Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 17, 2025

Detection of Small GTPase Prenylation and GTP Binding Using Membrane Fractionation and GTPase-linked Immunosorbent Assay
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Detection of Small GTPase Prenylation and GTP Binding Using Membrane Fractionation and GTPase-linked Immunosorbent Assay

Published on: November 11, 2018

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B-type Plexins Regulate Mitosis via RanGTPase

Nicholus Mukhwana1, Ritu Garg1, Abul Azad1

  • 1School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.

Molecular Cancer Research : MCR
|August 13, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Plexin B1 is crucial for proper cell division (mitosis). Its depletion causes mitotic errors, leading to chromosomal instability and potentially contributing to cancer progression.

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • Aberrant mitosis is linked to aneuploidy and cancer.
  • The small GTPase, Ras-related nuclear protein (Ran), regulates mitosis.
  • B-type plexins modulate Ran activity and are implicated in cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of B-type plexins, specifically Plexin B1, in mitosis.
  • To determine if Plexin B1 influences mitotic spindle assembly and chromosome segregation.

Main Methods:

  • Depletion of Plexin B1 using RNA interference.
  • Analysis of mitotic spindle assembly, anaphase progression, and chromosome segregation.
  • Localization studies of Plexin B1 in dividing cells.
  • Rescue experiments using an RCC1 inhibitor.
  • Assessment of multinucleation, abnormal karyotypes, and micronuclei formation.

Main Results:

  • Plexin B1 depletion disrupts mitotic spindle assembly and delays anaphase.
  • It causes acentrosomal microtubule nucleation, spindle pole defects, and aberrant spindles.
  • Lagging chromosomes, chromosomal bridges, and prolonged spindle assembly checkpoint were observed.
  • Plexin B1 functions via Ran signaling to control mitosis.
  • Plexin B1 depletion leads to multinucleate cells, abnormal nuclei, and increased micronuclei.

Conclusions:

  • Plexin B1 is a key regulator of mitosis.
  • Defects in Plexin B1 contribute to chromosomal instability.
  • These findings link B-type plexins to cancer progression through induced genomic instability.

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