# A cortical pool of LIN-5 (NuMA) controls cytokinetic furrow formation and cytokinesis completion

## TL;DR

This study reveals that a cortical protein complex, LIN-5/GPR-1/2, plays a key role in cleavage furrow formation and cytokinesis completion in animal cells.

## Contribution

The study identifies a new role for the cortical LIN-5/GPR-1/2 complex in regulating contractile ring components and midbody stabilization during cytokinesis.

## Key findings

- Cortical LIN-5/GPR-1/2 regulates cleavage furrow formation independently of aster separation and spindle positioning.
- LIN-5/GPR-1/2 enrichment at the polar cortex ensures timely accumulation of myosin II and Anillin at the equatorial cortex.
- The complex also contributes to midbody stabilization and abscission during late cytokinesis.

## Abstract

Cytokinesis is tightly regulated in metazoans. Adhikary et al. show that LIN-5/GPR-1/2 complexes present at the polar and lateral regions of the cell membrane facilitate the accumulation of contractile ring components at furrow formation and stabilize them in the midbody, thus aiding in various cytokinesis processes.

In animal cells, cleavage furrow formation is controlled by localized activation of the GTPase RhoA at the equatorial membrane using cues transmitted from the spindle. Here, we explore the function of LIN-5, a well-studied protein known for its role in aster separation and spindle positioning in cleavage furrow formation. We show that the cortical pool of LIN-5, recruited by GPR-1/2 and important for cortical force generation, regulates cleavage furrow formation independently of its roles in aster separation and spindle positioning. Instead, our data suggest that enrichment of LIN-5/GPR-1/2 at the polar cortical region is essential to ensure the timely accumulation of contractile ring components—myosin II and Anillin at the equatorial cortex. We additionally define a late cytokinesis role of cortical LIN-5/GPR-1/2 in midbody stabilization and abscission. These results indicate that the cortical LIN-5/GPR-1/2 complex contributes to multiple aspects of cytokinesis independently of its roles in spindle positioning and elongation.