During the G2 to M phase transition, a portion of mitotic regulator Plk1 localizes to the kinetochores and regulates the initiation of kinetochore–microtubule attachments for proper chromosome alignment. Once kinetochore–microtubule attachment is achieved, this portion of Plk1 is removed from the kinetochores as a result of ubiquitination. However, the crucial molecular mechanism that promotes the localization and the maintenance of Plk1 on the kinetochores until metaphase is still unclear. We report that ubiquitin-specific peptidase 16 (Usp16) plays a key role during this process. Usp16 deubiquitinates Plk1, resulting in an enhanced interaction with kinetochore-localized proteins such as BubR1, and thereby retains Plk1 on the kinetochores to promote proper chromosome alignment in early mitosis. Down-regulation of Usp16 causes increased ubiquitination and decreased kinetochore localization of Plk1. Thus, our data unveil a unique mechanism by which Usp16 promotes the localization and maintenance of Plk1 on the kinetochores for proper chromosome alignment.

A steady-state metaphase spindle maintains constant length, although the microtubules undergo intensive dynamics. Tubulin dimers are incorporated at plus ends of spindle microtubules while they are removed from the minus ends, resulting in poleward movement. Such microtubule flux is regulated by the microtubule rescue factors CLASPs at kinetochores and depolymerizing protein Kif2a at the poles, along with other regulators of microtubule dynamics. How microtubule polymerization and depolymerization are coordinated remains unclear. Here we show that TPX2, a microtubule-bundling protein and activator of Aurora A, plays an important role. TPX2 was phosphorylated by Aurora A during mitosis. Its phospho-null mutant caused short metaphase spindles coupled with low microtubule flux rate. Interestingly, phosphorylation of TPX2 regulated its interaction with CLASP1 but not Kif2a. The effect of its mutant in shortening the spindle could be rescued by codepletion of CLASP1 and Kif2a that abolished microtubule flux. Together we propose that Aurora A–dependent TPX2 phosphorylation controls mitotic spindle length through regulating microtubule flux.