title: Molecular architecture of vertebrate kinetochores.
abstract: Kinetochores form a dynamic interface with the microtubules from the mitotic spindle to achieve accurate chromosome segregation. Multiple proteins are assembled on centromeric DNA to form the kinetochore structure. Recent insights regarding the mechanism of kinetochore formation in vertebrate cells have come from the identification and characterization of kinetochore proteins using a variety of approaches. Constitutive centromere associated network (CCAN) proteins create a platform for kinetochore formation. Subsequently, CCAN proteins recruit outer kinetochore components such as KNL1, the Mis12 complex and the Ndc80 complex (KMN network) that attach to the spindle microtubules, together comprising the functional kinetochore. In this review, we introduce and discuss putative roles of CCAN and KMN proteins during the process of kinetochore formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics, National Institute of Genetics and the Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan.
authors.forename: Kozo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.forename: Tatsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fukagawa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D018386:Kinetochores / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008870:Microtubules / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D055503:Protein Multimerization / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D014714:Vertebrates / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D021122:Protein Subunits