October 19, 2003
Source: David Hoffman
Reference:
Description:
Using protein-specific antibodies, with the techniques of immunofluorescent labeling and digital-enhanced microscopy, measurements of protein levels were performed on both fully microtubule-attached PtK1 kinetochores and completely unattached kinetochores.
Kinetochores are proteinacious plaques at the outer periphery of centromeric DNA regions of mitotic chromatid pairs. During the formation of the mitotic spindle, one sister kinetochore becomes attached to the ends of microtubules from one pole, while the other becomes attached to the ends of microtubules from the opposite pole. The kinetochore is a dynamic structure composed of several constituent proteins, and its attachment to microtubules is known to affect the accumulation of these proteins onto the centromeric region. The constituent proteins fulfill specific roles within the kinetochore, and changes in the amounts of kinetochore proteins may differ with the timeliness of those roles. Using protein-specific antibodies, with the techniques of immunofluorescent labeling and digital-enhanced microscopy, measurements of protein levels were performed on both fully microtubule-attached PtK? kinetochores and completely unattached kinetochores
