title: Localized Aurora B activity spatially controls non-kinetochore microtubules during spindle assembly.
abstract: Efficient spindle assembly involves the generation of spatial cues around chromosomes that locally stabilize microtubule (MT) plus-ends. In addition to the small GTPase Ran, there is evidence that Aurora B kinase might also generate a spatial cue around chromosomes but direct proof for this is still lacking. Here, we find that the Aurora B substrate MCAK localizes to MT plus-ends throughout the mitotic spindle, but its accumulation is strongly reduced on MT plus-ends near chromatin, suggesting that a signal emanating from chromosomes negatively regulates MCAK plus-end binding. Indeed, we show that Aurora B is the kinase responsible for producing this chromosome-derived signal. These results are the first to visualize spatially restricted Aurora B kinase activity around chromosomes on an endogenous substrate and explain how Aurora B could spatially control the dynamics of non-kinetochore MTs during spindle assembly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology and Cancer Genomics Centre, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marvin E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Tanenbaum
authors.forename: René H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Medema
mesh_terms: D064107:Aurora Kinase B; D064127:Aurora Kinases; D002460:Cell Line; D002477:Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D016547:Kinesins / Q000378:metabolism; D018386:Kinetochores / Q000378:metabolism*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism*; D008938:Mitosis; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D021381:Protein Transport; D008941:Spindle Apparatus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C091489:KIF2C protein, human; C576921:AURKB protein, human; D064107:Aurora Kinase B; D064127:Aurora Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D016547:Kinesins