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Effects of cooling and rewarming on the meiotic spindle and chromosomes of in vitro-matured bovine oocytes.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate effects of cooling and rewarming on the meiotic spindle apparatus of bovine oocytes. In experiment 1, in vitro-matured bovine oocytes were either maintained at 39 degrees C or cooled abruptly to 4 degrees C or approximately 25 degrees C. Immunohistochemical and DNA staining for visualization of microtubules and chromosomes, respectively, revealed an anastral, barrel-shaped spindle in bovine oocytes. Exposure to 4 degrees C for 10-20 min caused complete disappearance of the spindle. Some chromosome dispersion occurred after 60 min at 4 degrees C. After exposure to approximately 25 degrees C for 30 min, 90% of oocytes appeared abnormal, having either an abnormal spindle or no spindle. In experiment 2, oocytes cooled to either approximately 25 degrees C or 4 degrees C for 30 min were rewarmed directly or in steps for 15 or 60 min. Spindles did not return to normal in most oocytes regardless of cooling temperature or rewarming scheme. Step-wise rewarming was no more beneficial than direct rewarming. More of the oocytes rewarmed directly contained dispersed chromosomes as time at 39 degrees C increased.

Animals↗

Proteome analysis of the human mitotic spindle.

The accurate distribution of sister chromatids during cell division is crucial for the generation of two cells with the same complement of genetic information. A highly dynamic microtubule-based structure, the mitotic spindle, carries out the physical separation of the chromosomes to opposite poles of the cells and, moreover, determines the cell division cleavage plane. In animal cells, the spindle comprises microtubules that radiate from the microtubule organizing centers, the centrosomes, and interact with kinetochores on the chromosomes. Malfunctioning of the spindle can lead to chromosome missegregation and hence result in aneuploidy, a hallmark of most human cancers. Despite major progress in deciphering the temporal and spatial regulation of the mitotic spindle, its composition and function are not fully understood. A more complete inventory of spindle components would therefore constitute an important advance. Here we describe the purification of human mitotic spindles and their analysis by MS/MS. We identified 151 proteins previously known to associate with the spindle apparatus, centrosomes, and/or kinetochores and 644 other proteins, including 154 uncharacterized components that did not show obvious homologies to known proteins and did not contain motifs indicative of a particular localization. Of these uncharacterized proteins, 17 were tagged and localized in transfected mitotic cells, resulting in the identification of six genuine spindle components (KIAA0008, CdcA8, KIAA1187, FLJ12649, FLJ90806, and C20Orf129). This study illustrates the strength of a proteomic approach for the analysis of isolated human spindles and identifies several novel spindle components for future functional studies.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Induction of C-type metaphases and aneuploidy in cultures of V79 cells exposed to extract of automobile exhaust particulates.

An extract of particulate matter (EPM) from gasoline engine exhaust has been tested for its effect on cell viability and plating efficiency, and its ability to produce abnormal mitotic figures and numerical chromosome alterations using the Chinese hamster cell line V79. Within a defined concentration range of EPM (0.62-4.95 micrograms/ml), no significant loss of cell viability could be observed, whereas a strong dose-dependent reduction of plating efficiency occurred. This effect is attributed to the spindle-modifying ability of EPM as could be demonstrated by the induction of C-metaphases and a highly increased mitotic index. As a result of disturbances of the spindle apparatus, EPM was found to induce aneuploidy and polyploidy in a dose-dependent manner.

Aneuploidy↗

Different mechanisms of mitotic instability in cancer cell lines.

Chromosomes of human malignant tumours display not only structural recombinations but also a wide variety of mostly non-random numerical aberrations. However, only little is known about the mechanisms leading to recurrent aneuploidies. We therefore investigated whether the malsegregation of specific chromosomes is due to a defect of the mitotic spindle apparatus. We analyzed mitoses of cell lines of six gliomas and of one breast carcinoma by combined immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization for non-disjunction of chromosomes 7, 8, 10, 12, 17, and 18 and observed three different phenomena. i) Five of six glioma cell lines showed a bipolar spindle but displayed a chromosome-specific malsegregation of all chromosomes studied with high but significantly different frequencies. Chromosomes 7 and 8 showed non-disjunction in about 75 and 50%, respectively. Although chromosomes 10, 12, 17, and 18 displayed equal separation during mitosis in 72, 86, 73, and 78%, respectively, a relevant percentage of an average of 24% of dividing cells showed even malsegregation of these chromosomes. ii) Only one of the glioma cell lines displayed multipolar spindles in one-third of the investigated cells resulting in non-specific aneuploidy. iii) The breast cancer cell line MCF7 displayed a bipolar spindle, but high frequencies of non-disjunction of all six investigated chromosomes but without preferential loss or gain of specific chromosomes indicating a different mechanism of chromosome malsegregation. In a small percentage of mitoses the chromatids of both homologous chromosomes were not separated mimicking the mechanism in the first meiotic division. This mechanism of double non-disjunction, not detectable by conventional cytogenetic analysis, procreates cell clones with genomic separation for particular chromosomes resulting in homozygosity for mutations which had been present heterozygously in the initial tumour cells.

