Spc42like

Spc42like refers to a proposed family of spindle pole body scaffolding proteins that are homologous or analogous to Spc42p, a core component of the spindle pole body (SPB) in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Spc42p forms the central plaque of the SPB and is essential for SPB duplication and proper microtubule organization. Spc42like proteins are predicted to share a high content of coiled-coil regions and to assemble into extended scaffolds that underlie the inner plaque, providing a structural platform for other SPB elements.

In organisms where Spc42like proteins have been studied, they are reported to localize to the spindle pole body, often concentrating at the central plaque region during mitosis. Their proposed roles include contributing to SPB duplication and mediating interactions with other SPB components such as Spc110 and Nud1, thereby helping coordinate the assembly of the microtubule-nucleating apparatus.

Distribution and evolution of Spc42like proteins appear strongest in fungi, where sequence conservation and domain architecture are most clearly observed. Distinct or distant homologs with similar coiled-coil–rich architectures have been noted in other eukaryotes, but functional conservation beyond yeast is not well established. The exact extent of conservation and the presence of true Spc42p-like orthologs vary across lineages, and in many species the SPB components are not yet experimentally validated.

Research status on Spc42like is driven largely by comparative genomics and predicted structural features, with limited direct experimental data outside Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Consequently, functional assignment relies on analogy to Spc42p, and more work is needed to confirm localization, interactions, and essentiality across species.