The life and miracles of kinetochores

Characterization of Individual Histone Posttranslational Modifications and Their Combinatorial Patterns by Mass Spectrometry-Based Proteomics Strategies

Histone posttranslational modifications (PTMs) play an essential role in chromatin biology, as they model chromatin structure and recruit enzymes involved in gene regulation, DNA repair, and chromosome condensation. Such PTMs are mostly localized on histone N-terminal tails where, as single units or in a combinatorial manner, they influence chromatin reader protein binding and fine-tune the abovementioned activities. Mass spectrometry (MS) is currently the most adopted strategy to characterize proteins and protein PTMs. We hereby describe the protocols to identify and quantify histone PTMs and their patterns using either bottom-up or middle-down proteomics. In the bottom-up strategy we obtain 5-20 aa peptides by derivatization with propionylation followed by trypsin digestion. The newly generated N-termini of histone peptides can be further derivatized with light or isotopically heavy propionyl groups to increase chromatographic retention and allow multiplexed analyses. Moreover, we describe how to perform derivatization and trypsin digestion of histones loaded into a gel, which is usually the final step of immunoprecipitation experiments. In the middle-down strategy we obtain intact histone tails of 50-60 aa by digestion with the enzyme GluC. This allows characterization of combinatorial histone PTMs on N-terminal tails.

Biophysics of Microtubule End Coupling at the Kinetochore

The main physiological function of mitotic kinetochores is to provide durable attachment to spindle microtubules, which segregate chromosomes in order to partition them equally between the two daughter cells. Numerous kinetochore components that can bind directly to microtubules have been identified, including ATP-dependent motors and various microtubule-associated proteins with no motor activity. A major challenge facing the field is to explain chromosome motions based on the biochemical and structural properties of these individual kinetochore components and their assemblies. This chapter reviews the molecular mechanisms responsible for the motions associated with dynamic microtubule tips at the single-molecule level, as well as the activities of multimolecular ensembles called couplers. These couplers enable persistent kinetochore motion even under load, but their exact composition and structure remain unknown. Because no natural or artificial macro-machines function in an analogous manner to these molecular nano-devices, understanding their underlying biophysical mechanisms will require conceptual advances.

Structure of the MIND Complex Defines a Regulatory Focus for Yeast Kinetochore Assembly

Kinetochores connect centromeric nucleosomes with mitotic-spindle microtubules through conserved, cross-interacting protein subassemblies. In budding yeast, the heterotetrameric MIND complex (Mtw1, Nnf1, Nsl1, Dsn1), ortholog of the metazoan Mis12 complex, joins the centromere-proximal components, Mif2 and COMA, with the principal microtubule-binding component, the Ndc80 complex (Ndc80C). We report the crystal structure of Kluyveromyces lactis MIND and examine its partner interactions, to understand the connection from a centromeric nucleosome to a much larger microtubule. MIND resembles an elongated, asymmetric Y; two globular heads project from a coiled-coil shaft. An N-terminal extension of Dsn1 from one head regulates interactions of the other head, blocking binding of Mif2 and COMA. Dsn1 phosphorylation by Ipl1/Aurora B relieves this autoinhibition, enabling MIND to join an assembling kinetochore. A C-terminal extension of Dsn1 recruits Ndc80C to the opposite end of the shaft. The structure and properties of MIND show how it integrates phospho-regulatory inputs for kinetochore assembly and disassembly.

Auxin/AID versus conventional knockouts: distinguishing the roles of CENP-T/W in mitotic kinetochore assembly and stability

Most studies using knockout technologies to examine protein function have relied either on shutting off transcription (conventional conditional knockouts with tetracycline-regulated gene expression or gene disruption) or destroying the mature mRNA (RNAi technology). In both cases, the target protein is lost at a rate determined by its intrinsic half-life. Thus, protein levels typically fall over at least 1-3 days, and cells continue to cycle while exposed to a decreasing concentration of the protein. Here we characterise the kinetochore proteome of mitotic chromosomes isolated from a cell line in which the essential kinetochore protein CENP-T is present as an auxin-inducible degron (AID) fusion protein that is fully functional and able to support the viability of the cells. Stripping of the protein from chromosomes in early mitosis via targeted proteasomal degradation reveals the dependency of other proteins on CENP-T for their maintenance in kinetochores. We compare these results with the kinetochore proteome of conventional CENP-T/W knockouts. As the cell cycle is mostly formed from G1, S and G2 phases a gradual loss of CENP-T/W levels is more likely to reflect dependencies associated with kinetochore assembly pre-mitosis and upon entry into mitosis. Interestingly, a putative super-complex involving Rod-Zw10-zwilch (RZZ complex), Spindly, Mad1/Mad2 and CENP-E requires the function of CENP-T/W during kinetochore assembly for its stable association with the outer kinetochore, but once assembled remains associated with chromosomes after stripping of CENP-T during mitosis. This study highlights the different roles core kinetochore components may play in the assembly of kinetochores (upon entry into mitosis) versus the maintenance of specific components (during mitosis).

Ska3 Ensures Timely Mitotic Progression by Interacting Directly With Microtubules and Ska1 Microtubule Binding Domain

The establishment of physical attachment between the kinetochore and dynamic spindle microtubules, which undergo cycles of polymerization and depolymerization generating straight and curved microtubule structures, is essential for accurate chromosome segregation. The Ndc80 and Ska complexes are the major microtubule-binding factors of the kinetochore responsible for maintaining chromosome-microtubule coupling during chromosome segregation. We previously showed that the Ska1 subunit of the Ska complex binds dynamic microtubules using multiple contact sites in a mode that allows conformation-independent binding. Here, we show that the Ska3 subunit is required to modulate the microtubule binding capability of the Ska complex (i) by directly interacting with tubulin monomers and (ii) indirectly by interacting with tubulin contacting regions of Ska1 suggesting an allosteric regulation. Perturbing either the Ska3-microtubule interaction or the Ska3-Ska1 interactions negatively influences microtubule binding by the Ska complex in vitro and affects the timely onset of anaphase in cells. Thus, Ska3 employs additional modulatory elements within the Ska complex to ensure robust kinetochore-microtubule attachments and timely progression of mitosis.