Breast Neoplasms↗

Mutation of the predicted p34cdc2 phosphorylation sites in NuMA impair the assembly of the mitotic spindle and block mitosis.

NuMA is a 236 kDa intranuclear protein that is distributed into each daughter cell during mitosis through association with the pericentrosomal region of the mitotic spindle. NuMA's interaction with the microtubules of the mitotic spindle is mediated through its 45 kDa carboxyl-terminal globular tail, and there is indirect evidence suggesting that NuMA's interaction with the mitotic spindle is controlled in a mitosis-specific manner. Consistent with this evidence is the fact that all four of the predicted p34cdc2 consensus phosphorylation sites in the NuMA protein are located in the carboxyl-terminal globular domain, and we demonstrate here that NuMA is phosphorylated in a mitosis-specific fashion in vivo. To test if the predicted p34cdc2 phosphorylation sites are necessary for NuMA's mitosis-specific interaction with the mitotic spindle, we have introduced mutations into the human NuMA cDNA that convert these predicted p34cdc2 phosphorylation sites from threonine or serine residues into alanine residues, and subsequently determined the cell cycle-dependent localization of these altered NuMA proteins following their expression in tissue culture cells. While none of these specific mutations in the NuMA sequence alters the faithful targeting of the protein into the interphase nucleus, mutation of threonine residue 2040 alone or in combination with mutations in other potential p34cdc2 phosphorylation sites abolishes NuMA's ability to associate normally with the microtubules of the mitotic spindle. Instead of binding to the mitotic spindle these mutant forms of NuMA concentrate at the plasma membrane of the mitotic cell. Cells expressing these mutant forms of NuMA have disorganized mitotic spindles, fail to complete cytokinesis normally, and assemble micronuclei in the subsequent interphase. These data suggest that NuMA's interaction with the microtubules of the mitotic spindle is controlled by cell cycle-dependent phosphorylation in addition to differential subcellular compartmentalization, and the characteristics of the dominant negative phenotype induced by these mutant forms of NuMA support a role for NuMA in the organization of the mitotic spindle apparatus.

Animals↗

Ultrastructural analysis of abnormalities in the morphology of the second meiotic spindle in ethanol-induced parthenogenones.

A high frequency of parthenogenetic activation occurs when ovulated mouse oocytes are briefly exposed to a dilute solution of ethanol in vitro. Cytogenetic analyses of parthenogenones at metaphase of the first cleavage division have confirmed that parthenogenetic activation, per se, does not increase the incidence of chromosome segregation errors during the completion of the second meiotic division. Ethanol-induced activation, however, significantly increases the incidence of aneuploidy. The ultrastructural changes that occur in the morphology and organization of the second meiotic spindle apparatus in ethanol- and hyaluronidase-activated oocytes is reported here. Abnormalities in the arrangement of microtubule arrays and chromosome position were principally observed in ethanol-activated oocytes at anaphase and telophase of the second meiotic division, but were only rarely observed in hyaluronidase-activated oocytes. It is proposed that the abnormalities in spindle morphology and chromosome displacement observed in ethanol-activated oocytes represent the initial events that lead to chromosome segregation errors following exposure to this agent.

Animals↗

[Immunofluorescent studies of the microtubular system in slime moulds].

Using indirect immunofluorescence the microtubule system of slime molds has been investigated with antitubulin- and anti-MAP-antibodies. An extended cytoplasmic microtubule (MT) network with nucleus associated organells as centres can be visualized. The spindle apparatus with some astral fibres, the central spindle and the spindle pole bodies is stained in mitotic cells. In slime molds like in higher eucaryots MTs are sensitive against cold and MT-poison treatment, the MTs are composed of tubulin and MAP's, and tubulin is cross reactive with pig brain tubulin.

