Molecular details and phosphoregulation of the CENP-T-Mis12 complex interaction during mitosis in DT40 cells

To establish bipolar attachments of microtubules to sister chromatids, an inner kinetochore subcomplex, the constitutive centromere-associated network (CCAN), is assembled on centromeric chromatin and recruits the microtubule-binding subcomplex called the KMN network. Since CCAN proteins CENP-C and CENP-T independently bind to the Mis12 complex (Mis12C) of KMN, it is difficult to evaluate the significance of each interaction in cells. Here, we demonstrate the molecular details of the CENP-T-Mis12C interaction using chicken DT40 cells lacking the CENP-C-Mis12C interaction. Using AlphaFold predictions combined with cell biological and biochemical analyses, we identified three binding surfaces of the CENP-T-Mis12C interaction, demonstrating that each interface is important for recruiting Mis12C to CENP-T in cells. This interaction, via three interaction surfaces, is cooperatively regulated by dual phosphorylation of Dsn1 (a Mis12C component) and CENP-T, ensuring a robust CENP-T-Mis12C interaction and proper mitotic progression. These findings deepen our understanding of kinetochore assembly in cells.