The kinetochore is a complex molecular machine that serves as the interface between sister chromatids and the mitotic spindle. The kinetochore assembles at a particular chromosomal locus, the centromere, which is essential to maintain genomic stability during cell division. The kinetochore is a macromolecular puzzle of subcomplexes assembled in a hierarchical manner and fulfils three main functions: microtubule attachment, chromosome and sister chromatid movement, and regulation of mitotic progression though the spindle assembly checkpoint. In the present paper we compare recent results on the assembly, organization and function of the kinetochore in human and Drosophila cells and conclude that, although essential functions are highly conserved, there are important differences that might help define what is a minimal chromosome segregation machinery.
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December 2010
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Conference Article|
November 24 2010
Driving chromosome segregation: lessons from the human and Drosophila centromere–kinetochore machinery
Bernardo Orr;
Bernardo Orr
*IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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Olga Afonso;
Olga Afonso
*IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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Tália Feijão;
Tália Feijão
*IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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Claudio E. Sunkel
Claudio E. Sunkel
1
*IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
†ICBAS- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Portugal
1To whom correspondence should be addressed (email cesunkel@ibmc.up.pt).
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
May 28 2010
Online ISSN: 1470-8752
Print ISSN: 0300-5127
© The Authors Journal compilation © 2010 Biochemical Society
2010
Biochem Soc Trans (2010) 38 (6): 1667–1675.
Article history
Received:
May 28 2010
Citation
Bernardo Orr, Olga Afonso, Tália Feijão, Claudio E. Sunkel; Driving chromosome segregation: lessons from the human and Drosophila centromere–kinetochore machinery. Biochem Soc Trans 1 December 2010; 38 (6): 1667–1675. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST0381667
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