Phase transition of spindle pole localized protein orchestrates nuclear organization at mitotic exit

Abstract

AbstractAnimal cells dismantle their nuclear envelope (NE) at the beginning and reconstruct it at the end of mitosis. This process is closely coordinated with spindle pole organization: poles enlarge at mitotic onset and reduce size as mitosis concludes. The significance of this coordination remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate that Aurora A maintains a pole-localized protein NuMA in a dynamic state during anaphase. Without Aurora A, NuMA shifts from a dynamic to a solid phase, abnormally accumulating at the poles, leading to chromosome bending and misshaped nuclei formation around poles. NuMA localization relies on interactions with dynein/dynactin, its coiled-coil domain, and intrinsically disordered region (IDR). Mutagenesis experiments revealed that cation-{pi} interactions within IDR are key for NuMA localization, while glutamine residues trigger its solid-state transition upon Aurora A inhibition. This study emphasizes the role of the physical properties of spindle poles in organizing the nucleus and genome post-mitosis.