title: Toward a molecular structure of the eukaryotic kinetochore.
abstract: Chromosome segregation in eukaryotes requires a large molecular assembly termed the kinetochore to attach chromosomes to spindle microtubules. Recent work has made substantial progress in defining the composition and activities of the kinetochore, but much remains to be learned about its macromolecular structure. This commentary discusses recent insights into structural features of the kinetochore, how these inform our understanding of its biological function, and the key challenges for the future.
authors.affiliation: Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research and Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Nine Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA. welburn@wi.mit.edu
authors.forename: Julie P I
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Welburn
authors.forename: Iain M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Cheeseman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D005057:Eukaryotic Cells / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D018386:Kinetochores / Q000737:chemistry*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism; D008938:Mitosis; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; C120529:NDC80 protein, human; D009687:Nuclear Proteins