The Nup107-160 complex and γ-TuRC regulate microtubule polymerization at kinetochores

Ram Kumar Mishra, Papia Chakraborty, Alexei Arnaoutov, Beatriz M A Fontoura, Mary Dasso

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

151 Scopus citations

Abstract

The metazoan nuclear pore complex (NPC) disassembles during mitosis, and many of its constituents distribute onto spindles and kinetochores, including the Nup107-160 sub-complex. We have found that Nup107-160 interacts with the γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC), an essential and conserved microtubule nucleator, and recruits γ-TuRC to unattached kinetochores. The unattached kinetochores nucleate microtubules in a manner that is regulated by Ran GTPase; such microtubules contribute to the formation of kinetochore fibres (k-fibres), microtubule bundles connecting kinetochores to spindle poles. Our data indicate that Nup107-160 and γ-TuRC act cooperatively to promote spindle assembly through microtubule nucleation at kinetochores: HeLa cells lacking Nup107-160 or γ-TuRC were profoundly deficient in kinetochore-associated microtubule nucleation. Moreover, co-precipitated Nup107-160-γ-TuRC complexes nucleated microtubule formation in assays using purified tubulin. Although Ran did not regulate microtubule nucleation by γ-TuRC alone, Nup107-160-γ-TuRC complexes required Ran-GTP for microtubule nucleation. Collectively, our observations show that Nup107-160 promotes spindle assembly through Ran-GTP-regulated nucleation of microtubules by γ-TuRC at kinetochores, and reveal a relationship between nucleoporins and the microtubule cytoskeleton.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)164-169
Number of pages6
JournalNature cell biology
Volume12
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2010

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cell Biology

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