An essential step of kinetochore formation controlled by the SNARE protein Snap29

The kinetochore is an essential structure that mediates accurate chromosome segregation in mitosis and meiosis. While many of the kinetochore components have been identified, the mechanisms of kinetochore assembly remain elusive. Here, we identify a novel role for Snap29, an unconventional SNARE, in promoting kinetochore assembly during mitosis in Drosophila and human cells. Snap29 localizes to the outer kinetochore and prevents chromosome mis‐segregation and the formation of cells with fragmented nuclei. Snap29 promotes accurate chromosome segregation by mediating the recruitment of Knl1 at the kinetochore and ensuring stable microtubule attachments. Correct Knl1 localization to kinetochore requires human or Drosophila Snap29, and is prevented by a Snap29 point mutant that blocks Snap29 release from SNARE fusion complexes. Such mutant causes ectopic Knl1 recruitment to trafficking compartments. We propose that part of the outer kinetochore is functionally similar to membrane fusion interfaces.

Integrative systems and synthetic biology of cell-matrix adhesion sites

The complexity of cell-matrix adhesion convolves its roles in the development and functioning of multicellular organisms and their evolutionary tinkering. Cell-matrix adhesion is mediated by sites along the plasma membrane that anchor the actin cytoskeleton to the matrix via a large number of proteins, collectively called the integrin adhesome. Fundamental challenges for understanding how cell-matrix adhesion sites assemble and function arise from their multi-functionality, rapid dynamics, large number of components and molecular diversity. Systems biology faces these challenges in its strive to understand how the integrin adhesome gives rise to functional adhesion sites. Synthetic biology enables engineering intracellular modules and circuits with properties of interest. In this review I discuss some of the fundamental questions in systems biology of cell-matrix adhesion and how synthetic biology can help addressing them.

Phosphorylation of Astrin Regulates Its Kinetochore Function

The error-free segregation of chromosomes, which requires the precisely timed search and capture of chromosomes by spindles during early mitotic and meiotic cell division, is responsible for genomic stability and is achieved by the spindle assembly checkpoint in the metaphase-anaphase transition. Mitotic kinases orchestrate M phase events, such as the reorganization of cell architecture and kinetochore (KT) composition with the exquisite phosphorylation of mitotic regulators, to ensure timely and temporal progression. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the changes of KT composition for stable spindle attachment during mitosis are poorly understood. Here, we show that the sequential action of the kinase Cdk1 and the phosphatase Cdc14A control spindle attachment to KTs. During prophase, the mitotic spindle protein Spag5/Astrin is transported into centrosomes by Kinastrin and phosphorylated at Ser-135 and Ser-249 by Cdk1, which, in prometaphase, is loaded onto the spindle and targeted to KTs. We also demonstrate that Cdc14A dephosphorylates Astrin, and therefore the overexpression of Cdc14A sequesters Astrin in the centrosome and results in aberrant chromosome alignment. Mechanistically, Plk1 acts as an upstream kinase for Astrin phosphorylation by Cdk1 and targeting phospho-Astrin to KTs, leading to the recruitment of outer KT components, such as Cenp-E, and the stable attachment of spindles to KTs. These comprehensive findings reveal a regulatory circuit for protein targeting to KTs that controls the KT composition change of stable spindle attachment and chromosome integrity.

CCAN Assembly Configures Composite Binding Interfaces to Promote Cross-Linking of Ndc80 Complexes at the Kinetochore

Partitioning of the genome requires kinetochores, large protein complexes that mediate dynamic attachment of chromosomes to the spindle. Kinetochores contain two supramolecular protein assemblies. The ten-protein KMN network harbors key microtubule-binding sites in the Ndc80 complex and mediates assembly of checkpoint complexes via the KNL-1/Spc105 protein [1, 2]. As KMN does not contact DNA directly, it relies on different centromere-binding proteins for recruitment and cell-cycle-dependent assembly. These proteins are collectively referred to as the CCAN (constitutive centromere-associated network) [2-4]. The molecular mechanisms by which CCAN subunits associate, however, have remained incompletely defined. In particular, it is unclear how CCAN subunits facilitate the assembly of a microtubule-binding interface that contains multiple Ndc80 molecules bound to different receptors [5]. Here, we dissect molecular mechanisms that underlie targeting of the CCAN subunit Cnn1/CENP-T to the sequence-determined point centromeres of budding yeast. Systematic quantitative mass spectrometry experiments reveal association dependencies within the yeast CCAN network. We show that evolutionarily conserved residues in the histone-fold domain of Cnn1 are required for the formation of a stable five-subunit CCAN subassembly with the Ctf3 complex. Cnn1 localizes in a Ctf3-dependent manner to the core of the yeast point centromere, overlapping with the yeast CENP-A protein Cse4. By arranging the N-terminal domains of the CCAN subunits Mcm16, Mcm22, and Cnn1 into close proximity, the Ctf3c-Cnn1-Wip1 complex configures a composite interaction site for two molecules of the Ndc80 complex. Our experiments show how cooperative assembly mechanisms organize the microtubule-binding interface of the kinetochore.

The Molecular Biology of Spindle Assembly Checkpoint Signaling Dynamics

The spindle assembly checkpoint is a safeguard mechanism that coordinates cell-cycle progression during mitosis with the state of chromosome attachment to the mitotic spindle. The checkpoint prevents mitotic cells from exiting mitosis in the presence of unattached or improperly attached chromosomes, thus avoiding whole-chromosome gains or losses and their detrimental effects on cell physiology. Here, I review a considerable body of recent progress in the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms underlying checkpoint signaling, and identify a number of unresolved questions.

Aurora B prevents premature removal of spindle assembly checkpoint proteins from the kinetochore: A key role for Aurora B in mitosis

Accurate chromosome segregation is dependent on the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC). In current models, the key direct role of Aurora B in the SAC has been suggested to be to promote rapid kinetochore localisation of MPS1, allowing MPS1 to generate the checkpoint signal. However, Aurora B is also thought to play an indirect role in the SAC through the destabilisation of kinetochore-microtubule (KT-MT) attachments. Here, we demonstrate that Aurora B activity is not required for the kinetochore recruitment of the majority of SAC proteins. More importantly, we show that the primary role of Aurora B in the SAC is to prevent the premature removal of SAC proteins from the kinetochore, which is strictly dependent on KT-MT interactions. Moreover, in the presence of KT-MT interactions, Aurora B inhibition silences a persistent SAC induced by tethering MPS1 to the kinetochore. This explains the highly synergistic interaction between Aurora B and MPS1 inhibitors to override the SAC, which is lost when cells are pre-arrested in nocodazole. Furthermore, we show that Aurora B and MPS1 inhibitors synergistically kill a panel of breast and colon cancer cell lines, including cells that are otherwise insensitive to Aurora B inhibitors alone. These data demonstrate that the major role of Aurora B in SAC is to prevent the removal of SAC proteins from tensionless kinetochores, thus inhibiting premature SAC silencing, and highlights a therapeutic strategy through combination of Aurora B and MPS1 inhibitors.

