A redundant function for the N-terminal tail of Ndc80 in kinetochore-microtubule interaction in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The N-terminal tail of Ndc80 is essential for kinetochore-microtubule binding in human cells but is not required for viability in yeast. We show that the yeast Ndc80 tail is required for timely mitotic progression and accurate chromosome segregation. The tail is essential when cells are limited for Dam1, demonstrating a redundant function for the Ndc80 and Dam1 complexes in vivo.