Kinetochore assembly and function through the cell cycle

The kinetochore is an essential structure for the chromosome segregation machinery in eukaryotes; it serves as a bridge between the spindle microtubules and chromosomes. The kinetochore consists of multiple interconnecting components on the centromere; therefore, understanding its formation, molecular function, and regulation has remained an ongoing challenge. Recent studies have provided new insights into centromere identity, kinetochore assembly, and function. In this review, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of the function and regulation of key kinetochore components. We highlight the reciprocal localization dependencies of the different sub-complexes of the kinetochore and describe their regulation during the cell cycle.