Kid, a novel kinesin-like DNA binding protein, is localized to chromosomes and the mitotic spindle

Microtubule-associated motor proteins are thought to be involved in spindle formation and chromosome movements in mitosis/meiosis. We have molecularly cloned cDNAs for a gene that codes for a novel member of the kinesin family of proteins, Nucleotide sequencing reveals that the predicted gene product is a 73 kDa protein and is related to some extent to the Drosophila nod gene product, which is involved in chromosomal segregation during meiosis, A sequence similar to the microtubule binding motor domain of kinesin is present in the N-terminal half of the protein, and its ability to bind to microtubules is demonstrated, Furthermore, we show that its C-terminal half contains a putative nuclear localization signal similar to that of Jun and is able to bind to DNA, Accordingly, the protein was termed Kid (kinesin-like DNA binding protein), Indirect immunofluorescence studies show that Kid co-localizes with mitotic chromosomes and that it is enriched in the kinetochore at anaphase, Thus, we propose that Kid might play a role(s) in regulating the chromosomal movement along microtubules during mitosis.