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Mcp1p tracks microtubule plus ends to destabilize microtubules at cell tips

Fan Zheng1, Tianpeng Li1, Martin Cheung2

  • 1HKU-Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation, The University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China; Department of Biochemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China.

FEBS Letters
|February 18, 2014
PubMed

Insights

The fission yeast protein mcp1p tracks microtubule plus ends, requiring kinesin-8 klp6p. Without mcp1p, microtubules become more stable, suggesting mcp1p and klp6p destabilize microtubule plus ends.

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Microtubule dynamics are crucial for cellular functions.
  • Microtubule plus-end tracking proteins regulate microtubule behavior.
  • The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe is a model organism for studying cell division and dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the function of the uncharacterized protein mcp1p in fission yeast.
  • To investigate the role of mcp1p in microtubule dynamics.
  • To determine the relationship between mcp1p and the kinesin-8 klp6p.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized Schizosaccharomyces pombe as a model organism.
  • Investigated microtubule plus-end tracking behavior of mcp1p.
  • Assessed the dependence of mcp1p transport on klp6p.
  • Analyzed microtubule catastrophe and rescue frequencies in the absence of mcp1p.

Main Results:

  • Identified mcp1p as a microtubule plus-end tracking protein.
  • Demonstrated that mcp1p transport depends on the kinesin-8 klp6p.
  • Observed decreased microtubule catastrophe and rescue frequencies in mcp1p-deficient cells.
  • Found an increased dwell time of microtubule plus ends at cell tips in the absence of mcp1p.

Conclusions:

  • mcp1p is a novel microtubule plus-end tracking protein in fission yeast.
  • mcp1p localization and transport are regulated by klp6p.
  • mcp1p plays a role in microtubule destabilization.
  • mcp1p and klp6p may function together to regulate microtubule dynamics at plus ends.
Keywords:
+TIPKinesinMAPMicrotubuleMicrotubule depolymerization

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