Progress in epigenetic histone modification analysis by mass spectrometry for clinical investigations

Chromatin biology and epigenetics are scientific fields that are rapid expanding due to their fundamental role in understanding cell development, heritable characters and progression of diseases. Histone post-translational modifications (PTMs) are major regulators of the epigenetic machinery due to their ability to modulate gene expression, DNA repair and chromosome condensation. Large-scale strategies based on mass spectrometry have been impressively improved in the last decade, so that global changes of histone PTM abundances are quantifiable with nearly routine proteomics analyses and it is now possible to determine combinatorial patterns of modifications. Presented here is an overview of the most utilized and newly developed proteomics strategies for histone PTM characterization and a number of case studies where epigenetic mechanisms have been comprehensively characterized. Moreover, a number of current epigenetic therapies are illustrated, with an emphasis on cancer.

The CENP-T/-W complex is a binding partner of the histone chaperone FACT

Prendergast et al. identified Spt16 and SSRP1, subunits of the H2A–H2B histone chaperone FACT, as CENP-W-binding partners through a proteomic screen. They developed a model in which the FACT chaperone stabilizes the soluble CENP-T/-W complex in the cell and promotes dynamics of exchange, enabling CENP-T/-W deposition at centromeres.

The CENP-T/-W histone fold complex, as an integral part of the inner kinetochore, is essential for building a proper kinetochore at the centromere in order to direct chromosome segregation during mitosis. Notably, CENP-T/-W is not inherited at centromeres, and new deposition is absolutely required at each cell cycle for kinetochore function. However, the mechanisms underlying this new deposition of CENP-T/-W at centromeres are unclear. Here, we found that CENP-T deposition at centromeres is uncoupled from DNA synthesis. We identified Spt16 and SSRP1, subunits of the H2A–H2B histone chaperone facilitates chromatin transcription (FACT), as CENP-W binding partners through a proteomic screen. We found that the C-terminal region of Spt16 binds specifically to the histone fold region of CENP-T/-W. Furthermore, depletion of Spt16 impairs CENP-T and CENP-W deposition at endogenous centromeres, and site-directed targeting of Spt16 alone is sufficient to ensure local de novo CENP-T accumulation. We propose a model in which the FACT chaperone stabilizes the soluble CENP-T/-W complex in the cell and promotes dynamics of exchange, enabling CENP-T/-W deposition at centromeres.

Biochemical and Structural Analysis of Kinetochore Histone-Fold Complexes

The kinetochore connects chromosomes to microtubules during mitosis and therefore plays an essential role in faithful chromosome segregation. It is built at the centromeric region of the chromosome and is comprised of many protein complexes. CENP-S, -T, -W, and -X are kinetochore components with histone-folds. These proteins play important roles in establishment of kinetochore chromatin. Similar to canonical histones, these kinetochore histone-fold proteins form heteromeric complexes (CENP-S/CENP-X complex and CENP-T/CENP-W complex) and bind DNA in sequence independent manner. In addition, they form a CENP-T-W-S-X heterotetrameric complex and bind DNA in a manner that is different from both CENP-S-X and CENP-T-W. To understand how kinetochores form and function it is necessary to characterize the components in detail. Here, we describe our approaches in purification and characterization of the kinetochore histone-fold complexes.

Complete Workflow for Analysis of Histone Post-translational Modifications Using Bottom-up Mass Spectrometry: From Histone Extraction to Data Analysis

Nucleosomes are the smallest structural unit of chromatin, composed of 147 base pairs of DNA wrapped around an octamer of histone proteins. Histone function is mediated by extensive post-translational modification by a myriad of nuclear proteins. These modifications are critical for nuclear integrity as they regulate chromatin structure and recruit enzymes involved in gene regulation, DNA repair and chromosome condensation. Even though a large part of the scientific community adopts antibody-based techniques to characterize histone PTM abundance, these approaches are low throughput and biased against hypermodified proteins, as the epitope might be obstructed by nearby modifications. This protocol describes the use of nano liquid chromatography (nLC) and mass spectrometry (MS) for accurate quantification of histone modifications. This method is designed to characterize a large variety of histone PTMs and the relative abundance of several histone variants within single analyses. In this protocol, histones are derivatized with propionic anhydride followed by digestion with trypsin to generate peptides of 5 - 20 aa in length. After digestion, the newly exposed N-termini of the histone peptides are derivatized to improve chromatographic retention during nLC-MS. This method allows for the relative quantification of histone PTMs spanning four orders of magnitude.

Heterogeneous architecture of vertebrate kinetochores revealed by three-dimensional superresolution fluorescence microscopy

Superresolution fluorescence microscopy of vertebrate kinetochore proteins reveals that outer kinetochore components assume diverse distribution patterns, including a ring-like configuration encircling the CENP-A–marked centromeric chromatin on the metaphase spindle in Xenopus egg extracts.

The kinetochore is often depicted as having a disk-like architecture in which the outer layer of proteins, which engage microtubules and control checkpoint signaling, are built on a static inner layer directly linked to CENP-A chromatin. Here, applying three-dimensional (3D) structural illumination microscopy (SIM) and stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM) to Xenopus egg extracts and tissue culture cells, we report various distribution patterns of inner and outer kinetochore proteins. In egg extracts, a configuration in which outer kinetochore proteins surround the periphery of CENP-A chromatin is common, forming an ∼200-nm ring-like organization that may engage a bundle of microtubule ends. Similar rings are observed in Xenopus tissue culture cells at a lower frequency but are enriched in conditions in which the spindle is disorganized. Although rings are rare in human cells, the distribution of both inner and outer kinetochore proteins elongates in the absence of microtubule attachment in a manner dependent on Aurora B. We propose a model in which the 3D organization of both the outer and inner kinetochore regions respond to the progression from lateral to end-on microtubule attachments by coalescing into a tight disk from less uniform distributions early in prometaphase.

