on attachment, a crucial maturation step of KT-MT interaction.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)207-213
    Number of pages7
    JournalCurrent Biology
    Volume21
    Issue number3
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 8 Feb 2011

    Keywords

    • PRECOCIOUS SEPARATION

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