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ECB-ART-37441
Genes Dev 2000 May 01;149:1072-84.
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MEI-1/MEI-2 katanin-like microtubule severing activity is required for Caenorhabditis elegans meiosis.

Srayko M , Buster DW , Bazirgan OA , McNally FJ , Mains PE .


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The Caenorhabditis elegans meiotic spindle is morphologically distinct from the first mitotic spindle, yet both structures form in the same cytoplasm approximately 20 minutes apart. The mei-1 and mei-2 genes of C. elegans are required for the establishment of the oocyte meiotic spindle but are not required for mitotic spindle function. mei-1 encodes an AAA ATPase family member with similarity to the p60 catalytic subunit of the heterodimeric sea urchin microtubule-severing protein, katanin. We report that mei-2 encodes a 280-amino acid protein containing a region similar to the p80-targeting subunit of katanin. MEI-1 and MEI-2 antibodies decorate the polar ends of meiotic spindle microtubules and meiotic chromatin. We find that the subcellular location of MEI-2 depends on wild-type mei-1 activity and vice versa. These experiments, combined with MEI-1 and MEI-2''s similarity to p60 and p80 katanin, suggest that the C. elegans proteins function as a complex. In support of this idea, MEI-1 and MEI-2 physically associate in HeLa cells. Furthermore, co-expression of MEI-1 and MEI-2 in HeLa cells results in the disassembly of microtubules. These data lead us to conclude that MEI-1/MEI-2 microtubule-severing activity is required for meiotic spindle organization in C. elegans.

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Genes referenced: LOC100887844 LOC581395 LOC585573 ppp2cb

References [+] :
Afshar, DNA binding and meiotic chromosomal localization of the Drosophila nod kinesin-like protein. 1995, Pubmed