Mechanisms of Mitotic Spindle Assembly

Life depends on cell proliferation and the accurate segregation of chromosomes, which are mediated by the microtubule (MT)-based mitotic spindle and ∼200 essential MT-associated proteins. Yet, a mechanistic understanding of how the mitotic spindle is assembled and achieves chromosome segregation is still missing. This is mostly due to the density of MTs in the spindle, which presumably precludes their direct observation. Recent insight has been gained into the molecular building plan of the metaphase spindle using bulk and single-molecule measurements combined with computational modeling. MT nucleation was uncovered as a key principle of spindle assembly, and mechanistic details about MT nucleation pathways and their coordination are starting to be revealed. Lastly, advances in studying spindle assembly can be applied to address the molecular mechanisms of how the spindle segregates chromosomes.

Getting to the heart of an unusual kinetochore

The Mis12 complex forms the central scaffold of the kinetochore and serves to bridge the chromatin and microtubule-binding activities of the inner and outer layers, respectively. Two recent studies provide new structural insights into the formation of this complex, and highlight some intriguing adaptations found in the Drosophila kinetochore.

Laser microsurgery reveals conserved viscoelastic behavior of the kinetochore

Accurate chromosome segregation depends on proper kinetochore-microtubule attachment. Upon microtubule interaction, kinetochores are subjected to forces generated by the microtubules. In this work, we used laser ablation to sever microtubules attached to a merotelic kinetochore, which is laterally stretched by opposing pulling forces exerted by microtubules, and inferred the mechanical response of the kinetochore from its length change. In both mammalian PtK1 cells and in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, kinetochores shortened after microtubule severing. Interestingly, the inner kinetochore-centromere relaxed faster than the outer kinetochore. Whereas in fission yeast all kinetochores relaxed to a similar length, in PtK1 cells the more stretched kinetochores remained more stretched. Simple models suggest that these differences arise because the mechanical structure of the mammalian kinetochore is more complex. Our study establishes merotelic kinetochores as an experimental model for studying the mechanical response of the kinetochore in live cells and reveals a viscoelastic behavior of the kinetochore that is conserved in yeast and mammalian cells.

Divergent polo box domains underpin the unique kinetoplastid kinetochore

Kinetochores are macromolecular machines that drive eukaryotic chromosome segregation by interacting with centromeric DNA and spindle microtubules. While most eukaryotes possess conventional kinetochore proteins, evolutionarily distant kinetoplastid species have unconventional kinetochore proteins, composed of at least 19 proteins (KKT1-19). Polo-like kinase (PLK) is not a structural kinetochore component in either system. Here, we report the identification of an additional kinetochore protein, KKT20, in Trypanosoma brucei. KKT20 has sequence similarity with KKT2 and KKT3 in the Cys-rich region, and all three proteins have weak but significant similarity to the polo box domain (PBD) of PLK. These divergent PBDs of KKT2 and KKT20 are sufficient for kinetochore localization in vivo. We propose that the ancestral PLK acquired a Cys-rich region and then underwent gene duplication events to give rise to three structural kinetochore proteins in kinetoplastids.

Network of protein interactions within the Drosophila inner kinetochore

The kinetochore provides a physical connection between microtubules and the centromeric regions of chromosomes that is critical for their equitable segregation. The trimeric Mis12 sub-complex of the Drosophila kinetochore binds to the mitotic centromere using CENP-C as a platform. However, knowledge of the precise connections between Mis12 complex components and CENP-C has remained elusive despite the fundamental importance of this part of the cell division machinery. Here, we employ hydrogen-deuterium exchange coupled with mass spectrometry to reveal that Mis12 and Nnf1 form a dimer maintained by interacting coiled-coil (CC) domains within the carboxy-terminal parts of both proteins. Adjacent to these interacting CCs is a carboxy-terminal domain that also interacts with Nsl1. The amino-terminal parts of Mis12 and Nnf1 form a CENP-C-binding surface, which docks the complex and thus the entire kinetochore to mitotic centromeres. Mutational analysis confirms these precise interactions are critical for both structure and function of the complex. Thus, we conclude the organization of the Mis12-Nnf1 dimer confers upon the Mis12 complex a bipolar, elongated structure that is critical for kinetochore function.

Measuring Kinetochore-Microtubule Attachment Stability in Cultured Cells

Duplicated sister chromatids connect to the mitotic spindle through kinetochores, large proteinaceous structures built at sites of centromeric heterochromatin. Kinetochores are responsible for harnessing the forces generated by microtubule polymerization and depolymerization to power chromosome movements. The fidelity of chromosome segregation relies on proper kinetochore function, as precise regulation of the attachment between kinetochores and microtubules is essential to prevent mitotic errors, which are linked to the initiation and progression of cancer and the formation of birth defects (Godek et al., Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 16(1):57-64, 2014; Ricke and van Deursen, Semin Cell Dev Biol 22(6):559-565, 2011; Holland and Cleveland, EMBO Rep 13(6):501-514, 2012). Here we describe assays to quantitatively measure kinetochore-microtubule attachment stability in cultured cells.

Genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 Screens Reveal Loss of Redundancy between PKMYT1 and WEE1 in Glioblastoma Stem-like Cells

To identify therapeutic targets for glioblastoma (GBM), we performed genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 knockout (KO) screens in patient-derived GBM stem-like cells (GSCs) and human neural stem/progenitors (NSCs), non-neoplastic stem cell controls, for genes required for their in vitro growth. Surprisingly, the vast majority GSC-lethal hits were found outside of molecular networks commonly altered in GBM and GSCs (e.g., oncogenic drivers). In vitro and in vivo validation of GSC-specific targets revealed several strong hits, including the wee1-like kinase, PKMYT1/Myt1. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that PKMYT1 acts redundantly with WEE1 to inhibit cyclin B-CDK1 activity via CDK1-Y15 phosphorylation and to promote timely completion of mitosis in NSCs. However, in GSCs, this redundancy is lost, most likely as a result of oncogenic signaling, causing GBM-specific lethality.

