Reports

A Kinesin-like Motor Inhibits Microtubule Dynamic Instability

Henrik Bringmann,^1* Georgios Skiniotis,² Annina Spilker,¹ Stefanie Kandels-Lewis,¹ Isabelle Vernos,¹ Thomas Surrey¹

The motility of molecular motors and the dynamic instability of microtubules are key dynamic processes for mitotic spindle assembly and function. We report here that one of the mitotic kinesins that localizes to chromosomes, Xklp1 from Xenopus laevis, could inhibit microtubule growth and shrinkage. This effect appeared to be mediated by a structural change in the microtubule lattice. We also found that Xklp1 could act as a fast, nonprocessive, plus end–directed molecular motor. The integration of the two properties, motility and inhibition of microtubule dynamics, in one molecule emphasizes the versatile properties of kinesin family members.

¹ Cell Biology and Biophysics Programme, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany.
² Structural and Computational Programme, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstraße 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany.

^* Present address: Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biologyand Genetics, Pfotenhauerstraße 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany.

Present address: Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.

Present address: Institute of Biochemistry, ETH Hoenggerberg, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland.

To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: surrey{at}embl.de

Read the Full Text

Three microtubule severing enzymes contribute to the "Pacman-flux" machinery that moves chromosomes.

D. Zhang, G. C. Rogers, D. W. Buster, and D. J. Sharp (2007)
J. Cell Biol. 177, 231-242
 |  Abstract »  |  Full Text »  |  PDF »

Chromokinesin Xklp1 Contributes to the Regulation of Microtubule Density and Organization during Spindle Assembly.

M. Castoldi and I. Vernos (2006)
Mol. Biol. Cell 17, 1451-1460
 |  Abstract »  |  Full Text »  |  PDF »

Full-Length Dimeric MCAK Is a More Efficient Microtubule Depolymerase than Minimal Domain Monomeric MCAK.

K. M. Hertzer, S. C. Ems-McClung, S. L. Kline-Smith, T. G. Lipkin, S. P. Gilbert, and C. E. Walczak (2006)
Mol. Biol. Cell 17, 700-710
 |  Abstract »  |  Full Text »  |  PDF »

Cytoskeleton and cell cycle control during meiotic maturation of the mouse oocyte: integrating time and space.

S. Brunet and B. Maro (2005)
Reproduction 130, 801-811
 |  Abstract »  |  Full Text »  |  PDF »

Microtubule movements on the arms of mitotic chromosomes: Polar ejection forces quantified in vitro.

G. J. Brouhard and A. J. Hunt (2005)
PNAS 102, 13903-13908
 |  Abstract »  |  Full Text »  |  PDF »

Aneuploidy in mouse metaphase II oocytes exposed in vivo and in vitro in preantral follicle culture to nocodazole.

F. Sun, I. Betzendahl, F. Pacchierotti, R. Ranaldi, J. Smitz, R. Cortvrindt, and U. Eichenlaub-Ritter (2005)
Mutagenesis 20, 65-75
 |  Abstract »  |  Full Text »  |  PDF »

Loss of KLP-19 polar ejection force causes misorientation and missegregation of holocentric chromosomes.

J. Powers, D. J. Rose, A. Saunders, S. Dunkelbarger, S. Strome, and W. M. Saxton (2004)
J. Cell Biol. 166, 991-1001
 |  Abstract »  |  Full Text »  |  PDF »

Human chromokinesin KIF4A functions in chromosome condensation and segregation.

M. Mazumdar, S. Sundareshan, and T. Misteli (2004)
J. Cell Biol. 166, 613-620
 |  Abstract »  |  Full Text »  |  PDF »

Differentiation of Cytoplasmic and Meiotic Spindle Assembly MCAK Functions by Aurora B-dependent Phosphorylation.

R. Ohi, T. Sapra, J. Howard, and T. J. Mitchison (2004)
Mol. Biol. Cell 15, 2895-2906
 |  Abstract »  |  Full Text »  |  PDF »

To Advertise   |   Find Products