Dictyostelium↗

LATS2-Ajuba complex regulates gamma-tubulin recruitment to centrosomes and spindle organization during mitosis.

LATS2 is a human homolog of Drosophila tumor suppressor lats/warts, and encodes a mitotic kinase whose physiological roles remain to be elucidated. We performed yeast two-hybrid screening and identified a LIM protein Ajuba, as a binding partner of LATS2. LATS2 was localized to the centrosomes throughout the cell cycle and was associated with Ajuba during mitosis, contributing to latter's mitotic phosphorylation. Depletion of LATS2 or Ajuba impaired centrosomal accumulation of gamma-tubulin and spindle formation at the onset of mitosis, suggesting that the LATS2-Ajuba complex regulates organization of the spindle apparatus through recruitment of gamma-tubulin to the centrosome.

Centrosome↗

Determination of the mitotic index by microinjection of fluorescently labelled tubulin.

The microneedle injection technique is one of the most established procedures for the introduction of proteins into living cells. To analyse injected proteins which are important in cell cycle progression it is often necessary to determine the mitotic index. Measuring the mitotic index after microinjection is complicated because only a limited number of cells of the whole cell population is microinjected. Therefore, we attempted to establish a new method to determine the mitotic index using microinjection of fluorescently labelled alpha/beta-tubulin into mammalian cells which allows to monitor the injected cells simultaneously with the determination of the mitotic index. We demonstrated that fluorescently labelled tubulin incorporates efficiently into the mitotic spindle apparatus. Fluorescence remains stable for several hours which is sufficient to observe the progression of cells through the M-phase of the cell cycle. The determination of the mitotic index with the method presented here gave similar results to those determined using other methods. With this method also different stages of mitosis can be visualized by analysing various steps of spindle formation. Thus, this rapid method allows the monitoring of the injected cells after microneedle injection and simultaneously the determination of the mitotic index.

Animals↗

NuMA is required for the proper completion of mitosis.

NuMA is a 236-kD intranuclear protein that during mitosis is distributed into each daughter cell by association with the pericentrosomal domain of the spindle apparatus. The NuMA polypeptide consists of globular head and tail domains separated by a discontinuous 1500 amino acid coiled-coil spacer. Expression of human NuMA lacking its globular head domain results in cells that fail to undergo cytokinesis and assemble multiple small nuclei (micronuclei) in the subsequent interphase despite the appropriate localization of the truncated NuMA to both the nucleus and spindle poles. This dominant phenotype is morphologically identical to that of the tsBN2 cell line that carries a temperature-sensitive mutation in the chromatin-binding protein RCC1. At the restrictive temperature, these cells end mitosis without completing cytokinesis followed by micronucleation in the subsequent interphase. We demonstrate that the wild-type NuMA is degraded in the latest mitotic stages in these mutant cells and that NuMA is excluded from the micronuclei that assemble post-mitotically. Elevation of NuMA levels in these mutant cells by forcing the expression of wild-type NuMA is sufficient to restore post-mitotic assembly of a single normal-sized nucleus. Expression of human NuMA lacking its globular tail domain results in NuMA that fails both to target to interphase nuclei and to bind to the mitotic spindle. In the presence of this mutant, cells transit through mitosis normally, but assemble micronuclei in each daughter cell. The sum of these findings demonstrate that NuMA function is required during mitosis for the terminal phases of chromosome separation and/or nuclear reassembly.

Animals↗

The tyrosine phosphatase PRL-1 localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum and the mitotic spindle and is required for normal mitosis.

