title: The dynamic protein Knl1 - a kinetochore rendezvous.
abstract: Knl1 (also known as CASC5, UniProt Q8NG31) is an evolutionarily conserved scaffolding protein that is required for proper kinetochore assembly, spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) function and chromosome congression. A number of recent reports have confirmed the prominence of Knl1 in these processes and provided molecular details and structural features that dictate Knl1 functions in higher organisms. Knl1 recruits SAC components to the kinetochore and is the substrate of certain protein kinases and phosphatases, the interplay of which ensures the exquisite regulation of the aforementioned processes. In this Commentary, we discuss the overall domain organization of Knl1 and the roles of this protein as a versatile docking platform. We present emerging roles of the protein interaction motifs present in Knl1, including the RVSF, SILK, MELT and KI motifs, and their role in the recruitment and regulation of the SAC proteins Bub1, BubR1, Bub3 and Aurora B. Finally, we explore how the regions of low structural complexity that characterize Knl1 are implicated in the cooperative interactions that mediate binding partner recognition and scaffolding activity by Knl1.
authors: Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK.
authors: Priyanka
authors: P
authors: Ghongane
authors: Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK.
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Kapanidou
authors: Reproduction, Perinatal Health and Child Health, Centre de Recherche du CHUQ, 2705, Boulevard Laurier, T3-51, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada.
authors: Adeel
authors: A
authors: Asghar
authors: Reproduction, Perinatal Health and Child Health, Centre de Recherche du CHUQ, 2705, Boulevard Laurier, T3-51, Québec, QC G1V 4G2, Canada sabine.elowe@crchuq.ulaval.ca vbolanos-garcia@brookes.ac.uk.
authors: Sabine
authors: S
authors: Elowe
authors: Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK sabine.elowe@crchuq.ulaval.ca vbolanos-garcia@brookes.ac.uk.
authors: Victor M
authors: VM
authors: Bolanos-Garcia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D018386:Kinetochores / Q000378:metabolism*; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary
chemical_list: D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins
keywords: BubR1; Kinetochore; Knl1; MELT motif; Mitosis; Mitotic checkpoint