Stable kinetochore-microtubule attachment is sufficient to silence the spindle assembly checkpoint in human cells

During mitosis, duplicated sister chromatids attach to microtubules emanating from opposing sides of the bipolar spindle through large protein complexes called kinetochores. In the absence of stable kinetochore-microtubule attachments, a cell surveillance mechanism known as the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) produces an inhibitory signal that prevents anaphase onset. Precisely how the inhibitory SAC signal is extinguished in response to microtubule attachment remains unresolved. To address this, we induced formation of hyper-stable kinetochore-microtubule attachments in human cells using a non-phosphorylatable version of the protein Hec1, a core component of the attachment machinery. We find that stable attachments are sufficient to silence the SAC in the absence of sister kinetochore bi-orientation and strikingly in the absence of detectable microtubule pulling forces or tension. Furthermore, we find that SAC satisfaction occurs despite the absence of large changes in intra-kinetochore distance, suggesting that substantial kinetochore stretching is not required for quenching the SAC signal.

Escape from Mitotic Arrest: An Unexpected Connection Between Microtubule Dynamics and Epigenetic Regulation of Centromeric Chromatin in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Accurate chromosome segregation is necessary to ensure genomic integrity. Segregation depends on the proper functioning of the centromere, kinetochore, and mitotic spindle microtubules and is monitored by the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC). In the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, defects in Dis1, a microtubule-associated protein that influences microtubule dynamics, lead to mitotic arrest as a result of an active SAC and consequent failure to grow at low temperature. In a mutant dis1 background (dis1-288), loss of function of Msc1, a fission yeast homolog of the KDM5 family of proteins, suppresses the growth defect and promotes normal mitosis. Genetic analysis implicates a histone deacetylase (HDAC)-linked pathway in suppression because HDAC mutants clr6-1, clr3∆, and sir2∆, though not hos2∆, also promote normal mitosis in the dis1-288 mutant. Suppression of the dis phenotype through loss of msc1 function requires the spindle checkpoint protein Mad2 and is limited by the presence of the heterochromatin-associated HP1 protein homolog Swi6. We speculate that alterations in histone acetylation promote a centromeric chromatin environment that compensates for compromised dis1 function by allowing for successful kinetochore-microtubule interactions that can satisfy the SAC. In cells arrested in mitosis by mutation of dis1, loss of function of epigenetic determinants such as Msc1 or specific HDACs can promote cell survival. Because the KDM5 family of proteins has been implicated in human cancers, an appreciation of the potential role of this family of proteins in chromosome segregation is warranted.

Structural basis for microtubule recognition by the human kinetochore Ska complex

The ability of kinetochores (KTs) to maintain stable attachments to dynamic microtubule structures ('straight' during microtubule polymerization and 'curved' during microtubule depolymerization) is an essential requirement for accurate chromosome segregation. Here we show that the kinetochore-associated Ska complex interacts with tubulin monomers via the carboxy-terminal winged-helix domain of Ska1, providing the structural basis for the ability to bind both straight and curved microtubule structures. This contrasts with the Ndc80 complex, which binds straight microtubules by recognizing the dimeric interface of tubulin. The Ska1 microtubule-binding domain interacts with tubulins using multiple contact sites that allow the Ska complex to bind microtubules in multiple modes. Disrupting either the flexibility or the tubulin contact sites of the Ska1 microtubule-binding domain perturbs normal mitotic progression, explaining the critical role of the Ska complex in maintaining a firm grip on dynamic microtubules.

Sirt6 depletion causes spindle defects and chromosome misalignment during meiosis of mouse oocyte

Sirt6, a member of the sirtuin family of NAD-dependent protein deacetylases, has been implicated in multiple biological processes. However, the roles of Sirt6 in meiosis have not been addressed. In the present study, by employing knockdown analysis in mouse oocytes, we evaluated the effects of Sirt6 on meiotic apparatus. We found that specific depletion of Sirt6 results in disruption of spindle morphology and chromosome alignment in oocytes. Consistent with this observation, incidence of aneuploidy is also markedly increased in Sirt6-depleted oocytes. Furthermore, confocal scanning showed that kinetochore-microtubule interaction, an important mechanism controlling chromosome segregation, is severely impaired in metaphase oocytes following Sirt6 knockdown. Unexpectedly, we discovered that Sirt6 modulates the acetylation status of histone H4K16 as their knockdown specifically induces the hyperacetylation of H4K16 in oocytes, which may be associated with the defective phenotypes described above via altering kinetochore function. Altogether, our data reveal a novel function of Sirt6 during oocyte meiosis and indicate a pathway regulating meiotic apparatus.

The Aurora B Kinase in Chromosome Bi-Orientation and Spindle Checkpoint Signaling

Aurora B, a member of the Aurora family of serine/threonine protein kinases, is a key player in chromosome segregation. As part of a macromolecular complex known as the chromosome passenger complex, Aurora B concentrates early during mitosis in the proximity of centromeres and kinetochores, the sites of attachment of chromosomes to spindle microtubules. There, it contributes to a number of processes that impart fidelity to cell division, including kinetochore stabilization, kinetochore–microtubule attachment, and the regulation of a surveillance mechanism named the spindle assembly checkpoint. In the regulation of these processes, Aurora B is the fulcrum of a remarkably complex network of interactions that feed back on its localization and activation state. In this review, we discuss the multiple roles of Aurora B during mitosis, focusing in particular on its role at centromeres and kinetochores. Many details of the network of interactions at these locations remain poorly understood, and we focus here on several crucial outstanding questions.

How the SAC gets the axe: Integrating kinetochore microtubule attachments with spindle assembly checkpoint signaling

Mitosis entails the bona fide segregation of duplicated chromosomes. This process is accomplished by the attachment of kinetochores on chromosomes to microtubules (MTs) of the mitotic spindle. Once the appropriate attachment is achieved, the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) that delays the premature onset of anaphase needs to be silenced for the cell to proceed to anaphase and cytokinesis. Therefore, while it is imperative to preserve the SAC when kinetochores are unattached, it is of paramount importance that SAC components are removed post kinetochore microtubule (kMT) attachment. Precise knowledge of how kMT attachments trigger the removal of SAC components from kinetochores or how the checkpoint proteins feedback in to the attachment machinery remains elusive. This review aims to describe the recent advances that provide an insight into the interplay of molecular events that coordinate and regulate the SAC activity in response to kMT attachment during cell division.

