First published online 18 December 2002
doi: 10.1242/jcs.00255
Analysis of Bub3 spindle checkpoint function in Xenopus egg extracts
Leigh Campbell and
Kevin G. Hardwick*
Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology, Institute of Cell and Molecular
Biology, University of Edinburgh, Kings Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh,
Scotland, EH9 3JR, UK

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Fig. 1. Alignment of Bub3 homologues. A Clustal alignment of Bub3 proteins from
Saccharomyces cerevisiae (M64707), Drosophila melanogaster
(AF106679), Homo sapiens (AF047473) and Xenopus laevis
(AB018419/AF119790). Identical residues are shown in black and similar
residues are highlighted in grey. The region against which the peptide
antibodies were raised is underlined.
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Fig. 3. Gel filtation analysis of XBub3 protein complexes in egg extracts. A CSF
egg extract was fractionated by Superose-6 gel filtration chromatography (see
Materials and Methods). Protein-containing fractions were analysed by western
blotting with antibodies to XBub1, XBubR1, XBub3, XMad1 and XMad2 proteins. No
protein was detected by Ponceau staining or western blotting prior to fraction
14 and after fraction 40. The elution positions of molecular weight standards
are indicated.
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Fig. 4. XBub3 antibodies override spindle checkpoint activation and maintenance in
egg extracts. (A) Checkpoint activation. Aliquots of CSF-arrested
Xenopus egg extract were pre-incubated with the following additions
and then released from metaphase arrest with calcium chloride. Buffer control,
nocodazole plus preimmune antibody, nocodazole plus rabbit XBub3 antibody,
nocodazole plus XMad2 antibody. Chromosomes were visualised by the
fluorescence of the DNA-binding dye Hoechst 33258 60 minutes after calcium
addition. (B) Checkpoint activation. Samples were removed from the above egg
extracts at the timepoints indicated for analysis of histone H1 kinase
activity. The zero time point is histone H1 kinase activity prior to calcium
addition. (C) Checkpoint maintenance. The spindle checkpoint was activated in
aliquots of egg extract and the egg extracts further incubated at room
temperature in the presence of a buffer control, nocodazole plus pre-immune
antibody, nocodazole plus rabbit XBub3 antibody or nocodazole plus XMad2
antibody. Calcium was added to release the extracts from metaphase arrest and
samples removed for analysis of H1 kinase activity at the timepoints
indicated.
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Fig. 5. Colocalisation of XBub3 and XMad2 at kinetochores in nocodazole-treated XTC
cells. XTC cells grown on coverslips were treated with 10 µg/ml nocodazole
for 4 hours and then fixed and stained using rabbit XMad2 antibody (XMad2) and
a sheep XBub3 peptide antibody (XBub3). The antibodies were detected using
fluorescence-labelled secondary antibodies (XBub3 is green, XMad2 is red).
Chromosomes were detected by mounting the coverslips in medium containing DAPI
(DNA). The merge of all three fluorescent images is also shown. Bar, 10
µm.
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Fig. 6. Localisation of XBub3 in asynchronous XTC cells. Asynchronously growing XTC
cells were fixed and stained using rabbit polyclonal XMad2 antibody (XMad2)
and a sheep XBub3 peptide antibody (XBub3). The antibodies were detected using
fluorescent Alexa-labelled secondary antibodies. Chromosomes were detected by
mounting the coverslips in medium containing DAPI. The merge of all three
fluorescent images is also shown. Representative pictures of cell cycle stages
are shown as judged by DAPI staining. A lagging chromosome is marked (row e)
with an arrowhead. Bar, 10 µm.
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Fig. 7. Effect of XBub3 antibodies on XBub3 and XMad2 localisation in egg extracts.
Metaphase chromosomes were assembled in egg extracts and treated with (+noc)
or without (-noc) nocodazole. Sheep peptide or full-length XBub3 antibodies
were added to the extracts 90 minutes before nocodazole addition. Chromosomes
were isolated through a 30% glycerol cushion onto coverslips and stained with
a sheep peptide XBub3 antibody followed by a fluorescent anti-sheep antibody
(-noc, +noc) or fluorescent anti-sheep antibody alone (+noc +sheep XBub3
peptide Ab, +noc +sheep GST XBub3 Ab) to detect the sheep antibodies
pre-incubated in the egg extract. Co-staining with XMad2 was achieved by
incubating the coverslips with the rabbit XMad2 antibody. Chromosomes were
detected by mounting the coverslips in medium containing DAPI (DNA).
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© The Company of Biologists Ltd 2003