UC Berkeley

Microtubules bind to the kinetochore at the Ndc80 complex, and this interaction is regulated by phosphorylation events at the N-terminal tail of Ndc80, mediated by the Aurora B kinase. The distinct functions of Ndc80 N-terminal tail are now dissected, revealing a region that binds tubulin and another that contacts the globular head of Ndc80. Both contacts are disrupted by phosphorylation, and the results lead to a mechanistic model for how phosphorylation of Ndc80 controls its interactions with microtubules.