Drosophila CENP-C is essential for centromere identity.
Centromeres are specialized chromosomal domains that direct mitotic kinetochore assembly and are defined by the presence of CENP-A (CID in Drosophila) and CENP-C. While the role of CENP-A appears to be highly conserved, functional studies in different organisms suggest that the precise role of CENP-C in kinetochore assembly is still under debate. Previous studies in vertebrate cells have shown that CENP-C inactivation causes mitotic delay, chromosome missegregation, and apoptosis; however, in Drosophila, the role of CENP-C is not well-defined. We have used RNA interference depletion in S2 cells to address this question and we find that depletion of CENP-C causes a kinetochore null phenotype, and consequently, the spindle checkpoint, kinetochore-microtubule interactions, and spindle size are severely misregulated. Importantly, we show that CENP-C is required for centromere identity as CID, MEI-S332, and chromosomal passenger proteins fail to localize in CENP-C depleted cells, suggesting a tight communication between the inner kinetochore proteins and centromeres. We suggest that CENP-C might fulfill the structural roles of the human centromere-associated proteins not identified in Drosophila.
Orr
Bernardo
B
Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 823, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal.
Sunkel
Claudio E
CE
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D059006:Chromosomes, Insect / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster; D006801:Humans; D018386:Kinetochores / Q000378:metabolism*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008938:Mitosis / Q000502:physiology*; D034622:RNA Interference
D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C060905:centromere protein C