Centromere/Kinetochore Protein Zeste White 10 (ZW10)

ZW10encodes a protein that is one of many involved in mechanisms to ensure proper chromosome segregation during cell division. The encoded protein binds to centromeres during the prophase, metaphase, and early anaphase cell division stages and to kinetochore microtubules during metaphase.

Zw10 may act at the kinetochore as part of a tension-sensing checkpoint that renders anaphase onset dependent upon bipolar tension exerted across all centromeres. Overall, the predicted ZW10 proteins of Drosophila, C. elegans, human, and Arabidopsis share 17 to 26% identity. Northern blot analysis revealed that the human ZW10 gene was expressed as an approximately 2.9-kb mRNA in various human cell lines.