Topics and Trends in Most Cited Microtubule and mitosis dynamics Papers

Ranked by citations 18 months after publication

Class of 2026 (Papers Published in 2024)

What topics and trends defined most-cited Microtubule and mitosis dynamics research in the Class of 2026?

Research in microtubule and mitosis dynamics is rapidly transitioning from descriptive cellular imaging to atomic-level structural mechanism. The Class of 2026 is highlighted by a major rise in γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC) architectures, 13-protofilament microtubule nucleation, and Cryo-ET imaging, coupled with PLK1 and Ndc80 kinetochore regulation preventing chromosome mis-segregation.

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Updated July 23, 2026

At a glance

Field
Microtubule and mitosis dynamics
Cohort label
Class of 2026 (2024 publications)
Papers analyzed
2,954
Papers ranked
20
Top topics in ranked papers
γ-tubulin ring complex, Cryo-ET, PLK1, 13-protofilament microtubule, Cryo-EM
Publication window
Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024
Eligibility
Research articles; reviews excluded
Citation window
18 months post-publication
18m citation range
23–75
Data source
OpenAlex · Retrieved Jul 2026
License
CC BY 4.0

Rankings

20 papers ranked by 18-month citation count

#1 of 2,954
7518m citations

Chromosomal instability as a driver of cancer progression

Xuelan Chen et al.Nature Reviews Genetics202410.1038/s41576-024-00761-7

Samuel F. BakhoumMemorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, United States

Chromosomal instabilityTumor progressionAneuploidyGenomic instabilityTumor evolutionmitotic errorsChromosome mis-segregationCopy number alterationsclonal evolutionmetastasistherapeutic resistancechromosomal rearrangementscell-to-cell heterogeneityselection pressurefitness advantage
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#2 of 2,954
5718m citations

Mechanism and regulation of kinesin motors

Ahmet YildizNature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology202410.1038/s41580-024-00780-6

Ahmet YıldızUniversity of California at Berkeley, United States

Kinesin superfamilymotor protein mechanismmicrotubule-based transportATP hydrolysisMotor domainprocessivitycargo bindingAutoinhibitionMotor protein regulationneck linkerCoiled-coil domainkinesin-1mechanochemical couplingstepping mechanismIntracellular transport
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#3 of 2,954
4918m citations

Time-series reconstruction of the molecular architecture of human centriole assembly

Marine H Laporte et al.Cell202410.1016/j.cell.2024.03.025

Virginie Hamel, Paul GuichardUniversity of Geneva, Switzerland

Centriole biogenesistime-series reconstructionmolecular architecturehuman centriolestructural biologyorganelle biogenesistemporal organizationprotein recruitment dynamicscentriolar componentsassembly pathwaySuper-resolution microscopyproteomicsCentrosomeCell cycle regulationMicrotubule-organizing center
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#4 of 2,954
4518m citations

Molecular mechanism of dynein-dynactin complex assembly by LIS1

Kashish Singh, Clinton K Lau et al.Science202410.1126/science.adk8544

Kashish Singh, Clinton K. Lau, Andrew P. CarterMRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, United Kingdom

cytoplasmic dyneindynactinLis1Cryo-electron microscopyMicrotubuleJIP3lysosomal adaptorp150 subunitdynein-dynactin complex assemblyCoiled-coil domainMotor protein activationdynein-microtubule interactioncargo-specific adaptor recognitiondynein regulationdynactin tethering
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#5 of 2,954
4218m citations

Control of cell proliferation by memories of mitosis

Franz Meitinger et al.Science202410.1126/science.add9528

Franz Meitinger, Karen Oegema, Arshad DesaiUniversity of California San Diego, United States

Mitotic durationChromosome mis-segregationGenomic instability53BP1USP28p53PLK1p53 response in G1mitotic extensionTumor suppressorAntimitotic agentCell proliferationmitotic memorydaughter cell inheritance
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#6 of 2,954
3818m citations

Ciliopathy patient variants reveal organelle-specific functions for TUBB4B in axonemal microtubules

Daniel O Dodd, Sabrina Mechaussier et al.Science202410.1126/science.adf5489

Daniel O. Dodd, Sabrina Mechaussier, Isabelle Perrault, Pleasantine MillUniversity of Edinburgh, United Kingdom

TUBB4Btubulin isotypesprimary ciliary dyskinesiaCiliopathyaxonemal microtubulesCentriole biogenesisCiliogenesisdominant-negative variantsmicrotubule dynamicstubulin interfacespatient stratificationTubulinopathyorganelle-specific functionmouse mutantsstructure-function analysis
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#7 of 2,954
3518m citations

Ultraviolet Superradiance from Mega-Networks of Tryptophan in Biological Architectures

N S Babcock et al.The Journal of Physical Chemistry B202410.1021/acs.jpcb.3c07936

Philip KurianHoward University, United States

Ultraviolet superradiancetryptophan networkstryptophan fluorescencemicrotubule architecturestubulin structurescooperative excitationtransition dipole interactionsfluorescence quantum yield enhancementsingle-excitation manifoldtransmembrane proteinscytoskeletal filamentsaromatic amino acidUV excitationcollective interactionshierarchical organizationcellular signaling mechanismsdisorder effectsbright and dark statesmega-networks
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#9 of 2,954
3418m citations

