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Spindle Assembly Checkpoint

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Cancer

  • 39 Accesses

Synonyms

SAC

Definition

The spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) controls the progression through mitosis, ensuring that anaphase does not occur until all chromosomes are properly attached to microtubules originating from two spindle poles.

Characteristics

Discovery

In 1902, Theodor Boveri proposed that cancers could derive from “a certain abnormal chromosome constitution that in some circumstances can be generated by multipolar mitoses.” Since little was known about the cell cycle and the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) had not been discovered, he did not know he was implying that cancer cells have a weakened SAC. While studying the effects of radiation on mitosis in 1970, Zirkle was one of the first to notice that even a small aberration in the alignment of chromosomes at the metaphase plate induced a delay in anaphase. With the discovery of microtubule agents including paclitaxel(1967) and nocodazole (1976), researchers were equipped with the tools needed to induce this delay and...

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References

  • Barbosa J, Nascimento AV, Faria J, Silva P, Bousbaa H (2011) The spindle assembly checkpoint: perspectives in tumorigenesis and cancer therapy. Front Biol 6(2):147–155

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nezi L, Musacchio A (2009) Sister chromatid tension and spindle assembly checkpoint. Curr Opin Cell Biol 6:785–795

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zirkle RE (1970) Ultraviolet-microbeam irradiation of newt-cell cytoplasm: spindle destruction, false anaphase, and delay of true anaphase. Radiat Res 41(3):516–537

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics and the UF & Shands Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA

    Stephan C. Jahn

Authors
  1. Stephan C. Jahn
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stephan C. Jahn .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Abt. Tumorgenetik, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, Heidelberg, Germany

    Manfred Schwab

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© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Jahn, S.C. (2014). Spindle Assembly Checkpoint. In: Schwab, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Cancer. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27841-9_5445-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27841-9_5445-9

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27841-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Biomedicine and Life SciencesReference Module Biomedical and Life Sciences

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