Dimerization of TRAF-interacting protein (TRAIP) regulates the mitotic progression

The homo- or hetero-dimerization of proteins plays critical roles in the mitotic progression. The TRAF-interacting protein (TRAIP) is crucial in early mitotic progression and chromosome alignment defects in the metaphase. The TRAIP is a 469 amino acid protein, including the Really Interesting New Gene (RING), coiled-coil (CC), and leucine zipper (LZ) domain. In general, the CC or LZ domain containing proteins forms homo- or hetero-dimerization to achieve its activity. In this study, a number of TRAIP mutants were used to define the TRAIP molecular domains responsible for its homo-dimerization. A co-immunoprecipitation assay indicated that the TRAIP forms homo-dimerization through the CC domain. The cells, expressing the CC domain-deleted mutant that could not form a homo-dimer, increased the mitotic index and promoted mitotic progression.