The name MOZART is derived from letters of 'mitotic-spindle organizing proteins associated with a ring of gamma-tubulin'. This family operates as part of the gamma-tubulin ring complex, gamma-TuRC, one of the complexes necessary for chromosome segregation. This complex is located at centrosomes and mediates the formation of bipolar spindles in mitosis; it consists of six subunits. However, unlike the other four known subunits, this family does not carry the conserved 'Spc97-Spc98' GCP domain, so the TUBCGP nomenclature cannot be used for it. MOZART1 is required for gamma-TuRC recruitment to centrosomes [1].

1: Systematic Analysis of Human Protein Complexes Identifies Chromosome Segregation Proteins. Hutchins JR, Toyoda Y, Hegemann B, Poser I, Heriche JK, Sykora MM, Augsburg M, Hudecz O, Buschhorn BA, Bulkescher J, Conrad C, Comartin D, Schleiffer A, Sarov M, Pozniakovsky A, Slabicki MM, Schloissnig S, Steinmacher I, Leuschner M, Ssykor A, Lawo S, Pelletier L, Stark H, Nasmyth K, Ellenberg J, Durbin R, Buchholz F, Mechtler K, Hyman AA, Peters JM; Science. 2010; [Epub ahead of print] PMID:20360068