High impact information on mal3

• Through a screen designed to isolate novel fission yeast genes required for chromosome segregation, we have identified mal3+ [1].
• Cells containing a mal3 null allele were viable but showed a variety of phenotypes, including impaired control of cell shape [1].
• Here, we show that the mal3 mutant phenotype can be suppressed by the presence of extra Spc7, an essential kinetochore protein associated with the central centromere region [2].
• In contrast, tip1p requires mal3p to localize at microtubule tips. mal3p and tip1p directly interact in vitro [3].
• The microtubule plus end-tracking proteins mal3p and tip1p cooperate for cell-end targeting of interphase microtubules [3].

Biological context of mal3

• Moreover, the moe1 mal3 double null mutant in the cold contains abnormally short and abundant interphase microtubule bundles [4].
• Deletion of either moe1 or mal3 does not result in lethality; however, deletion of both moe1 and mal3 leads to cell death in the cold [4].

References