Dr. Dolittle and the making of the mitotic spindle
1999; Wiley; Volume: 21; Issue: 12 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1002/(sici)1521-1878(199912)22
ISSN1521-1878
Autores Tópico(s)Protist diversity and phylogeny
ResumoThe intrinsic polarity of microtubules within cells is exploited each time cells divide. Kinesins, microtubule-associated motor proteins, are required to execute the dramatic events of mitosis: bipolar spindle assembly, metaphase chromosome alignment, anaphase chromosome segregation, and separation of spindle poles prior to cytokinesis. Surprisingly, kinesin-related proteins have been found to move in either “plus-ward” or “minus-ward” directions along microtubules. Evidence from genetic analyses of simple eukaryotes and in vitro activity assays supports the notion that certain subfamilies of kinesin-related proteins provide antagonistic activities necessary to balance mitotic forces. A recent study by Sharp et al.(1) sheds further light on the subject by exploiting the genetics and cytology of the fruit fly embryo. BioEssays 21:985–990, 1999. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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