Scientists Pinpoint Protein that Plays Linchpin Role in Cell Division

Scientists from the University of Georgia identified a protein that plays an important role in regulating sister chromatid separation during cell division. Silencing this protein, the researchers found, can lead to aneuploidy or abnormal number of chromosomes.

Kelly Dawe and colleagues showed that the first stage of meiosis, the type of cell division that results to the formation of sex cells or gametes, is orchestrated by kinetochores, a protein structure in chromosomes where spindle fibers attach to pull the chromosomes apart during cell division. The researchers further demonstrated how the suppression of a particular kinetochore protein, called MIS12, results to failure of chromosomes to separate by type and ultimately to the disruption of the first stage of meiosis.

The findings may have important implications in medicine and agriculture. Kinetochores are very sensitive to degradation and mutation. Dawe noted that the findings might explain "why older women have more problems with these kinds of chromosomal disorders when giving birth than younger women." The findings might also be useful for scientists working to create artificial plant chromosomes. Dawe also noted that most early generation artificial chromosomes have failed at meiosis in a nearly identical manner as plants with reduced MIS12. Tinkering with proteins such as MIS12 might correct these effects.

Read the original story at http://www.ovpr.uga.edu/news/article/20090817-chromosome-disorders/ The paper published by Nature Cell Biology is available to researchers at http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncb1923