MICAL3 flavoprotein monooxygenase forms a complex with centralspindlin and regulates cytokinesis

During cytokinesis, the antiparallel array of microtubules forming the central spindle organizes the midbody, a structure that anchors the ingressed cleavage furrow and guides the assembly of abscission machinery. Here, we identified a role for the flavoprotein monooxygenase MICAL3, an actin disassembly factor, in organizing midbody-associated protein complexes. By combining cell biological assays with cross-linking mass spectrometry, we show that MICAL3 is recruited to the central spindle and the midbody through a direct interaction with the centralspindlin component MKLP1. Knockout of MICAL3 leads to an increased frequency of cytokinetic failure and a delayed abscission. In a mechanism independent of its enzymatic activity, MICAL3 targets the adaptor protein ELKS and Rab8A-positive vesicles to the midbody, and the depletion of ELKS and Rab8A also leads to cytokinesis defects. We propose that MICAL3 acts as a midbody-associated scaffold for vesicle targeting, which promotes maturation of the intercellular bridge and abscission.