PLK1 facilitates chromosome biorientation by suppressing centromere disintegration driven by BLM-mediated unwinding and spindle pulling

Abstract

The kinase PLK1 has important roles during cell division, including mitotic entry and bipolar spindle formation. Here, the authors show that PLK1 also functions in centromere protection, with loss leading to DNA unwinding by Bloom’s syndrome helicase and subsequent collapse of chromosome alignment.