Prothymosin α is localized in mitotic spindle during mitosis

• Published in: Biology of the cell 2004-08, Vol.96 (6), p.421-428
• Main Authors: Vareli, Katerina, Frangou-Lazaridis, Maria
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents - metabolism; Cell Line; Centrosome; Centrosome - metabolism; Cytokinesis; Humans; Mitosis; Mitosis - physiology; Nocodazole - metabolism; Protein Precursors - metabolism; Prothymosin a; Spindle Apparatus - metabolism; Thymosin - analogs & derivatives; Thymosin - metabolism; Tubulin - metabolism; α-tubulin
• ISSN: 0248-4900; 1768-322X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biolcel.2004.04.002

Prothymosin a is a small, acidic, ubiquitous protein, thought to play a role in cell proliferation, carcinogenesis and apoptosis. We have reported earlier that in the interphase nucleus prothymosin a exhibits a punctuated nuclear distribution associated with transcription sites. Moreover, the protein was found to localize in 1-6 subnuclear domains where PML and CstF64 proteins were also identified. In the present study we followed the subcellular distribution of prothymosin a during mitosis. Our data identify prothymosin a to colocalize with α-tubulin in the mitotic spindle throughout mitosis, and to decorate the midbody during cytokinesis. Moreover nocodazole treatment disrupted prothymosin α and α-tubulin colocalization at the centrosomes of the interphase cell. Prothymosin a was also found to decorate γ-tubulin identified centrosomes, during mitosis. Taken together our colocalization study suggests involvement of prothymosin a, in the formation, maintenance, or functioning of the mitotic spindle.