Basic mechanism for biorientation of mitotic chromosomes is provided by the kinetochore geometry and indiscriminate turnover of kinetochore microtubules

Accuracy of chromosome segregation relies on the ill-understood ability of mitotic kinetochores to biorient, whereupon each sister kinetochore forms microtubule (MT) attachments to only one spindle pole. Because initial MT attachments result from chance encounters with the kinetochores, biorientation must rely on specific mechanisms to avoid and resolve improper attachments. Here we use mathematical modeling to critically analyze the error-correction potential of a simplified biorientation mechanism, which involves the back-to-back arrangement of sister kinetochores and the marked instability of kinetochore-MT attachments. We show that a typical mammalian kinetochore operates in a near-optimal regime, in which the back-to-back kinetochore geometry and the indiscriminate kinetochore-MT turnover provide strong error-correction activity. In human cells, this mechanism alone can potentially enable normal segregation of 45 out of 46 chromosomes during one mitotic division, corresponding to a mis-segregation rate in the range of 10(-1)-10(-2) per chromosome. This theoretical upper limit for chromosome segregation accuracy predicted with the basic mechanism is close to the mis-segregation rate in some cancer cells; however, it cannot explain the relatively low chromosome loss in diploid human cells, consistent with their reliance on additional mechanisms.

Dynamic changes in CCAN organization through CENP-C during cell-cycle progression

Dynamic changes in CCAN organization during progression of the cell cycle are examined in chicken DT40 cells. CENP-C166-324 is sufficient for interphase centromere localization through association with CENP-L-N, and CENP-C643-864 is essential for mitotic centromere localization through binding to CENP-A nucleosomes.

The kinetochore is a crucial structure for faithful chromosome segregation during mitosis and is formed in the centromeric region of each chromosome. The 16-subunit protein complex known as the constitutive centromere-associated network (CCAN) forms the foundation for kinetochore assembly on the centromeric chromatin. Although the CCAN can be divided into several subcomplexes, it remains unclear how CCAN proteins are organized to form the functional kinetochore. In particular, this organization may vary as the cell cycle progresses. To address this, we analyzed the relationship of centromeric protein (CENP)-C with the CENP-H complex during progression of the cell cycle. We find that the middle portion of chicken CENP-C (CENP-C^166–324) is sufficient for centromere localization during interphase, potentially through association with the CENP-L-N complex. The C-terminus of CENP-C (CENP-C^601–864) is essential for centromere localization during mitosis, through binding to CENP-A nucleosomes, independent of the CENP-H complex. On the basis of these results, we propose that CCAN organization changes dynamically during progression of the cell cycle.

Widespread Recurrent Patterns of Rapid Repeat Evolution in the Kinetochore Scaffold KNL1

The outer kinetochore protein scaffold KNL1 is essential for error-free chromosome segregation during mitosis and meiosis. A critical feature of KNL1 is an array of repeats containing MELT-like motifs. When phosphorylated, these motifs form docking sites for the BUB1–BUB3 dimer that regulates chromosome biorientation and the spindle assembly checkpoint. KNL1 homologs are strikingly different in both the amount and sequence of repeats they harbor. We used sensitive repeat discovery and evolutionary reconstruction to show that the KNL1 repeat arrays have undergone extensive, often species-specific array reorganization through iterative cycles of higher order multiplication in conjunction with rapid sequence diversification. The number of repeats per array ranges from none in flowering plants up to approximately 35–40 in drosophilids. Remarkably, closely related drosophilid species have independently expanded specific repeats, indicating near complete array replacement after only approximately 25–40 Myr of evolution. We further show that repeat sequences were altered by the parallel emergence/loss of various short linear motifs, including phosphosites, which supplement the MELT-like motif, signifying modular repeat evolution. These observations point to widespread recurrent episodes of concerted KNL1 repeat evolution in all eukaryotic supergroups. We discuss our findings in the light of the conserved function of KNL1 repeats in localizing the BUB1–BUB3 dimer and its role in chromosome segregation.

The Inner Centromere Protein (INCENP) Coil Is a Single α-Helix (SAH) Domain That Binds Directly to Microtubules and Is Important for Chromosome Passenger Complex (CPC) Localization and Function in Mitosis

The chromosome passenger complex (CPC) is a master regulator of mitosis. Inner centromere protein (INCENP) acts as a scaffold regulating CPC localization and activity. During early mitosis, the N-terminal region of INCENP forms a three-helix bundle with Survivin and Borealin, directing the CPC to the inner centromere where it plays essential roles in chromosome alignment and the spindle assembly checkpoint. The C-terminal IN box region of INCENP is responsible for binding and activating Aurora B kinase. The central region of INCENP has been proposed to comprise a coiled coil domain acting as a spacer between the N- and C-terminal domains that is involved in microtubule binding and regulation of the spindle checkpoint. Here we show that the central region (213 residues) of chicken INCENP is not a coiled coil but a ∼ 32-nm-long single α-helix (SAH) domain. The N-terminal half of this domain directly binds to microtubules in vitro. By analogy with previous studies of myosin 10, our data suggest that the INCENP SAH might stretch up to ∼ 80 nm under physiological forces. Thus, the INCENP SAH could act as a flexible "dog leash," allowing Aurora B to phosphorylate dynamic substrates localized in the outer kinetochore while at the same time being stably anchored to the heterochromatin of the inner centromere. Furthermore, by achieving this flexibility via an SAH domain, the CPC avoids a need for dimerization (required for coiled coil formation), which would greatly complicate regulation of the proximity-induced trans-phosphorylation that is critical for Aurora B activation.

TRAMM/TrappC12 plays a role in chromosome congression, kinetochore stability, and CENP-E recruitment

The TRAPP subunit TrappC12/TTC15, here renamed TRAMM, plays a role in the regulation of kinetochore stability and CENP-E recruitment during mitosis.

Chromosome congression requires the stable attachment of microtubules to chromosomes mediated by the kinetochore, a large proteinaceous structure whose mechanism of assembly is unknown. In this paper, we present the finding that a protein called TRAMM (formerly known as TrappC12) plays a role in mitosis. Depletion of TRAMM resulted in noncongressed chromosomes and arrested cells in mitosis. Small amounts of TRAMM associated with chromosomes, and its depletion affected the localization of some kinetochore proteins, the strongest effect being seen for CENP-E. TRAMM interacts with CENP-E, and depletion of TRAMM prevented the recruitment of CENP-E to the kinetochore. TRAMM is phosphorylated early in mitosis and dephosphorylated at the onset of anaphase. Interestingly, this phosphorylation/dephosphorylation cycle correlates with its association/disassociation with CENP-E. Finally, we demonstrate that a phosphomimetic form of TRAMM recruited CENP-E to kinetochores more efficiently than did the nonphosphorylatable mutant. Our study identifies a moonlighting function for TRAMM during mitosis and adds a new component that regulates kinetochore stability and CENP-E recruitment.

