Cytokinesis: RhoGEFs control a developmental cleavage switch

Klotho Exerts an Emerging Role in Cytokinesis

The Klotho gene functions as an anti-aging gene. A previous klotho-knockout mice study indicated that neither male nor female gametocytes could accomplish the first meiotic division. It suggested that Klotho might regulate cell division. In this study, we determined the roles of Klotho in cytokinesis in cultural human cells (HEK293 and HeLa) and in zebrafish embryos. Immunoprecipitation, mass spectrometry analysis, and a zebrafish model were used in this study. The results showed that Klotho is located in the midbody, which correlated with cytokinesis related kinases, Aurora kinase B and citron kinases, in the late stage of cytokinesis. There was a spatial correlation between the abscission site and the location of Klotho in the cytokinesis bridge. A three-dimensional structural reconstruction study demonstrated there was a spatial correlation among Klotho, Aurora kinase B, and citron kinases in the midbody. In addition, Klotho depletion inactivated Aurora kinases; it was also indicated that Klotho depletion caused aberrant cell cycle and delayed cytokinesis in a cell model. The study with zebrafish embryos suggested that klotho knockdown caused early embryo development abnormality due to dysregulated cytokinesis. In conclusion, Klotho might have a critical role in cytokinesis regulation by interacting with the cytokinesis related kinases.

Centrosomal and Non-Centrosomal Microtubule-Organizing Centers (MTOCs) in Drosophila melanogaster

The centrosome is the best-understood microtubule-organizing center (MTOC) and is essential in particular cell types and at specific stages during Drosophila development. The centrosome is not required zygotically for mitosis or to achieve full animal development. Nevertheless, centrosomes are essential maternally during cleavage cycles in the early embryo, for male meiotic divisions, for efficient division of epithelial cells in the imaginal wing disc, and for cilium/flagellum assembly in sensory neurons and spermatozoa. Importantly, asymmetric and polarized division of stem cells is regulated by centrosomes and by the asymmetric regulation of their microtubule (MT) assembly activity. More recently, the components and functions of a variety of non-centrosomal microtubule-organizing centers (ncMTOCs) have begun to be elucidated. Throughout Drosophila development, a wide variety of unique ncMTOCs form in epithelial and non-epithelial cell types at an assortment of subcellular locations. Some of these cell types also utilize the centrosomal MTOC, while others rely exclusively on ncMTOCs. The impressive variety of ncMTOCs being discovered provides novel insight into the diverse functions of MTOCs in cells and tissues. This review highlights our current knowledge of the composition, assembly, and functional roles of centrosomal and non-centrosomal MTOCs in Drosophila.