kinetochore

Motile kinetochores and polar ejection forces dictate chromosome position on the vertebrate mitotic spindle.

Interestingly, CENP-E is involved in the initial alignment of chromosomes at the spindle equator on the metaphase plate, and therefore, it is required for steady spindle microtubule capture at the kinetochores, which is a critical step in proper chromosome congression during prometaphase.

Chromosome segregation is controlled by kinetochores, which guarantee the fidelity of segregation (36).

Normally, the process is regulated by a spindle assembly checkpoint that monitors attachment of the spindle microtubules to kinetochores of chromosomes (Doxsey et al.

Nicklas, "Chromosomes and kinetochores do more in mitosis than previously thought," in Chromosome Structure and Function, Stadler Genetics Symposia Series, J.

In Drosophila, both midzone-derived and astral stimulation signals likely contribute to equatorial stimulation, while recent work (Rodrigues et al., 2015) suggests that polar relaxation is mediated by a phosphatase gradient emanating from kinetochores. We have shown that a midzone-based aurora kinase activity gradient that requires both mABK and a predominantly soluble pool of AAK contributes to the fidelity of cytokinesis.

Scientists from Japan, Europe, and the US discuss the history of mitosis research and the model systems that have played a key role; how threads are produced through chromosome condensation; how sister chromatids attach to each other and to the spindle apparatus; how the spindle microtubules nucleate, elongate, pause, and shrink; how kinetochores and centrosomes serve as anchor and control points; the biochemical elements that coordinate the main regulatory stages of entry into mitosis, sister chromatid separation, and mitotic exit; how cells can mis-segregate and unbalance the genome; the cellular changes that occur during cytokinesis; and the differences between mitosis and meiosis.

Not surprisingly, APC/[C.sup.Cdc20] is a target of the spindle checkpoint, not allowing the degradation of securin until proper attachment and alignment of all kinetochores to the spindle are completed [23].

de Mey, "Taxol induces the assembly of free microtubules in living cells and blocks the organizing capcity of the centrosomes and kinetochores," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol.