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First published online 28 July 2009
doi: 10.1242/jcs.047365

Journal of Cell Science 122, 2946-2956 (2009)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2009
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Research Article

SPOC1: a novel PHD-containing protein modulating chromatin structure and mitotic chromosome condensation

Sarah Kinkley1, Hannah Staege1, Gerrit Mohrmann1,*, Gabor Rohaly1, Theres Schaub1,{ddagger}, Elisabeth Kremmer2, Andreas Winterpacht3 and Hans Will1,§

1 Heinrich-Pette Institute for Experimental Virology and Immunology, Martinistrasse 52, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
2 Institute of Molecular Immunology, Helmholtz Center Munich, German Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Marchioninstrasse 25, 81377 Munich, Germany
3 Institute for Human Genetics, Schwabachanlage 10, 91054 Erlangen, Germany

§ Author for correspondence (hans.will{at}hpi-uni-hamburg.de)

Accepted 11 May 2009

In this study, we characterize the molecular and functional features of a novel protein called SPOC1. SPOC1 RNA expression was previously reported to be highest in highly proliferating tissues and increased in a subset of ovarian carcinoma patients, which statistically correlated with poor prognosis and residual disease. These observations implied that SPOC1 might play a role in cellular proliferation and oncogenesis. Here we show that the endogenous SPOC1 protein is labile, primarily chromatin associated and its expression as well as localization are regulated throughout the cell cycle. SPOC1 is dynamically regulated during mitosis with increased expression levels and biphasic localization to mitotic chromosomes indicating a functional role of SPOC1 in mitotic processes. Consistent with this postulate, SPOC1 siRNA knockdown experiments resulted in defects in mitotic chromosome condensation, alignment and aberrant sister chromatid segregation. Finally, we have been able to show, using micrococcal nuclease (MNase) chromatin-digestion assays that SPOC1 expression levels proportionally influence the degree of chromatin compaction. Collectively, our findings show that SPOC1 modulates chromatin structure and that tight regulation of its expression levels and subcellular localization during mitosis are crucial for proper chromosome condensation and cell division.

Key words: PHD domain, Chromatin, Mitosis, Chromosome condensation


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