kinetochore

GO:0000776 · Other · Nucleoprotein complex · Proposed

A multisubunit complex that is located at the centromeric region of DNA and provides an attachment point for the spindle microtubules. [GO:0000776]

Synonyms: condensed chromosome kinetochore; condensed nuclear chromosome kinetochore

Has part: COMA complex (GO:0000817); MIS12/MIND type complex (GO:0000444); Ndc80 complex (GO:0031262)

UniProt location names: UniProt Consortium, CC BY 4.0. Reference label and route sources.

Components

Component	Type	Part of / acts on	Grounding	Genes	Essential	Role
centromeric Cse4/CENP-A nucleosome platform	Other	part of	Reviewed label only (reviewed name; no accession asserted)	CSE4	UNKNOWN	Centromeric chromatin platform that specifies the site of budding-yeast kinetochore assembly. `DOI:10.1534/genetics.112.145276` Biggins 2013 reviewed the Cse4-containing centromeric chromatin foundation for the budding-yeast kinetochore. `DOI:10.1083/jcb.200305100` Westermann et al. 2003 identified CENP-A/Cse4-linked inner kinetochore proteins in the conserved budding-yeast molecular core.
COMA complex	Protein complex	part of	`GO:0000817`	CTF19, OKP1, MCM21, AME1	CONDITIONAL	Inner kinetochore protein complex that bridges centromeric DNA-proximal subunits to microtubule-binding outer kinetochore modules during assembly. `GO:0000817` Gene Ontology cellular-component term for the COMA complex. `DOI:10.1101/gad.1144403` De Wulf, McAinsh and Sorger 2003 analyzed hierarchical assembly of the budding-yeast kinetochore from multiple subcomplexes, including COMA.
MIS12/MIND type complex	Protein complex	part of	`GO:0000444`	MTW1, DSN1, NSL1, NNF1	UNKNOWN	Kinetochore subcomplex that binds centromeric chromatin proximal modules and helps recruit outer microtubule-binding subunits. `GO:0000444` Gene Ontology cellular-component term for the MIS12/MIND type kinetochore subcomplex. `DOI:10.1101/gad.1144403` De Wulf, McAinsh and Sorger 2003 placed the Mtw1/MIND complex within the budding-yeast kinetochore hierarchy.
Ndc80 complex	Protein complex	part of	`GO:0031262`	NDC80, NUF2, SPC24, SPC25	UNKNOWN	Outer kinetochore complex that couples kinetochores to spindle microtubule plus ends. `GO:0031262` Gene Ontology cellular-component term for the Ndc80 complex. `DOI:10.1083/jcb.200305100` Westermann et al. 2003 identified Ndc80 among the budding-yeast kinetochore proteins forming a conserved molecular core.

Taxonomic distribution

NCBITaxon:4932 Saccharomyces cerevisiae — COMMON: Budding yeast has a point-centromere kinetochore built from multiple inner and outer kinetochore protein complexes. [DOI:10.1534/genetics.112.145276]

Canonical examples

NCBITaxon:4932 Saccharomyces cerevisiae — Reference budding-yeast system in which kinetochore subcomplex composition and assembly hierarchy were dissected genetically and biochemically. [DOI:10.1101/gad.1144403]

Functions

chromosome segregation GO:0007059 — Kinetochores connect centromeric chromatin to spindle microtubules so duplicated chromosomes can segregate.
- GO:0000776 GO:0000776 defines the kinetochore by its role as a centromeric complex that provides a spindle-microtubule attachment point.
- DOI:10.1534/genetics.112.145276 Biggins 2013 reviewed budding-yeast kinetochore functions in chromosome segregation.

Mechanism graphs

Inner kinetochore complexes recruit the outer microtubule-binding module (ASSEMBLY)

In the budding-yeast kinetochore, Cse4 centromeric chromatin anchors inner kinetochore assemblies, COMA links DNA-proximal and microtubule-bound subunits, MIND/Mtw1 recruits Ndc80, and Ndc80 forms the outer module.

Subject	Predicate	Object	Evidence
centromeric Cse4/CENP-A nucleosome platform	anchors assembly of	kinetochore	`DOI:10.1534/genetics.112.145276` Biggins 2013 reviewed Cse4/CENP-A as the centromeric chromatin foundation for budding-yeast kinetochore assembly.
COMA complex	bridges inner and outer modules of	kinetochore	`GO:0000817` GO:0000817 defines COMA as a kinetochore complex bridging centromeric-DNA-proximal and microtubule-bound subunits.
MIS12/MIND type complex	recruits	Ndc80 complex	`GO:0000444` GO:0000444 defines the MIS12/MIND type complex as helping recruit outer microtubule-binding kinetochore subunits.
Ndc80 complex	forms outer microtubule-binding module of	kinetochore	`GO:0031262` GO:0031262 defines the Ndc80 complex as an outer kinetochore subcomplex. `DOI:10.1083/jcb.200305100` Westermann et al. 2003 placed Ndc80 in the budding-yeast kinetochore molecular core.

Discussions

CURATION_TODO (OPEN): Resolve exact source-neutral groundings and component boundaries for Cse4/Mif2/CBF3, the complete Ctf19/CCAN network, the Dam1/DASH complex and additional yeast outer kinetochore factors. This first record grounds GO-exact COMA, MIS12/MIND and Ndc80 subcomplexes, but it intentionally leaves the centromeric Cse4 nucleosome label-only and does not flatten the full yeast kinetochore into unsupported protein cohorts.

Evidence

GO:0000776 Gene Ontology cellular-component term for kinetochore.
GO:0000817 Gene Ontology cellular-component term for COMA complex.
GO:0000444 Gene Ontology cellular-component term for MIS12/MIND type complex.
GO:0031262 Gene Ontology cellular-component term for Ndc80 complex.
GO:0007059 Gene Ontology biological-process term for chromosome segregation.
DOI:10.1534/genetics.112.145276 Biggins 2013, The composition, functions, and regulation of the budding yeast kinetochore, Genetics.
DOI:10.1083/jcb.200305100 Westermann et al. 2003, Architecture of the budding yeast kinetochore reveals a conserved molecular core, Journal of Cell Biology.
DOI:10.1101/gad.1144403 De Wulf, McAinsh and Sorger 2003, Hierarchical assembly of the budding yeast kinetochore from multiple subcomplexes, Genes & Development.

Curation history

2026-09-11T23:49:53Z codex · CREATED_RECORD — Scaffolded by scripts/new_record.py
2026-09-11T23:50:37Z codex · EXPANDED_RECORD — Added GO kinetochore synonymy, COMA/MIND/Ndc80 parthood and components, a label-only Cse4 centromeric nucleosome component, Saccharomyces distribution and example, chromosome-segregation function, GO/DOI evidence, an inner-to-outer kinetochore graph and a subcomplex-boundary TODO.
2026-09-11T23:59:18Z codex · ADDRESSED_REVIEW — Resolved #548 and #549 by replacing the terminal chromosome-segregation process edge with an Ndc80-to-kinetochore assembly edge and narrowing the Cse4, MIS12/MIND and Ndc80 components from ESSENTIAL to UNKNOWN.
2026-09-20T21:51:49Z codex · ADDRESSED_REVIEW — Retyped exact protein-complex graph nodes for COMA, MIS12/MIND, and Ndc80 from GENE_OR_PROTEIN to STRUCTURE.

Source: data/structures/other/kinetochore.yaml