FEBS Letters
Volume 580, Issue 12 , Pages 2888-2895, 22 May 2006

The spindle assembly checkpoint: Preventing chromosome mis-segregation during mitosis and meiosis

Edited by Horst Feldmann

  • Nicolas Malmanche

      Affiliations

    • IBMC, Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 823, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal
    • ,
  • André Maia

      Affiliations

    • IBMC, Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 823, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal
    • ,
  • Claudio E. Sunkel

      Affiliations

    • IBMC, Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 823, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal
    • ICBAS, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, 4000 Porto, Portugal
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Fax: +351 22 6099157.

Received 6 March 2006; received in revised form 16 March 2006; accepted 22 March 2006. published online 07 April 2006.

Abstract 

Aneuploidy is a common feature of many cancers, suggesting that genomic stability is essential to prevent tumorigenesis. Also, during meiosis, chromosome non-disjunction produces gamete imbalance and when fertilized result in developmental arrest or severe birth defects. The spindle assembly checkpoint prevents chromosome mis-segregation during both mitosis and meiosis. In mitosis, this control system monitors kinetochore-microtubule attachment while in meiosis its role is still unclear. Interestingly, recent data suggest that defects in the spindle assembly checkpoint are unlikely to cause cancer development but might facilitate tumour progression. However, in meiosis a weakened checkpoint could contribute to age-related aneuploidy found in humans.

Keywords: Mitosis, Meiosis, Aneuploidy, Non-disjunction, Spindle assembly checkpoint

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PII: S0014-5793(06)00408-X

doi:10.1016/j.febslet.2006.03.081

FEBS Letters
Volume 580, Issue 12 , Pages 2888-2895, 22 May 2006

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