Cell transformation disrupts the efficiency of chromosome segregation through microtubule detyrosination

Abstract

The general principles of chromosome segregation are highly conserved throughout eukaryotic evolution. However, it is unknown whether there are differences in spindle or kinetochore composition or architecture which influence the efficiency chromosome segregation in different cell types. Here we show that the transition of human retinal pigment epithelial cells to a mesenchymal phenotype causes a stabilisation of kinetochore-microtubule attachments and an increase in the frequency of chromosome missegregation, due to inefficient error-correction, during mitosis. We find that this is caused by microtubule detyrosination during the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and that parthenolide, a tubulin carboxypeptidase inhibitor, efficiently reverts mesenchymal cells to the epithelial mode of chromosome segregation. We propose that reprogramming the post-translational modifications of the mitotic spindle decreases mitotic fidelity and may contribute to CIN in mesenchymal cell populations during tumorigenesis.