epicentriin

Epicentriin is a fictional protein used in educational contexts to illustrate centrosome-associated regulation of mitosis. In this conceptual model, epicentriin is encoded by a hypothetical gene and functions at the centrosome to influence microtubule nucleation and spindle assembly.

Localization and structure: In simulations, epicentriin localizes to the pericentriolar material during late interphase and remains at spindle poles through metaphase. It is described as a predominantly alpha-helical protein, approximately 40 to 60 kilodaltons, with a long coiled-coil region that mediates interactions with established centrosomal proteins such as pericentrin and the gamma-tubulin ring complex.

Function and mechanism: The model assigns epicentriin a role in recruiting gamma-tubulin complexes to microtubule-nucleation sites and stabilizing nascent spindle poles. Phosphorylation by CDKs during the G2/M transition is proposed to regulate its localization and activity, enabling timely spindle formation and proper chromosome alignment. Loss or mutation in epicentriin, in the fictional scenario, produces spindle defects and aneuploidy.

Research status and context: Epicentriin is not described in current experimental literature or databases; it is used primarily as a didactic construct to discuss principles of centrosome biology, centromere function, and mitotic regulation. Real-world studies of centrosomal components examine analogous proteins that share functional themes with epicentriin. Readers are encouraged to consult standard reviews on centrosomes and spindle assembly for real-world context.