The role of the yeast spindle pole body and the mammalian centrosome in regulating late mitotic events

Centrosomes of vertebrate cells and spindle pole bodies (SPBs) of fungi wer e first recognized through their ability to organize microtubules. Recent s tudies suggest that centrosomes and SPBs also have a function in the regula tion of cell cycle progression, in particular in controlling late mitotic e vents. Regulators of mitotic exit and cytokinesis are associated with the S PB of budding and fission yeast. Elucidation of the molecular roles played by these regulators is helping to clarify the function of the SPS in contro lling progression though mitosis.