Figure 1. The mammalian kinetochore-microtubule interface.

A) Mammalian kinetochores (brown) connect chromosomes (dark gray) to kinetochore-fibers (“k-fibers”, light gray), bundles of many microtubules. In the inset, the outer kinetochore (light orange, e.g. Ndc80 complexes depicted) is a lawn of proteins that form the microtubule-interacting interface. The inner kinetochore (dark orange) links the outer kinetochore to centromeric chromatin. B) Kinetochore architecture, mechanics and signaling nodes feedback on each other to give rise to robust kinetochore function. In this review, we highlight (solid arrows) how the specific molecular interactions and architecture (orange puzzle pieces) gives rise to robust grip (section (1), blue), and how these in turn give rise to robust computation (section (2), green).