The chromosomal passenger complex and the spindle assembly checkpoint: kinetochore-microtubule error correction and beyond (original) (raw)
Related papers
The spindle assembly checkpoint: Preventing chromosome mis-segregation during mitosis and meiosis
FEBS Letters, 2006
Aneuploidy is a common feature of many cancers, suggesting that genomic stability is essential to prevent tumorigenesis. Also, during meiosis, chromosome non-disjunction produces gamete imbalance and when fertilized result in developmental arrest or severe birth defects. The spindle assembly checkpoint prevents chromosome mis-segregation during both mitosis and meiosis. In mitosis, this control system monitors kinetochore-microtubule attachment while in meiosis its role is still unclear. Interestingly, recent data suggest that defects in the spindle assembly checkpoint are unlikely to cause cancer development but might facilitate tumour progression. However, in meiosis a weakened checkpoint could contribute to age-related aneuploidy found in humans.
Current Biology, 2009
The mitotic spindle checkpoint monitors proper bipolar attachment of chromosomes to the mitotic spindle . Previously, depletion of the novel kinetochore complex Ska1/ Ska2 was found to induce a metaphase delay . By using bioinformatics, we identified C13orf3, predicted to associate with kinetochores. Recently, three laboratories independently indentified C13orf3 as an additional Ska complex component, and therefore we adopted the name Ska3 . We found that cells depleted of Ska3 by RNAi achieve metaphase alignment but fail to silence the spindle checkpoint or enter anaphase. After hours of metaphase arrest, chromatids separate but retain robust kinetochore-microtubule attachments. Ska3-depleted cells accumulate high levels of the checkpoint protein Bub1 at kinetochores. Ska3 protein accumulation at kinetochores in prometaphase is dependent on Sgo1 protein. Sgo1, which accumulates at the centromeres earlier, in prophase, is not dependent on Ska3. Sgo1-depleted cells show a stronger premature chromatid separation phenotype than those depleted of Ska3. We hypothesize that Ska3 functions to coordinate checkpoint signaling from the microtubule binding sites within a kinetochore by laterally linking the individual binding sites. We suggest that this network plays a major role in silencing the spindle checkpoint when chromosomes are aligned at metaphase to allow timely anaphase onset and mitotic exit.
Distinct chromosome segregation roles for spindle checkpoint proteins
Molecular biology of the cell, 2002
The spindle checkpoint plays a central role in the fidelity of chromosome transmission by ensuring that anaphase is initiated only after kinetochore-microtubule associations of all sister chromatid pairs are complete. In this study, we find that known spindle checkpoint proteins do not contribute equally to chromosome segregation fidelity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Loss of Bub1 or Bub3 protein elicits the largest effect. Analysis of Bub1p reveals the presence of two molecular functions. An N-terminal 608-amino acid (nonkinase) portion of the protein supports robust checkpoint activity, and, as expected, contributes to chromosome segregation. A C-terminal kinase-encoding segment independently contributes to chromosome segregation through an unknown mechanism. Both molecular functions depend on association with Bub3p. A 156-amino acid fragment of Bub1p functions in Bub3p binding and in kinetochore localization by one-hybrid assay. An adjacent segment is required for Mad1p binding, d...
Chromosome Movement in Mitosis Requires Microtubule Anchorage at Spindle Poles
Journal of Cell Biology, 2001
Anchorage of microtubule minus ends at spindle poles has been proposed to bear the load of poleward forces exerted by kinetochore-associated motors so that chromosomes move toward the poles rather than the poles toward the chromosomes. To test this hypothesis, we monitored chromosome movement during mitosis after perturbation of nuclear mitotic apparatus protein (NuMA) and the human homologue of the KIN C motor family (HSET), two noncentrosomal proteins involved in spindle pole organization in animal cells. Perturbation of NuMA alone disrupts spindle pole organization and delays anaphase onset, but does not alter the velocity of oscillatory chromosome movement in prometaphase. Perturbation of HSET alone increases the duration of prometaphase, but does not alter the velocity of chromosome movement in prometaphase or anaphase. In contrast, simultaneous perturbation of both HSET and NuMA severely suppresses directed chromosome movement in prometaphase. Chromosomes coalesce near the cen...
