Kinesin-13s in Mitosis: Key Players in the Spatial and Temporal Organization of Spindle Microtubules

Overview

Journal Semin Cell Dev Biol

Specialties Cell Biology
Reproductive Medicine

Date 2010 Jan 30

PMID 20109574

Citations 75

Authors

Stephanie C Ems-McClung

Claire E Walczak

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Dynamic microtubules are essential for the process of mitosis. Thus, elucidating when, where, and how microtubule dynamics are regulated is key to understanding this process. One important class of proteins that directly regulates microtubule dynamics is the Kinesin-13 family. Kinesin-13 proteins induce depolymerization uniquely from both ends of the microtubule. This activity coincides with their cellular localization and with their ability to regulate microtubule dynamics to control spindle assembly and kinetochore-microtubule attachments. In this review, we highlight recent findings that dissect the important actions of Kinesin-13 family members and summarize important studies on the regulation of their activity by phosphorylation and by protein-protein interactions.

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