title: Centromeric Transcription Regulates Aurora-B Localization and Activation.
abstract: Centromeric transcription is widely conserved; however, it is not clear what role centromere transcription plays during mitosis. Here, I find that centromeres are transcribed in Xenopus egg extracts into a long noncoding RNA (lncRNA; cen-RNA) that localizes to mitotic centromeres, chromatin, and spindles. cen-RNAs bind to the chromosomal passenger complex (CPC) in vitro and in vivo. Blocking transcription or antisense inhibition of cen-RNA leads to a reduction of CPC localization to the inner centromere and misregulation of CPC component Aurora-B activation independently of known centromere recruitment pathways. Additionally, transcription is required for normal bipolar attachment of kinetochores to the mitotic spindle, consistent with a role for cen-RNA in CPC regulation. This work demonstrates that cen-RNAs promote normal kinetochore function through regulation of the localization and activation of the CPC and confirm that lncRNAs are components of the centromere.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Electronic address: blower@molbio.mgh.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Blower
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D064107:Aurora Kinase B / Q000378:metabolism*; D002457:Cell Extracts; D002503:Centromere / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D018386:Kinetochores / Q000378:metabolism; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism; D010063:Ovum / Q000378:metabolism; D021381:Protein Transport; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D016372:RNA, Antisense / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D002457:Cell Extracts; D002843:Chromatin; D016372:RNA, Antisense; D012313:RNA; D064107:Aurora Kinase B