Silencing of NUF2 inhibits tumor growth and induces apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinomas

BACKGROUND

As an important component of the NDC80 kinetochore complex, NUF2 is essential for kinetochore-microtubule attachment and chromosome segregation. Previous studies also suggested its involvement in development of various kinds of human cancers, however, its expression and functions in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are still unclear.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In the present study, we aimed to test the hypothesis that NUF2 is aberrant in human HCCs and associated with cell growth.

RESULTS

Our results showed significantly elevated expression of NUF2 in human HCC tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues, and high expression of NUF2 in HCC cell lines. Using lentivirus-mediated silencing of NUF2 in HepG2 human HCC cells, we found that NUF2 depletion markedly suppressed proliferation and colony formation capacity in vitro, and dramatically hampered tumor growth of xenografts in vivo. Moreover, NUF2 silencing could induce cell cycle arrest and trigger cell apoptosis. Additionally, altered levels of cell cycle and apoptosis related proteins including cyclin B1, Cdc25A, Cdc2, Bad and Bax were also observed.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, these results demonstrate that NUF2 plays a critical role in the regulation of HCC cell proliferation and apoptosis, indicating that NUF2 may serve as a potential molecular target for therapeutic approaches.

The kinetochore encodes a mechanical switch to disrupt spindle assembly checkpoint signalling

The spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) is a unique signalling mechanism that responds to the state of attachment of the kinetochore to spindle microtubules. SAC signalling is activated by unattached kinetochores, and it is silenced after these kinetochores form end-on microtubule attachments. Although the biochemical cascade of SAC signalling is well understood, how kinetochore-microtubule attachment disrupts it remained unknown. Here we show that, in budding yeast, end-on microtubule attachment to the kinetochore physically separates the Mps1 kinase, which probably binds to the calponin homology domain of Ndc80, from the kinetochore substrate of Mps1, Spc105 (KNL1 orthologue). This attachment-mediated separation disrupts the phosphorylation of Spc105, and enables SAC silencing. Additionally, the Dam1 complex may act as a barrier that shields Spc105 from Mps1. Together these data suggest that the protein architecture of the kinetochore encodes a mechanical switch. End-on microtubule attachment to the kinetochore turns this switch off to silence the SAC.

CENP-C is a blueprint for constitutive centromere-associated network assembly within human kinetochores

CENP-C promotes kinetochore targeting of other constitutive centromere–associated network (CCAN) subunits by directly interacting with the four-subunit CCAN subcomplex CENP-HIKM and spatially organizing the localization of all other CCAN subunits downstream of CENP-A.

Kinetochores are multisubunit complexes that assemble on centromeres to bind spindle microtubules and promote faithful chromosome segregation during cell division. A 16-subunit complex named the constitutive centromere–associated network (CCAN) creates the centromere–kinetochore interface. CENP-C, a CCAN subunit, is crucial for kinetochore assembly because it links centromeres with the microtubule-binding interface of kinetochores. The role of CENP-C in CCAN organization, on the other hand, had been incompletely understood. In this paper, we combined biochemical reconstitution and cellular investigations to unveil how CENP-C promotes kinetochore targeting of other CCAN subunits. The so-called PEST domain in the N-terminal half of CENP-C interacted directly with the four-subunit CCAN subcomplex CENP-HIKM. We identified crucial determinants of this interaction whose mutation prevented kinetochore localization of CENP-HIKM and of CENP-TW, another CCAN subcomplex. When considered together with previous observations, our data point to CENP-C as a blueprint for kinetochore assembly.

DNA-Directed Assembly of Capture Tools for Constitutional Studies of Large Protein Complexes

Large supramolecular protein complexes, such as the molecular machinery involved in gene regulation, cell signaling, or cell division, are key in all fundamental processes of life. Detailed elucidation of structure and dynamics of such complexes can be achieved by reverse-engineering parts of the complexes in order to probe their interactions with distinctive binding partners in vitro. The exploitation of DNA nanostructures to mimic partially assembled supramolecular protein complexes in which the presence and state of two or more proteins are decisive for binding of additional building blocks is reported here. To this end, four-way DNA Holliday junction motifs bearing a fluorescein and a biotin tag, for tracking and affinity capture, respectively, are site-specifically functionalized with centromeric protein (CENP) C and CENP-T. The latter serves as baits for binding of the so-called KMN component, thereby mimicking early stages of the assembly of kinetochores, structures that mediate and control the attachment of microtubules to chromosomes in the spindle apparatus. Results from pull-down experiments are consistent with the hypothesis that CENP-C and CENP-T may bind cooperatively to the KMN network.

Kinetochore-localized BUB-1/BUB-3 complex promotes anaphase onset in C. elegans

The conserved Bub1/Bub3 complex is recruited to the kinetochore region of mitotic chromosomes, where it initiates spindle checkpoint signaling and promotes chromosome alignment. Here we show that, in contrast to the expectation for a checkpoint pathway component, the BUB-1/BUB-3 complex promotes timely anaphase onset in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos. This activity of BUB-1/BUB-3 was independent of spindle checkpoint signaling but required kinetochore localization. BUB-1/BUB-3 inhibition equivalently delayed separase activation and other events occurring during mitotic exit. The anaphase promotion function required BUB-1's kinase domain, but not its kinase activity, and this function was independent of the role of BUB-1/BUB-3 in chromosome alignment. These results reveal an unexpected role for the BUB-1/BUB-3 complex in promoting anaphase onset that is distinct from its well-studied functions in checkpoint signaling and chromosome alignment, and suggest a new mechanism contributing to the coordination of the metaphase-to-anaphase transition.

Discovering centromere proteins: from cold white hands to the A, B, C of CENPs

The kinetochore is a complex molecular machine that directs chromosome segregation during mitosis. It is one of the most elaborate subcellular protein structures in eukaryotes, comprising more than 100 different proteins. Inner kinetochore proteins associate with specialized centromeric chromatin containing the histone H3 variant centromere protein A (CENP-A) in place of H3. Outer kinetochore proteins bind to microtubules and signal to delay anaphase onset when microtubules are absent. Since the first kinetochore proteins were discovered and cloned 30 years ago using autoimmune sera from patients with scleroderma-spectrum disease, much has been learnt about the composition, functions and regulation of this remarkable structure.

