The negatively charged carboxy-terminal tail of β-tubulin promotes proper chromosome segregation
نویسندگان
چکیده
Despite the broadly conserved role of microtubules in chromosome segregation, we have a limited understanding of how molecular features of tubulin proteins contribute to the underlying mechanisms. Here we investigate the negatively charged carboxy-terminal tail domains (CTTs) of α- and β-tubulins, using a series of mutants that alter or ablate CTTs in budding yeast. We find that ablating β-CTT causes elevated rates of chromosome loss and cell cycle delay. Complementary live-cell imaging and electron tomography show that β-CTT is necessary to properly position kinetochores and organize microtubules within the assembling spindle. We identify a minimal region of negatively charged amino acids that is necessary and sufficient for proper chromosome segregation and provide evidence that this function may be conserved across species. Our results provide the first in vivo evidence of a specific role for tubulin CTTs in chromosome segregation. We propose that β-CTT promotes the ordered segregation of chromosomes by stabilizing the spindle and contributing to forces that move chromosomes toward the spindle poles.
منابع مشابه
Genome-wide Analysis Reveals Novel and Discrete Functions for Tubulin Carboxy-Terminal Tails
BACKGROUND Microtubules (MTs) support diverse transport and force generation processes in cells. Both α- and β-tubulin proteins possess carboxy-terminal tail regions (CTTs) that are negatively charged, intrinsically disordered, and project from the MT surface where they interact with motors and other proteins. Although CTTs are presumed to play important roles in MT networks, these roles have n...
متن کاملCYTOGENETICAL STUDY IN SOME ALFALFA CULTIVARS OF IRAN
A cytogenetical study on 13 alfalfa (Medicago sativa) cultivars available in Iranian Forest and Rangelands Genebank was performed in order to obtain basic information on the variability in chiasma frequency/distribution, chromosome association and segregation. Such cytogenetic information is useful for planning hybridization programs. Cluster analysis of meiotic data and ordination of cultivars...
متن کاملHistone H1 Is required for proper regulation of pyruvate decarboxylase gene expression in Neurospora crassa.
We show that Neurospora crassa has a single histone H1 gene, hH1, which encodes a typical linker histone with highly basic N- and C-terminal tails and a central globular domain. A green fluorescent protein-tagged histone H1 chimeric protein was localized exclusively to nuclei. Mutation of hH1 by repeat-induced point mutation (RIP) did not result in detectable defects in morphology, DNA methylat...
متن کاملStructural basis for microtubule recognition by the human kinetochore Ska complex
The ability of kinetochores (KTs) to maintain stable attachments to dynamic microtubule structures ('straight' during microtubule polymerization and 'curved' during microtubule depolymerization) is an essential requirement for accurate chromosome segregation. Here we show that the kinetochore-associated Ska complex interacts with tubulin monomers via the carboxy-terminal winged-helix domain of ...
متن کاملATX-2, the C. elegans Ortholog of Human Ataxin-2, Regulates Centrosome Size and Microtubule Dynamics Short title: RNA-binding Proteins in Centrosome Regulation
Centrosomes are critical sites for orchestrating microtubule dynamics, and exhibit dynamic changes in size during the cell cycle. As cells progress to mitosis, centrosomes recruit more microtubules (MT) to form mitotic bipolar spindles that ensure proper chromosome segregation. We report a new role for ATX-2, a C. elegans ortholog of Human Ataxin-2, in regulating centrosome size and MT dynamics...
متن کامل