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Kip3, the yeast kinesin-8, is required for clustering of kinetochores at metaphase

Volume 9, Issue 13   July 1, 2010
Pages 2579 - 2586
http://dx.doi.org/10.4161/cc.9.13.12076
Authors: Megan M. Wargacki, Jessica C. Tay, Eric G. Muller, Charles L. Asbury and Trisha N. Davis

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Abstract:

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, chromosome congression clusters kinetochores on either side of the spindle equator at metaphase.  Many organisms require one or more kinesin-8 molecular motors to achieve chromosome alignment.  The yeast kinesin-8, Kip3, has been well studied in vitro but a role in chromosome congression has not been reported.  We investigated Kip3's role in this process using semi-automated, quantitative fluorescence microscopy and time-lapse imaging and found that Kip3 is required for congression. Deletion of KIP3 increases inter-kinetochore distances and increases the variability in the position of sister kinetochores along the spindle axis during metaphase. Kip3 does not regulate spindle length and is not required for kinetochore-microtubule attachment.  Instead, Kip3 clusters kinetochores on the metaphase spindle by tightly regulating kinetochore microtubule lengths.

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