First described by cytologists more than a century ago, the kinetochore, the protein complex that connects chromosomes to microtubules during mitotic and meiotic divisions, lies at the heart of a fundamental process for life. Our lab studies kinetochore function using a combination of in vivo and in vitro approaches with the aim of gaining insights into how this molecular machine assembles, interacts with dynamic microtubules, signals attachment errors, and enables the generation of force.
Kiermaier, E., Woehrer, S., Peng, Y., Mechtler, K., Westermann, S. (2009). A Dam1-based artificial kinetochore is sufficient to promote chromosome segregation in budding yeast.
Nat Cell Biol. 11(9):1109-15
(abstract)
Zimniak, T., Stengl, K., Mechtler, K., Westermann, S. (2009). Phosphoregulation of the budding yeast EB1 homologue Bim1p by Aurora/Ipl1p.
J Cell Biol. 186(3):379-91
(abstract)
2007
Westermann, S., Drubin, DG., Barnes, G. (2007). Structures and functions of yeast kinetochore complexes.
Annu Rev Biochem. 76:563-91
(abstract)
2006
Westermann, S., Wang, HW., Avila-Sakar, A., Drubin, DG., Nogales, E., Barnes, G. (2006). The Dam1 kinetochore ring complex moves processively on depolymerizing microtubule ends.
Nature. 440(7083):565-9
(abstract)
2005
Westermann, S., Avila-Sakar, A., Wang, HW., Niederstrasser, H., Wong, J., Drubin, DG., Nogales, E., Barnes, G. (2005). Formation of a dynamic kinetochore- microtubule interface through assembly of the Dam1 ring complex.
Mol Cell. 17(2):277-90
(abstract)
