A new method to evaluate the function of mitotic kinases by monitoring chromosome dynamics

有丝分裂激酶在细胞分裂时正确、安全地分离染色体中起着至关重要的作用。因此，有丝分裂激酶的功能障碍导致染色体运动和分离的缺陷。在这项研究中，我们旨在开发一种检测方法，通过监测有丝分裂过程中的染色体行为来指示有丝分裂激酶的隐性功能障碍，否则传统方法很难检测到这种功能障碍。我们发现，增加有丝分裂激酶特异性抑制剂的剂量，会逐渐引起异常的染色体运动。这就是我们所说的逐步挑战试验，然后被用来解决有丝分裂激酶的功能，在几个癌细胞中，已知有染色体不稳定性

Mitotic kinases play crucial roles in separating chromosomes correctly and safely as cells divide. Dysfunction of mitotic kinases therefore causes defective chromosome movements and segregation. In this study, we aimed to develop an assay to indicate cryptic dysfunction of mitotic kinases by monitoring chromosome behavior during mitosis, which is otherwise difficult to detect in conventional means. We found that increasing dose of specific inhibitors of mitotic kinases, caused abnormal chromosomal movements progressively. This what we called the stepwise-challenging assay was then used to address the function of mitotic kinases in several cancer cells that are known to have chromosomal instability