title: Mapping the assembly pathways that specify formation of the trilaminar kinetochore plates in human cells.
abstract: We report the interactions amongst 20 proteins that specify their assembly to the centromere-kinetochore complex in human cells. Centromere protein (CENP)-A is at the top of a hierarchy that directs three major pathways, which are specified by CENP-C, -I, and Aurora B. Each pathway consists of branches that intersect to form nodes that may coordinate the assembly process. Complementary EM studies found that the formation of kinetochore trilaminar plates depends on the CENP-I/NUF2 branch, whereas CENP-C and Aurora B affect the size, shape, and structural integrity of the plates. We found that hMis12 is not constitutively localized at kinetochores, and that it is not essential for recruiting CENP-I. Our studies also revealed that kinetochores in HeLa cells contain an excess of CENP-A, of which approximately 10% is sufficient to promote the assembly of normal levels of kinetochore proteins. We elaborate on a previous model that suggested kinetochores are assembled from repetitive modules (Zinkowski, R.P., J. Meyne, and B.R. Brinkley. 1991. J. Cell Biol. 113:1091-110).
authors.affiliation: Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA.
authors.forename: Song-Tao
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jerome B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Rattner
authors.forename: Sandra A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Jablonski
authors.forename: Tim J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Yen
mesh_terms: D064107:Aurora Kinase B; D064127:Aurora Kinases; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D000076247:Centromere Protein A; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D018386:Kinetochores / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008957:Models, Genetic; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D001324:Autoantigens; C000619700:CENPA protein, human; C484297:CENPI protein, human; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D000076247:Centromere Protein A; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C490197:NUF2 protein, human; C060905:centromere protein C; C576921:AURKB protein, human; D064107:Aurora Kinase B; D064127:Aurora Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases