Role of Kif15 and its novel mitotic partner KBP in K-fiber dynamics and chromosome alignment

Nathalie Brouwers; Nuria Mallol Martinez; Isabelle Vernos

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0174819

Role of Kif15 and its novel mitotic partner KBP in K-fiber dynamics and chromosome alignment

PLoS One. 2017 Apr 26;12(4):e0174819. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0174819. eCollection 2017.

Authors

Nathalie Brouwers^{1

2}, Nuria Mallol Martinez^{1

2}, Isabelle Vernos^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Cell and Developmental Biology Program, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona, Spain.
² Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.
³ Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Pg. Lluis Companys 23, Barcelona, Spain.

Abstract

Faithful segregation of the genetic material during the cell cycle is key for the continuation of life. Central to this process is the assembly of a bipolar spindle that aligns the chromosomes and segregates them to the two daughter cells. Spindle bipolarity is strongly dependent on the activity of the homotetrameric kinesin Eg5. However, another kinesin, Kif15, also provides forces needed to separate the spindle poles during prometaphase and to maintain spindle bipolarity at metaphase. Here we identify KBP as a specific interaction partner of Kif15 in mitosis. We show that KBP promotes the localization of Kif15 to the spindle equator close to the chromosomes. Both Kif15 and KBP are required for the alignment of all the chromosomes to the metaphase plate and the assembly of stable kinetochore fibers of the correct length. Taken together our data uncover a novel role for Kif15 in complex with KBP during mitosis.

MeSH terms

Chromosome Segregation*
HEK293 Cells
HeLa Cells
Humans
Ki-67 Antigen / chemistry
Ki-67 Antigen / genetics
Ki-67 Antigen / metabolism
Kinesins / antagonists & inhibitors
Kinesins / genetics
Kinesins / metabolism*
Kinetochores / metabolism
Metaphase
Microscopy, Fluorescence
Microscopy, Video
Mitosis
Nerve Tissue Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism*
Protein Binding
RNA Interference
RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism
Spindle Apparatus / metabolism

Substances

KIF15 protein, human
KIFBP protein, human
Ki-67 Antigen
Nerve Tissue Proteins
RNA, Small Interfering
Kinesins

Grants and funding

This work was funded from grants of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (BFU2009-10202 and BFU2012-37163), and funds to the CRG from ‘Centro de Excelencia Severo Ochoa 2013-2017’ (SEV-2012-0208). N.B. was supported by a post-doctoral fellowship and mobility grant from the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.