TACC proteins are present in different organisms, ranging from yeasts to mammals. Schizosaccharomyces pombe has one TACC protein, known as Alp7 or Mia1p [1]. Alp7/TACC consists of two domains: the N-terminal half that contains the nuclear localization signal (NLS) and has no homology to the other TACC members, and the C-terminal half, which consists of the conserved coiled-coil TACC domain [2]. Alp7/TACC forms a complex with Alp14/TOG and localizes to microtubules, SPBs and kinetochores [2, 3]. This complex is necessary for mitotic and meiotic spindle assembly and proper chromosome segregation [4]. The homologue from S. cerevisiae, Slk19, also has a role in spindle assembly and stability, and it is required for proper chromosome segregation [5, 6].

1: The TACC proteins: TACC-ling microtubule dynamics and centrosome function. Peset I, Vernos I; Trends Cell Biol. 2008;18:379-388. PMID:18656360

2: Interdependency of fission yeast Alp14/TOG and coiled coil protein Alp7 in microtubule localization and bipolar spindle formation. Sato M, Vardy L, Angel Garcia M, Koonrugsa N, Toda T; Mol Biol Cell. 2004;15:1609-1622. PMID:14742702

3: Fission yeast ch-TOG/XMAP215 homologue Alp14 connects mitotic spindles with the kinetochore and is a component of the Mad2-dependent spindle checkpoint. Garcia MA, Vardy L, Koonrugsa N, Toda T; EMBO J. 2001;20:3389-3401. PMID:11432827

4: Targeting Alp7/TACC to the spindle pole body is essential for mitotic spindle assembly in fission yeast. Tang NH, Okada N, Fong CS, Arai K, Sato M, Toda T; FEBS Lett. 2014;588:2814-2821. PMID:24937146

5: The yeast kinetochore protein Slk19 is required to prevent aberrant chromosome segregation in meiosis and mitosis. Pfiz S, Zimmermann J, Hilt W; Genes Cells. 2002;7:1033-1042. PMID:12354097

6: Slk19p is a centromere protein that functions to stabilize mitotic spindles. Zeng X, Kahana JA, Silver PA, Morphew MK, McIntosh JR, Fitch IT, Carbon J, Saunders WS; J Cell Biol. 1999;146:415-425. PMID:10427094