Plk1-dependent recruitment of gamma-tubulin complexes to mitotic centrosomes involves multiple PCM components.

The nucleation of microtubules requires protein complexes containing gamma-tubulin, which are present in the cytoplasm and associate with the centrosome and with the mitotic spindle. We have previously shown that these interactions require the gamma-tubulin targeting factor GCP-WD/NEDD1, which has a...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Laurence Haren, Tim Stearns, Jens Lüders
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2009-06-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0005976&type=printable
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Summary:The nucleation of microtubules requires protein complexes containing gamma-tubulin, which are present in the cytoplasm and associate with the centrosome and with the mitotic spindle. We have previously shown that these interactions require the gamma-tubulin targeting factor GCP-WD/NEDD1, which has an essential role in spindle formation. The recruitment of additional gamma-tubulin to the centrosomes occurs during centrosome maturation at the G2/M transition and is regulated by the mitotic kinase Plk1. However, the molecular details of this important pathway are unknown and a Plk1 substrate that controls gamma-tubulin recruitment has not been identified. Here we show that Plk1 associates with GCP-WD in mitosis and Plk1 activity contributes to phosphorylation of GCP-WD. Plk1 depletion or inhibition prevents accumulation of GCP-WD at mitotic centrosomes, but GCP-WD mutants that are defective in Plk1-binding and -phosphorylation still accumulate at mitotic centrosomes and recruit gamma-tubulin. Moreover, Plk1 also controls the recruitment of other PCM proteins implicated in centrosomal gamma-tubulin attachment (Cep192/hSPD2, pericentrin, Cep215/Cdk5Rap2). Our results support a model in which Plk1-dependent recruitment of gamma-tubulin to mitotic centrosomes is regulated upstream of GCP-WD, involves multiple PCM proteins and therefore potentially multiple Plk1 substrates.
ISSN:1932-6203