Separase Cleaves the N-Tail of the CENP-A Related Protein CPAR-1 at the Meiosis I Metaphase-Anaphase Transition in C. elegans

Centromeres are defined epigenetically in the majority of eukaryotes by the presence of chromatin containing the centromeric histone H3 variant CENP-A. Most species have a single gene encoding a centromeric histone variant whereas C. elegans has two: HCP-3 (also known as CeCENP-A) and CPAR-1. Prior RNAi replacement experiments showed that HCP-3 is the functionally dominant isoform, consistent with CPAR-1 not being detectable in embryos. GFP::CPAR-1 is loaded onto meiotic chromosomes in diakinesis and is enriched on bivalents until meiosis I. Here we show that GFP::CPAR-1 signal loss from chromosomes precisely coincides with homolog segregation during anaphase I. This loss of GFP::CPAR-1 signal reflects proteolytic cleavage between GFP and the histone fold of CPAR-1, as CPAR-1::GFP, in which GFP is fused to the C-terminus of CPAR-1, does not exhibit any loss of GFP signal. A focused candidate screen implicated separase, the protease that initiates anaphase by cleaving the kleisin subunit of cohesin, in this cleavage reaction. Examination of the N-terminal tail sequence of CPAR-1 revealed a putative separase cleavage site and mutation of the signature residues in this site eliminated the cleavage reaction, as visualized by retention of GFP::CPAR-1 signal on separating homologous chromosomes at the metaphase-anaphase transition of meiosis I. Neither cleaved nor uncleavable CPAR-1 were centromere-localized in mitosis and instead localized throughout chromatin, indicating that centromere activity has not been retained in CPAR-1. Although the functions of CPAR-1 and of its separase-dependent cleavage remain to be elucidated, this effort reveals a new substrate of separase and provides an in vivo biosensor to monitor separase activity at the onset of meiosis I anaphase.

Molecular force spectroscopy on cells

Molecular force spectroscopy has become a powerful tool to study how mechanics regulates biology, especially the mechanical regulation of molecular interactions and its impact on cellular functions. This force-driven methodology has uncovered a wealth of new information of the physical chemistry of molecular bonds for various biological systems. The new concepts, qualitative and quantitative measures describing bond behavior under force, and structural bases underlying these phenomena have substantially advanced our fundamental understanding of the inner workings of biological systems from the nanoscale (molecule) to the microscale (cell), elucidated basic molecular mechanisms of a wide range of important biological processes, and provided opportunities for engineering applications. Here, we review major force spectroscopic assays, conceptual developments of mechanically regulated kinetics of molecular interactions, and their biological relevance. We also present current challenges and highlight future directions.

Multisite phosphorylation of the NDC80 complex gradually tunes its microtubule-binding affinity

Microtubule (MT) attachment to kinetochores is vitally important for cell division, but how these interactions are controlled by phosphorylation is not well known. We used quantitative approaches in vitro combined with molecular dynamics simulations to examine phosphoregulation of the NDC80 complex, a core kinetochore component. We show that the outputs from multiple phosphorylation events on the unstructured tail of its Hec1 subunit are additively integrated to elicit gradual tuning of NDC80-MT binding both in vitro and in silico. Conformational plasticity of the Hec1 tail enables it to serve as a phosphorylation-controlled rheostat, providing a new paradigm for regulating the affinity of MT binders. We also show that cooperativity of NDC80 interactions is weak and is unaffected by NDC80 phosphorylation. This in vitro finding strongly supports our model that independent molecular binding events to MTs by individual NDC80 complexes, rather than their structured oligomers, regulate the dynamics and stability of kinetochore-MT attachments in dividing cells.

Complex assembly, crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of the human Rod-Zwilch-ZW10 (RZZ) complex

The spindle-assembly checkpoint (SAC) monitors kinetochore-microtubule attachment during mitosis. In metazoans, the three-subunit Rod-Zwilch-ZW10 (RZZ) complex is a crucial SAC component that interacts with additional SAC-activating and SAC-silencing components, including the Mad1-Mad2 complex and cytoplasmic dynein. The RZZ complex contains two copies of each subunit and has a predicted molecular mass of ∼800 kDa. Given the low abundance of the RZZ complex in natural sources, its recombinant reconstitution was attempted by co-expression of its subunits in insect cells. The RZZ complex was purified to homogeneity and subjected to systematic crystallization attempts. Initial crystals containing the entire RZZ complex were obtained using the sitting-drop method and were subjected to optimization to improve the diffraction resolution limit. The crystals belonged to space group P3₁ (No. 144) or P3₂ (No. 145), with unit-cell parameters a = b = 215.45, c = 458.7 Å, α = β = 90.0, γ = 120.0°.

The CENP-T C-terminus is exclusively proximal to H3.1 and not to H3.2 or H3.3

The kinetochore proteins assemble onto centromeric chromatin and regulate DNA segregation during cell division. The inner kinetochore proteins bind centromeres while most outer kinetochore proteins assemble at centromeres during mitosis, connecting the complex to microtubules. The centromere-kinetochore complex contains specific nucleosomes and nucleosomal particles. CENP-A replaces canonical H3 in centromeric nucleosomes, defining centromeric chromatin. Next to CENP-A, the CCAN multi-protein complex settles which contains CENP-T/W/S/X. These four proteins are described to form a nucleosomal particle at centromeres. We had found the CENP-T C-terminus and the CENP-S termini next to histone H3.1 but not to CENP-A, suggesting that the Constitutive Centromere-Associated Network (CCAN) bridges a CENP-A- and a H3-containing nucleosome. Here, we show by in vivo FRET that this proximity between CENP-T and H3 is specific for H3.1 but neither for the H3.1 mutants H3.1(C96A) and H3.1(C110A) nor for H3.2 or H3.3. We also found CENP-M next to H3.1 but not to these H3.1 mutants. Consistently, we detected CENP-M next to CENP-S. These data elucidate the local molecular neighborhood of CCAN proteins next to a H3.1-containing centromeric nucleosome. They also indicate an exclusive position of H3.1 clearly distinct from H3.2, thus documenting a local, and potentially also functional, difference between H3.1 and H3.2.