PRL-1 is one of three closely related protein-tyrosine phosphatases, which are characterized by C-terminal farnesylation. Recent reports suggest that they are involved in the regulation of cell proliferation and transformation. However, their biological function has not yet been determined. Here we show that PRL-1 mRNA is overexpressed in a number of human tumor cell lines, including HeLa cells. Using immunofluorescence we studied the subcellular localization of endogenous PRL-1, and our results demonstrate that PRL-1 exhibits cell cycle-dependent localization; in non-mitotic HeLa cells, PRL-1 is localized to the endoplasmic reticulum in a farnesylation-dependent manner. In mitotic cells PRL-1 relocalizes to the centrosomes and the spindle apparatus, proximal to the centrosomes, in a farnesylation-independent manner. Conditional expression of a catalytic domain mutant in HeLa cells results in a delay in the progression of cells through mitosis but has no effect on other phases of the cell cycle. Further, expression of a farnesylation site PRL-1 mutant results in mitotic defects, characterized by chromosomal bridges in anaphase and lagging chromosomes, without affecting spindle checkpoint function. Together, these results suggest that PRL-1 function is regulated in a cell cycle-dependent manner and implicate PRL-1 in regulating progression through mitosis, possibly by modulating spindle dynamics.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Genotoxicity of vanadium pentoxide in Chinese hamster V79 cells.

Workers in many mining and manufacturing industries are potentially exposed to vanadium. Inhalation of dust containing vanadium pentoxide (V2O5), a pentavalent compound of vanadium, has been reported to cause lung diseases. Information related to the genotoxicity and potential carcinogenicity of V2O5, however, is still limited. In this study, the effect of V2O5 on mitosis, sister-chromatid exchange (SCE), micronucleus formation (MN), and gene mutation in Chinese hamster V79 cells was determined. Cells were treated with varying concentrations of V2O5 for 24 h. The results showed that no significant increases in the frequencies of SCE or gene mutation occurred in V2O5-treated cultures. However, dose-related increases were noted for micronucleated cells in cultures exposed to this compound, and the number of binucleated cells in the presence of cytochalasin B was found to decrease with increasing V2O5 concentrations. Since the micronucleated cells induced by V2O5 contained kinetochore-positive micronuclei, their induction appears to be due to damage to the spindle apparatus. These results indicate that V2O5 is cytotoxic and aneuploidogenic to V79 cells.

Aneuploidy↗

Rigor-type mutation in the kinesin-related protein HsEg5 changes its subcellular localization and induces microtubule bundling.

HsEg5 is a human kinesin-related motor protein essential for the formation of a bipolar mitotic spindle. It interacts with the mitotic centrosomes in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. To investigate further the mechanisms involved in targetting HsEg5 to the spindle apparatus, we expressed various mutants of HsEg5 in HeLa cells. All these mutants share a mutation of Thr-112 in the N-terminal motor domain, resulting in the inactivation of the ATP binding domain. In vitro, the HsEg5-T112N mutant motor domain showed a nucleotide-independent microtubule association, typical of a kinesin protein binding to microtubules in a rigor state. In vivo, overexpression of the HsEg5 rigor mutant in HeLa cells induced, in interphase, microtubule bundling, and, in mitosis, the formation of monopolar mitotic spindles similar to those observed after microinjection of anti-HsEg5 antibodies. Localization of the HsEg5 rigor mutant on cytoplasmic microtubules did not require the C-terminal tail domain but was lost when the stalk domain was also deleted. Sucrose gradient centrifugation experiments showed that microtubule bundling was most likely caused by the binding of HsEg5 mutants in a dimeric state. These results demonstrate that the precise subcellular localization of HsEg5 in vivo is regulated not only by the phosphorylation of the tail domain but also by the oligomeric state of the protein.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Bub1 and aurora B cooperate to maintain BubR1-mediated inhibition of APC/CCdc20.

