Cell
Volume 140, Issue 2, 22 January 2010, Pages 235-245
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Article
BubR1- and Polo-Coated DNA Tethers Facilitate Poleward Segregation of Acentric Chromatids

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Summary

The mechanisms that safeguard cells against chromosomal instability (CIN) are of great interest, as CIN contributes to tumorigenesis. To gain insight into these mechanisms, we studied the behavior of cells entering mitosis with damaged chromosomes. We used the endonuclease I-CreI to generate acentric chromosomes in Drosophila larvae. While I-CreI expression produces acentric chromosomes in the majority of neuronal stem cells, remarkably, it has no effect on adult survival. Our live studies reveal that acentric chromatids segregate efficiently to opposite poles. The acentric chromatid poleward movement is mediated through DNA tethers decorated with BubR1, Polo, INCENP, and Aurora-B. Reduced BubR1 or Polo function results in abnormal segregation of acentric chromatids, a decrease in acentric chromosome tethering, and a great reduction in adult survival. We propose that BubR1 and Polo facilitate the accurate segregation of acentric chromatids by maintaining the integrity of the tethers that connect acentric chromosomes to their centric partners.

Highlights

► Endonuclease expression produces acentric chromosome fragments in fly stem cells ► Acentric fragments segregate efficiently to opposing poles at anaphase ► BubR1- and Polo-coated DNA tethers connect centric and acentric fragments ► BubR1 and Polo are required for tether formation and acentric chromosome segregation

CELLBIO
CELLCYCLE
DNA

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Present address: Institut Jacques Monod, Université Paris Diderot P7, 4 Rue Marie-Andrée Lagroua Weill-Halle, 75205 Paris Cedex 13, France