Eh Klp5 is a divergent member of the kinesin 5 family that regulates genome content and microtubular assembly in Entamoeba histolytica

Summary Earlier studies have established two unusual features in the cell division cycle of Entamoeba histolytica . First, microtubules form a radial assembly instead of a bipolar mitotic spindle, and second, the genome content of E. histolytica cells varied from 1× to 6× or more. In this study, Eh Klp5 was identified as a divergent member of the BimC kinesin family that is known to regulate formation and stabilization of the mitotic spindle in other eukaryotes. In contrast to earlier studies, we show here that bipolar microtubular spindles were formed in E. histolytica but were visible only in 8–12% of the cells after treatment with taxol. The number of bipolar spindles was significantly increased in Eh Klp5 stable transformants (20–25%) whereas Eh Klp5 double‐stranded RNA (dsRNA) transformants did not show any spindles (< 1%). The genome content of Eh Klp5 stable transformants was regulated between 1× and 2× unlike control cells. Binucleated cells accumulated in Eh Klp5 dsRNA transformants and after inhibition of Eh Klp5 with small molecule inhibitors in control cells, suggesting that cytokinesis was delayed in the absence of Eh Klp5. Taken together, our results indicate that Eh Klp5 regulates microtubular assembly, genome content and cell division in E. histolytica . Additionally, Eh Klp5 showed alterations in its drug‐binding site compared with its human homologue, Hs Eg5 and this was reflected in its reduced sensitivity to Eg5 inhibitors – monastrol and HR22C16 analogues.