Making γ-tubulin ring

γ-tubulin is required at the centrosome for the formation of bipolar spindles and arrives in the form of a large complex, γTuRC. Vérollet et al. (page 517) and Haren et al. (page 505) find that a recently identified member of γTuRC, Dgp71WD in Drosophila and its mammalian homologue NEDD1, is necessary for proper spindle formation. However, the protein functions are not fully conserved between the two species.

Two complexes in cells contain γ-tubulin. The smaller complex is γTuSC, which contains γ-tubulin and two other proteins (GCP2 [Dgrip84] and GCP3 [Dgrip91]). γTuRC is composed of γTuSC, NEDD1/Dgp71WD, and three additional proteins (GCPs 4, 5, and 6).

Vérollet et al. found that depletion of any one of three γTuRC-specific proteins (Drosophila homologues of GCP4, 5, or 6) disrupted the γTuRC complex. Dgp71WD...