The spindle checkpoint maintains genome stability by inhibiting Cdc20-mediated activation of the anaphase promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) until all the chromosomes correctly align on the microtubule spindle apparatus via their kinetochores. BubR1, an essential component of this checkpoint, localises to kinetochores and its kinase activity is regulated by the kinesin-related motor protein Cenp-E. BubR1 also inhibits APC/C(Cdc20) in vitro, thus providing a molecular link between kinetochore-microtubule interactions and the proteolytic machinery that regulates mitotic progression. Several other protein kinases, including Bub1 and members of the Ipl1/aurora family, also regulate anaphase onset. However, in human somatic cells Bub1 and aurora B kinase activity do not appear to be essential for spindle checkpoint function. Specifically, when Bub1 is inhibited by RNA interference, or aurora kinase activity is inhibited with the small molecule ZM447439, cells arrest transiently in mitosis following exposure to spindle toxins that prevent microtubule polymerisation. Here, we show that mitotic arrest of Bub1-deficient cells is dependent on aurora kinase activity, and vice versa. We suggest therefore that the checkpoint is composed of two arms, one dependent on Bub1, the other on aurora B. Analysis of BubR1 complexes suggests that both of these arms converge on the mitotic checkpoint complex (MCC), which includes BubR1, Bub3, Mad2 and Cdc20. Although it is known that MCC components can bind and inhibit the APC/C, we show here for the first time that the binding of the MCC to the APC/C is dependent on an active checkpoint signal. Furthermore, we show that both Bub1 and aurora kinase activity are required to promote binding of the MCC to the APC/C. These observations provide a simple explanation of why BubR1 and Mad2 are essential for checkpoint function following spindle destruction, yet Bub1 and aurora B kinase activity are not. Taken together with other observations, we suggest that these two arms respond to different spindle cues: whereas the Bub1 arm monitors kinetochore-microtubule attachment, the aurora B arm monitors biorientation. This bifurcation in the signalling mechanism may help explain why many tumour cells mount a robust checkpoint response following spindle damage, despite exhibiting chromosome instability.

Anaphase-Promoting Complex-Cyclosome↗

Drosophila argonaute-2 is required early in embryogenesis for the assembly of centric/centromeric heterochromatin, nuclear division, nuclear migration, and germ-cell formation.

The RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) or the RISC complex mediates RNAi and is comprised of proteins belonging to the dicer and Argonaute family proteins. Here we show that Argonaute-2 (ago-2) is required for proper nuclear migration, pole cell formation, and cellularization during the early stages of embryonic development in Drosophila. We have traced these defects back to the nuclear division cycles. Unlike wild type, nuclear division is asynchronous in ago-2 embryos and there are defects in chromosome condensation, nuclear kinesis, and assembly of spindle apparatus. The aberrations in the nuclear division cycle are correlated with defects in the formation of centric/centromeric heterochromatin and point to a failure in the assembly of functional centromeres.

Actins↗

Anticentriolar autoantibodies in children with central nervous system manifestations of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection.

Serum samples from 49 children with acute Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection were screened for the presence of antibodies to mitotic spindle apparatus. None of these serum samples showed such antibodies at a screening dilution of 1:40, though anticentriolar antibodies at titres of 1:320 were observed in two children with acute cerebellar dysfunction. Anticentriolar antibodies may play a part in the pathogenesis of CNS disease associated with M pneumoniae infection.

Adolescent↗

Basic mechanism of eukaryotic chromosome segregation.

We now have firm evidence that the basic mechanism of chromosome segregation is similar among diverse eukaryotes as the same genes are employed. Even in prokaryotes, the very basic feature of chromosome segregation has similarities to that of eukaryotes. Many aspects of chromosome segregation are closely related to a cell cycle control that includes stage-specific protein modification and proteolysis. Destruction of mitotic cyclin and securin leads to mitotic exit and separase activation, respectively. Key players in chromosome segregation are SMC-containing cohesin and condensin, DNA topoisomerase II, APC/C ubiquitin ligase, securin-separase complex, aurora passengers, and kinetochore microtubule destabilizers or regulators. In addition, the formation of mitotic kinetochore and spindle apparatus is absolutely essential. The roles of principal players in basic chromosome segregation are discussed: most players have interphase as well as mitotic functions. A view on how the centromere/kinetochore is formed is described.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

A human monoclonal IgM with autoantibody activities against heparan sulphate and the mitotic spindle.

A monoclonal IgM kappa from a patient with Waldenström's macroglobulinaemia (IgM-Rod) was found to react at temperatures below 28 degrees C with all tissue basement membranes and the cell coat of non-haematopoietic cells. IgM-Rod antibody was directed against heparan sulphate side chains of heparan sulphate proteoglycans as shown by binding in a solid-phase ELISA to heparan sulphate glycosaminoglycans but not to other purified subcomponents of the extracellular matrix; and by specific inhibition of the observed reactivity by heparitinase treatment. IgM-Rod showed cross-reactivity by indirect immunofluorescence with an as yet unidentified structure expressed in the nucleus during cell division and becoming associated with the mitotic spindle apparatus. The co-existence of both binding activities for heparan sulphate and nuclei determinants in the same IgM molecule was deduced from adsorption-elution experiments and from the inhibitory effect of a mouse monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibody directed against the paratope of IgM-Rod.

Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic↗