Research progress on the function of non-muscle myosin II during cell division

Myosin is a superfamily of motor proteins that has attracted extensive research interest for many years due to its ability to efficiently convert chemical energy into mechanical energy during muscle contraction and various other movements in eukaryotic cells. Non-muscle myosin II (NMII) consists of three members, NMIIA, NMIIB, and NMIIC, which are positioned at the downstream end of numerous signaling pathways and plays a central role in cell adhesion, migration, and division. During cell division, NMII serves as the primary protein that generates mechanical force. It participates not only in cell rounding from prophase to metaphase but also interacts with actin to assemble a contractile ring during late stages, which then contracts to split the mother cell into two daughter cells. Loss of NMII function may result in cell division failure and consequently tetraploidy. Subsequent division of tetraploid cells can generate aneuploidy, which is closely associated with tumorigenesis as shown in many studies. In this review, we will discuss the roles of NMII throughout the entire cell division cycle.