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CLIP‐170 facilitates the formation of kinetochore–microtubule attachments
Author(s) -
Tanenbaum Marvin E,
Galjart Niels,
van Vugt Marcel ATM,
Medema René H
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the embo journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 7.484
H-Index - 392
eISSN - 1460-2075
pISSN - 0261-4189
DOI - 10.1038/sj.emboj.7600916
Subject(s) - biology , kinetochore , microtubule , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , chromosome , gene
CLIP‐170 is a microtubule ‘plus end tracking’ protein involved in several microtubule‐dependent processes in interphase. At the onset of mitosis, CLIP‐170 localizes to kinetochores, but at metaphase, it is no longer detectable at kinetochores. Although RNA interference (RNAi) experiments have suggested an essential role for CLIP‐170 during mitosis, the molecular function of CLIP‐170 in mitosis has not yet been revealed. Here, we used a combination of high‐resolution microscopy and RNAi‐mediated depletion to study the function of CLIP‐170 in mitosis. We found that CLIP‐170 dynamically localizes to the outer most part of unattached kinetochores and to the ends of growing microtubules. In addition, we provide evidence that a pool of CLIP‐170 is transported along kinetochore–microtubules by the dynein/dynactin complex. Interference with CLIP‐170 expression results in defective chromosome congression and diminished kinetochore–microtubule attachments, but does not detectibly affect microtubule dynamics or kinetochore–microtubule stability. Taken together, our results indicate that CLIP‐170 facilitates the formation of kinetochore–microtubule attachments, possibly through direct capture of microtubules at the kinetochore.