The fission yeast transforming acidic coiled coil-related protein Mia1p/Alp7p is required for formation and maintenance of persistent microtubule-organizing centers at the nuclear envelope

Liling Zheng, Cindi Schwartz, Liangmeng Wee, Snezhana Oliferenko

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

23 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Microtubule-organizing centers (MTOCs) concentrate microtubule nucleation, attachment and bundling factors and thus restrict formation of microtubule arrays in spatial and temporal manner. How MTOCs occur remains an exciting question in cell biology. Here, we show that the transforming acidic coiled coil-related protein Mia1p/Alp7p functions in emergence of large MTOCs in interphase fission yeast cells. We found that Mia1p was a microtubule-binding protein that preferentially localized to the minus ends of microtubules and was associated with the sites of microtubule attachment to the nuclear envelope. Cells lacking Mia1p exhibited less microtubule bundles. Microtubules could be nucleated and bundled but were frequently released from the nucleation sites in mia1delta cells. Mia1p was required for stability of microtubule bundles and persistent use of nucleation sites both in interphase and postanaphase array dynamics. The gamma-tubulin-rich material was not organized in large perinuclear or microtubule-associated structures in mia1delta cells. Interestingly, absence of microtubules in dividing wild-type cells prevented appearance of large gamma-tubulin-rich MTOC structures in daughters. When microtubule polymerization was allowed, MTOCs were efficiently assembled de novo. We propose a model where MTOC emergence is a self-organizing process requiring the continuous association of microtubules with nucleation sites.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2212-2222
Number of pages11
JournalMolecular biology of the cell
Volume17
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 2006

Keywords

  • Cell Cycle
  • Gene Deletion
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins
  • Microtubule-Organizing Center
  • Microtubules
  • Models, Biological
  • Nuclear Envelope
  • Schizosaccharomyces
  • Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins
  • Spindle Apparatus
  • Tubulin

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The fission yeast transforming acidic coiled coil-related protein Mia1p/Alp7p is required for formation and maintenance of persistent microtubule-organizing centers at the nuclear envelope'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this