espl1 - dictyBase/community-annotations GitHub Wiki

espl1 is highly similar to separase (aka separin), a widely-conserved peptidase which cleaves the rad21/ssc1 non-SMC subunit of cohesin rings remaining at the centromere at metaphase, allowing the sister chromatids to separate. Consistent with this homology, espl1 is overexpressed fourfold in a Dicty strain in which the retinoblastoma-like gene rblA has been disrupted. Most genes with roles in S-phase or mitosis are overexpressed in this strain, and most of the overexpressed genes have identifiable cell cycle functions. espl1 also shows the developmental time course most typical of cell cycle genes.

The separase inhibitor securin, conserved between yeast and humans, which is broken down at the metaphase/anaphase junction under control of the spindle checkpoint, is not recognizable in Dicty. Securin is also unrecognizable plants, however, while other components of the spindle checkpoint, such as mad2, bub1, bub3, and cdc20, are recognizable in Dicty. These show overexpression factors (and developmental time courses) similar to espl1.

Harry MacWilliams, December 2009

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