MKLP2 Is a Motile Kinesin that Transports the Chromosomal Passenger Complex during Anaphase

During cytokinesis, signals from the anaphase spindle direct the formation and position of a contractile ring at the cell cortex [1]. The chromosomal passenger complex (CPC) participates in cytokinesis initiation by signaling from the spindle midzone and equatorial cortex [2], but the mechanisms underlying the anaphase-specific CPC localization are currently unresolved. Accumulation of the CPC at these sites requires the presence of microtubules and the mitotic kinesin-like protein 2, MKLP2 (KIF20A), a member of the kinesin-6 family [2-7], and this has led to the hypothesis that the CPC is transported along microtubules by MKLP2 [3-5, 7]. However, the structure of the MKLP2 motor domain with its extended neck-linker region suggests that this kinesin might not be able to drive processive transport [8, 9]. Furthermore, experiments in Xenopus egg extracts indicated that the CPC might be transported by kinesin-4, KIF4A [10]. Finally, CPC-MKLP2 complexes might be directly recruited to the equatorial cortex via association with actin and myosin II, independent of kinesin activity [4, 8]. Using microscopy-based assays with purified proteins, we demonstrate that MKLP2 is a processive plus-end directed motor that can transport the CPC along microtubules in vitro. In cells, strong suppression of MKLP2-dependent CPC motility by expression of an MKLP2 P-loop mutant perturbs CPC accumulation at both the spindle midzone and equatorial cortex, whereas a weaker inhibition of MKLP2 motor using Paprotrain mainly affects CPC localization to the equatorial cortex. Our data indicate that control of cytokinesis initiation by the CPC requires its directional MKLP2-dependent transport.