A new role for Rab GTPases during early mitotic stages.

A recent study revealed new roles for the Rab11 GTPase during mitosis. Rab11 is involved in recycling endosome localization to mitotic spindle poles via dynein-mediated transport. This process is in contrast to Golgi membranes, which disperse in mitosis and do not appear to directly contribute to mitotic functions. Rab11-depletion prevents recycling endosome organization at spindle poles, delays mitotic progression, and disrupts spindle pole protein recruitment, astral microtubule organization, and mitotic spindle orientation. However, Rab11 is not the only endocytic and/or trafficking protein that regulates mitotic progression. Clathrin and two small GTPases (Rab6A', Rab5) play key roles in spindle organization and function. In this commentary, we discuss the roles of all these canonical endocytic and membrane trafficking proteins during mitosis and speculate on possible cross-communication between them and their molecular pathways that ensure faithful progression through mitosis.