Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Studying Mitotic Checkpoint by Illustrating Dynamic Kinetochore Protein Behavior and Chromosome Motion in Living Drosophila Syncytial Embryos
Published on: June 14, 2012
Driving chromosome segregation: lessons from the human and Drosophila centromere-kinetochore machinery
Bernardo Orr1, Olga Afonso, Tália Feijão
1IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Abstract:
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.
Related Concept Videos
Forces Acting on Chromosomes
Microtubules and motor proteins exert two types of forces on...
Forces Acting on Chromosomes
Microtubules and motor proteins exert two types of forces on...
Attachment of Sister Chromatids
The Mitotic Spindle
The bipolar configuration of the mitotic spindle facilitates chromosomal segregation, preparing the cell for division. One mechanism that ensures bipolar mitotic...
Anaphase A and B
Plus-end depolymerization releases tubulin heterodimers from the terminal region of the microtubule. As tubulin subunits are lost, the Ndc80 complexes detach...
Meiosis II
The timing and cell division patterns of meiosis differ between males and females. In male meiosis, the centrosomes are part of the formation of the meiotic spindle. However, in oocytes, including that of humans, Drosophila,...

