Monopolar spindles can be rescued by acentrosomal spindle formation.

More can be more, based on two comprehensive RNAi studies of motors and actin-regulating proteins in fly S2 cells—a particularly robust system for RNAi techniques and a convenient cell type for cytological studies.

The first of the two papers, by Goshima and Vale (page 1003), examines the role of every fly kinesin during mitosis—the first such study done in higher eukaryotic cells. The group inhibited 25 kinesins plus dynein, individually and in combination, and examined the lines by live cell imaging. Loss of eight individual motors affected cell division, and three kinesins were absolutely required: BimC/Eg5 (which forms the bipolar spindle), Kip3 (which keeps spindle microtubules from overgrowing), and MKLP1 (which forms and maintains the central spindle necessary for cytokinesis).

The work shows that cells have a backup plan in case spindle formation fails....

The Rockefeller University Press
2003
The Rockefeller University Press
2003
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