Article
- The EMBO Journal (2009) 28, 2066 - 2076
- doi:10.1038/emboj.2009.161
Published online: 18 June 2009
Subject Categories:
Cep72 regulates the localization of key centrosomal proteins and proper bipolar spindle formation
Naoki Oshimori1,2, Xue Li1, Miho Ohsugi1 and Tadashi Yamamoto1
- Division of Oncology, Department of Cancer Biology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Present address: Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
Correspondence to:
Miho Ohsugi, Division of Oncology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan. Tels.: +81 3 5449 5301; or +81 3 5449 5248; Fax: +81 3 5449 5413; E-mail: mohsugi@ims.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Tadashi Yamamoto, Division of Oncology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan. Tels.: +81 3 5449 5301; or +81 3 5449 5248; Fax: +81 3 5449 5413; E-mail: tyamamot@ims.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Received 4 November 2008; Accepted 22 May 2009
Abstract
Microtubule-nucleation activity and structural integrity of the centrosome are critical for various cellular functions. The 
-tubulin ring complexes (TuRCs) localizing to the pericentriolar matrix (PCM) of the centrosome are major sites of microtubule nucleation. The PCM is thought to be created by two cognate large coiled-coil proteins, pericentrin/kendrin and CG-NAP/AKAP450, and its stabilization by Kizuna is essential for bipolar spindle formation. However, the mechanisms by which these proteins are recruited and organized into a proper structure with microtubule-organizing activity are poorly understood. Here we identify a centrosomal protein Cep72 as a Kizuna-interacting protein. Interestingly, Cep72 is essential for the localization of CG-NAP and Kizuna. Cep72 is also involved in TuRC recruitment to the centrosome and CG-NAP confers the microtubule-nucleation activity on the TuRCs. During mitosis, Cep72-mediated microtubule organization is important for converging spindle microtubules to the centrosomes, which is needed for chromosome alignment and tension generation between kinetochores. Our findings show that Cep72 is the key protein essential for maintaining microtubule-organizing activity and structural integrity of the centrosome.
Keywords:
- centrosome,
- Cep72,
- kizuna,
- microtubule,
- mitotic spindle
MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS
These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated
REVIEWS
Microtubule-organizing centres: a re-evaluation
Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology Perspective (01 Feb 2007)
NEWS AND VIEWS
Nature Cell Biology News and Views (01 Oct 2006)
Anchoring microtubules at the spindle poles
Nature Cell Biology News and Views (01 Jun 2007)
RESEARCH
The Plk1 target Kizuna stabilizes mitotic centrosomes to ensure spindle bipolarity
Nature Cell Biology Letter (01 Oct 2006)
Nature Cell Biology Article (01 Feb 2006)
