Association of γ-tubulin with kinetochore/centromeric region of plant chromosomes

Abstract

Monoclonal antibodies raised against a phylogenetically conserved peptide from the C-terminal domain of γ-tubulin molecule were used for immunofluorescence detection of γ-tubulin in acentriolar mitotic spindles of plant cells. The antibodies stained kinetochore fibres along their whole length, including the close vicinity of kinetochores. After microtubule disassembly by the antimicrotubular drugs amiprophos-methyl, oryzalin and colchicine, γ-tubulin was found on remnants of kinetochore fibres attached to chromosomes. In cells recovering from the amiprophosmethyl treatment, γ-tubulin was localized with the regrowing kinetochore microtubule fibres nucleated or captured by kinetochore/centromeric regions. On isolated chromosomes, γ-tubulin co-localized with α-tubulin in the kinetochore/centromeric region. The data presented suggest that in acentriolar higher plant cells γ-tubulin might be directly or indirectly involved in modulation and/ or stabilization of kinetochore-microtubule interactions.