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The PITSLRE/CDK11 p58 protein kinase promotes centrosome maturation and bipolar spindle formation
Author(s) -
Petretti Clotilde,
Savoian Matthew,
Montembault Emilie,
Glover David M,
Prigent Claude,
Giet Régis
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
embo reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.584
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1469-3178
pISSN - 1469-221X
DOI - 10.1038/sj.embor.7400639
Subject(s) - centrosome , microbiology and biotechnology , polo like kinase , biology , mitosis , plk1 , multipolar spindles , spindle pole body , rna interference , internal ribosome entry site , spindle apparatus , cell cycle , cell division , genetics , gene , rna , cell , ribosome
The CDK11 (cyclin‐dependent kinase 11) gene has an internal ribosome entry site (IRES), allowing the expression of two protein kinases. The longer 110‐kDa isoform is expressed at constant levels during the cell cycle and the shorter 58‐kDa isoform is expressed only during G2 and M phases. By means of RNA interference (RNAi), we show that the CDK11 gene is required for mitotic spindle formation. CDK11 RNAi leads to mitotic checkpoint activation. Mitotic cells are arrested with short or monopolar spindles. γ‐Tubulin as well as Plk1 and Aurora A protein kinase levels are greatly reduced at centrosomes, resulting in microtubule nucleation defects. We show that the mitotic CDK11 p58 isoform, but not the CDK11 p110 isoform, associates with mitotic centrosomes and rescues the phenotypes resulting from CDK11 RNAi. This work demonstrates for the first time the role of CDK11 p58 in centrosome maturation and bipolar spindle morphogenesis.