Open AccessThe Mal2p Protein Is an Essential Component of the Fission Yeast Centromere
Author(s) -
Quanwen Jin,
Alison L. Pidoux,
Corina Decker,
Robin C. Allshire,
Ursula Fleig
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
molecular and cellular biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.14
H-Index - 327
eISSN - 1067-8824
pISSN - 0270-7306
DOI - 10.1128/mcb.22.20.7168-7183.2002
Subject(s) - centromere , kinetochore , biology , chromatin , genetics , sister chromatids , microbiology and biotechnology , metaphase , cohesin , spindle pole body , chromosome segregation , spindle apparatus , chromosome , cell division , dna , gene , cell
Precise segregation of chromosomes requires the activity of a specialized chromatin region, the centromere, that assembles the kinetochore complex to mediate the association with spindle microtubules. We show here that Mal2p, previously identified as a protein required for genome stability, is an essential component of the fission yeast centromere. Loss of functional Mal2p leads to extreme missegregation of chromosomes due to nondisjunction of sister chromatids and results in inviable cells. Mal2p associates specifically with the central region of the complex fission yeast centromere, where it is required for the specialized chromatin architecture as well as for transcriptional silencing of this region. Genetic evidence indicates that mal2(+) interacts with mis12(+), encoding another component of the inner centromere core complex. In addition, Mal2p is required for correct metaphase spindle length. Our data imply that the Mal2p protein is required to build up a functional fission yeast centromere.