Recent Progress on the Localization of the Spindle Assembly Checkpoint Machinery to Kinetochores
Cells
Faithful chromosome segregation during mitosis is crucial for maintaining genome stability. The spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) is a surveillance mechanism that ensures accurate mitotic progression. Defective SAC signaling leads to premature sister chromatid separation and aneuploid daughter cells. Mechanistically, the SAC couples the kinetochore microtubule attachment status to the cell cycle progression machinery. In the presence of abnormal kinetochore microtubule attachments, the SAC prevents the metaphase-to-anaphase transition through a complex kinase-phosphatase signaling cascade which results in the correct balance of SAC components recruited to the kinetochore. The correct kinetochore localization of SAC proteins is a prerequisite for robust SAC signaling and, hence, accurate chromosome segregation. Here, we review recent progresses on the kinetochore recruitment of core SAC factors.
F1000 - Post-publication peer review of the biomedical literature, 2017
Faithful chromosome segregation during mitosis requires that the kinetochores of all sister chromatids become stably connected to microtubules derived from opposite spindle poles. How stable chromosome bi-orientation is accomplished and coordinated with anaphase onset remains incompletely understood. Here we show that stable chromosome bi-orientation requires inner centromere localization of the non-enzymatic subunits of the chromosomal passenger complex (CPC) to maintain centromeric cohesion. Precise inner centromere localization of the CPC appears less relevant for Aurora B-dependent resolution of erroneous kinetochore-microtubule (KT-MT) attachments and for the stabilization of bi-oriented KT-MT attachments once sister chromatid cohesion is preserved via knock-down of WAPL. However, Aurora B inner centromere localization is essential for mitotic checkpoint silencing to allow spatial separation from its kinetochore substrate KNL1. Our data infer that the CPC is localized at the inner centromere to sustain centromere cohesion on bi-oriented chromosomes and to coordinate mitotic checkpoint silencing with chromosome bi-orientation.
2020
Equal segregation of chromosomes during mitosis ensures euploidy of daughter cells. Defects in this process may result in imbalance in chromosomal composition and cellular transformation. Two surveillance pathways, the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) and the error-correction (EC), exist at kinetochores that monitor microtubule attachment and faithful segregation of chromosomes at the metaphase to anaphase transition. However, the molecular understanding of the interplay between EC and SAC signaling remains limited. Here we describe a role of deubiquitylase UCHL3 in the regulation of EC pathway during mitosis. Downregulation or inhibition of UCHL3 leads to improper attachments of chromosomes to spindle microtubules and to chromosome alignment defects during metaphase. Frequent segregation errors during anaphase and consequently aneuploidy is also observed upon inactivation of UCHL3. Surprisingly, UCHL3 is not involved in SAC signaling as both recruitment of SAC proteins to kinetoch...
The centromere geometry essential for keeping mitosis error free is controlled by spindle forces
Nature, 2007
Accurate segregation of chromosomes, essential for the stability of genome, depends on 'biorientation'-simultaneous attachment of each individual chromosome to both poles of the mitotic spindle 1. On bioriented chromosomes, kinetochores (macromolecular complexes that attach the chromosome to the spindle) reside on the opposite sides of chromosome's centromere 2. In contrast, sister kinetochores shift toward one side of the centromere on 'syntelic' chromosomes that erroneously attach to one spindle pole with both sister kinetochores. Syntelic attachments often arise during spindle assembly and must be corrected to prevent chromosome loss 3. It is assumed that restoration of proper centromere architecture occurs automatically due to elastic properties of the centromere 1, 2. Here we test this assumption by combining laser microsurgery and chemical biology assays. We find that kinetochores of syntelic chromosomes remain juxtaposed upon detachment from spindle microtubules. These findings reveal that correction of syntelic attachments involves an extra step that has previously been overlooked: external forces must be applied to move sister kinetochores to the opposite sides of the centromere. Further, we demonstrate that shape of the centromere is important for spindle assembly, as bipolar spindles do not form is cells lacking centrosomes when multiple chromosomes with juxtaposed kinetochores are present. Thus, proper architecture of the centromere makes an important contribution to achieving high fidelity of chromosome segregation. Kinetochores on bioriented chromosomes are positioned on the opposite sides of the centromere 2. However, during mitotic spindle formation both sister kinetochores sometimes attach to the same spindle pole becoming 'syntelic'. Under this condition, microtubuledependent forces shift sister kinetochores to the same side of the centromere. As syntelic attachment would lead to aneuploidy, this configuration is not stable 4,5. Kinetochore fibres (K-fibres) on syntelic chromosomes depolymerize so that the chromosome moves to the spindle pole where at least one of the two kinetochores detaches from microtubules 6-8. Detached kinetochores can then connect to microtubules from the opposite spindle pole to achieve proper bi-orientation. However, for this mechanism to work properly the shape of the centromere must be restored such that sister kinetochores return to opposite sides of the centromere. It is