Lee IJ, Wu JQ

Division-site selection and contractile-ring assembly are two crucial steps in cytokinesis. In fission yeast, the anillin-like Mid1 specifies the division site at the cell equator by assembling cortical nodes, the precursors of the contractile ring. Thus, Mid1 is essential for linking the positional cues for the cleavage site to contractile-ring ...

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formation. However, how Mid1 domains cooperate to regulate cytokinesis is poorly understood. Here we unravel the functions of different Mid1 domains/motifs by a series of truncations. The conserved PH domain stabilizes Mid1 in nodes by binding to lipids and is required for Mid1 cortical localization during interphase in the absence of Cdr2 kinase. Mid1 lacking an internal region that is ∼1/3 of the full-length protein has higher nuclear and cortical concentration and suppresses the division-site positioning defects in cells with a deletion of the DYRK kinase Pom1. The N-terminus of Mid1 physically interacts with cytokinesis node proteins. When fused to cortical node protein Cdr2, Mid1(1-100) is sufficient to assemble cytokinesis nodes and the contractile ring. Collectively, our study recognizes domains regulating Mid1 cortical localization and reveals domains sufficient for contractile-ring assembly.

Date: Mar. 16, 2012

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