RED, a spindle pole-associated protein, is required for kinetochore localization of MAD1, mitotic progression, and activation of the spindle assembly checkpoint.

The spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) is essential for ensuring the proper attachment of kinetochores to the spindle and, thus, the precise separation of paired sister chromatids during mitosis. The SAC proteins are recruited to the unattached kinetochores for activation of the SAC in prometaphase. However, it has been less studied whether activation of the SAC also requires the proteins that do not localize to the kinetochores.

The C-terminus of PARK2 is required for its self-interaction, solubility and role in the spindle assembly checkpoint.

PARK2, an ubiquitin ligase closely correlated with Parkinson's disease and cancer, has been shown to accumulate at centrosomes to ubiquitinate misfolded proteins accumulated during interphase. In the present study, we demonstrated that PARK2 can also localize to centrosomes in mitosis and that the protein does not fluctuate through the S- to M-phase. A C-terminal truncation of PARK2 resulted in a spindle assembly checkpoint defect, characterized by HeLa cells able to bypass mitotic arrest induced by nocodazole and form multinucleated cells when overexpressing the C-terminal truncated PARK2 protein.

The spindle checkpoint protein MAD1 regulates the expression of E-cadherin and prevents cell migration.

Aneuploidy is a common characteristic of human solid tumors. It has been proposed that a defect of the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) generates aneuploidy and might facilitate tumorigenesis. However, a direct link between the SAC proteins and tumorigenesis has not yet been elucidated.

Profiles of urine samples from participants at rave party in Taiwan: prevalence of ketamine and MDMA abuse.

Drug abuse patterns are different due to cultural, social and geographical differences. Methamphetamine (MA) is the most important drug of abuse in Taiwan followed by opiates. Recently, there has been an increase of ketamine and MDMA abuse in disco dancing clubs.