Featured
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Letter |
Basis of catalytic assembly of the mitotic checkpoint complex
The near-complete in vitro reconstitution of the mitotic spindle assembly checkpoint reveals how the assembly of its effector, the mitotic checkpoint complex, is catalysed.
- Alex C. Faesen
- , Maria Thanasoula
- & Andrea Musacchio
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Letter |
Insights from biochemical reconstitution into the architecture of human kinetochores
Biochemical reconstitution of a synthetic human kinetochore with 21 protein subunits and centromeric nucleosomal DNA unveils fundamental principles of kinetochore organization and function.
- John R. Weir
- , Alex C. Faesen
- & Andrea Musacchio
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Article |
Meikin is a conserved regulator of meiosis-I-specific kinetochore function
The long elusive mammalian meiosis-specific kinetochore factor has been identified in mice; MEIKIN—which plays an equivalent role to the yeast proteins Spo13 and Moa1—ensures mono-orientation, protects sister chromatid cohesion and recruits the kinase PLK1 to the kinetochores.
- Jihye Kim
- , Kei-ichiro Ishiguro
- & Yoshinori Watanabe
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Letter |
In vitro centromere and kinetochore assembly on defined chromatin templates
- Annika Guse
- , Christopher W. Carroll
- & Aaron F. Straight
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News & Views |
Cellular seat belts
Accurate cell division depends on proper attachment of chromosomes to the microtubule-based division apparatus. An impressive in vitro study shows how applied force plays a pivotal part in regulating such attachment. See Letter p.576
- Yuta Shimamoto
- & Tarun M. Kapoor
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Letter |
Tension directly stabilizes reconstituted kinetochore-microtubule attachments
The kinetochore is a large protein complex that assembles on centromeric DNA and captures microtubules to mediate chromosome separation. These authors report the first purification of functional kinetochores. They also show that kinetochore particles maintain load-bearing associations with assembling and disassembling ends of single microtubules and that tension increases the lifetimes of the attachments directly. These results provide evidence that tension selectively stabilises kinetochore–microtubule interactions.
- Bungo Akiyoshi
- , Krishna K. Sarangapani
- & Sue Biggins
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Article |
The Ndc80 kinetochore complex forms oligomeric arrays along microtubules
The Ndc80 complex is a key component of kinetochore that mediates direct interaction with spindle microtubules. These authors present a cryo-electron microscopy reconstruction of Ndc80 bound to microtubules. They find that Ndc80 uses a novel microtubule recognition mode coupling tubulin binding to self-oligomerization of the complex, and present a mechanistic model for the formation of high-affinity kinetochore–microtubule attachments during cell division.
- Gregory M. Alushin
- , Vincent H. Ramey
- & Eva Nogales
Chromosomal instability drives metastasis through a cytosolic DNA response