NudE and NudEL are required for mitotic progression and are involved in dynein recruitment to kinetochores

NudE and l are related proteins that interact with cytoplasmic dynein and LIS1. Their functional relationship and involvement in LIS1 and dynein regulation are not completely understood. We find that NudE and l each localize to mitotic kinetochores before dynein, dynactin, ZW10, and LIS1 and exhibit additional temporal and spatial differences in distribution from the motor protein. Inhibition of NudE and l caused metaphase arrest with misoriented chromosomes and defective microtubule attachment. Dynein and dynactin were both displaced from kinetochores by the injection of an anti-NudE/NudEL antibody. Dynein but not dynactin interacted with NudE surprisingly through the dynein intermediate and light chains but not the motor domain. Together, these results identify a common function for NudE and l in mitotic progression and identify an alternative mechanism for dynein recruitment to and regulation at kinetochores.