Transition of human γ-tubulin ring complex into a closed conformation during microtubule nucleation

Cláudia Brito, Marina Serna et al.Science202410.1126/science.adk6160

Cláudia Brito, Marina Serna, Óscar Llorca, Thomas SurreyCentre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Spain

γ-tubulin ring complexmicrotubule nucleationCryo-electron microscopyclosed conformationopen conformation13-protofilament microtubulenascent microtubulelatch mechanismactin-containing luminal bridgeChromosome segregationstructural changestubulin incorporationmicrotubule templatingConformational changes
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#10 of 2,954
3218m citations

Endoplasmic reticulum–plasma membrane contact gradients direct cell migration

Bo Gong et al.Nature202410.1038/s41586-024-07527-5

Bo Gong, Tobias MeyerWeill Cornell Medicine, United States

endoplasmic reticulum–plasma membrane contact sitesER–PM contact gradientsdirected cell migrationfront–back polarizationPTP1B phosphatasereceptor tyrosine kinase signallinglong-range inhibitory mechanismRTN4CLIMP63ER curvature gradientmicrotubule-regulated ER polarizationcurved ERflattened ERER–PM contact stabilitymembrane protrusion suppressioncollective cell migrationplasma membrane substrate accessER structural polarity
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#11 of 2,954
3218m citations

Mechanisms of minor pole–mediated spindle bipolarization in human oocytes

Tianyu Wu, Yuxi Luo, Meiling Zhang, Biaobang Chen et al.Science202410.1126/science.ado1022

Tianyu Wu, Yuxi Luo, Meiling Zhang, Biaobang Chen, Wen Li, Qing Sang, Lei WangFudan University, China

spindle bipolarizationhuman oocytesmultipolar intermediatesminor poleskinetochore clustersmicrotubule massChromosome segregationHAUS6KIF11KIF18ASuper-resolution microscopyinfertile patientsoocyte defectsembryo defectsgene mutations
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#13 of 2,954
2918m citations

Paradoxical Activation of Oncogenic Signaling as a Cancer Treatment Strategy

John S Kovach et al.Cancer Discovery202410.1158/2159-8290.cd-23-0216

John S KovachLixte Biotechnology Holdings, Inc., United States

paradoxical activationOncogenic signalingcancer homeostasisprotein phosphatase 2A (PP2A)PP2A inhibitionWEE1Colorectal cancerstress response programsDNA replication collapsepremature mitosisSynthetic lethalitypatient-derived tumorstumor-suppressive resistanceacquired resistanceoncogenic capacity losscompound screensgenetic screens
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#14 of 2,954
2918m citations

Mitotic chromosomes are self-entangled and disentangle through a topoisomerase-II-dependent two-stage exit from mitosis

Erica M Hildebrand et al.Molecular Cell202410.1016/j.molcel.2024.02.025

Leonid A. Mirny, Job DekkerUniversity of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, United States

Hi-CPolymer modelingmulti-contact 3Cmitotic chromosomeschromosome entanglementsinterphase chromosomestopoisomerase IImitotic exitanaphasetelophaseearly G1chromosome decondensationcondensin loopsdecatenationentropic forceschromosome territorialitytopological state of chromosomestwo-stage disentanglement pathway
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#15 of 2,954
2918m citations

Vertebrate centromeres in mitosis are functionally bipartite structures stabilized by cohesin

Carlos Sacristan et al.Cell202410.1016/j.cell.2024.04.014

Carlos Sacristán, Kumiko Samejima, William C. Earnshaw, Geert J.P.L. KopsHubrecht Institute, Netherlands

vertebrate centromeresbipartite centromere structureKinetochore assemblySuper-resolution microscopycapture-CPolymer modelingcondensinscentromere subdomainscohesinCryo-electron tomographybipartite kinetochoresmicrotubule bundlesspindle forcesmerotelic kinetochore-spindle attachmentslagging chromosomesChromosome segregationmitosishuman mouse chicken cells
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#16 of 2,954
2818m citations

Onvansertib in Combination with FOLFIRI and Bevacizumab in Second-Line Treatment of <i>KRAS</i> -Mutant Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: A Phase Ib Clinical Study

Daniel H Ahn, Afsaneh Barzi, Maya Ridinger et al.Clinical Cancer Research202410.1158/1078-0432.ccr-23-3053

Daniel H Ahn, Afsaneh Barzi, Maya RidingerMayo Clinic, United States

onvansertibPLK1KRAS-mutant colorectal cancerFOLFIRIbevacizumabsecond-line treatmentmetastatic colorectal cancerphase Ib clinical trialirinotecancirculating tumor DNA (ctDNA)KRAS wild-type isogenic cellsxenograft modelneutropeniarecommended phase II dosepartial responsectDNA dynamicsoxaliplatin exposureantitumor activity
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#18 of 2,954
2518m citations

Life-cycle-coupled evolution of mitosis in close relatives of animals

Chandni Bhickta, Paolo Ronchi, Monika Trupinić et al.Nature202410.1038/s41586-024-07430-z

Hiral Shah, Omaya Dudin, G.K. DeyEuropean Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Germany

nuclear envelope remodelingopen mitosisclosed mitosisIchthyosporeacomparative genomicsultrastructural imagingintranuclear spindlemultinucleated life cyclesuninucleated statesmitotic machinery evolutionanimal-fungi relativesNuclear envelope breakdownlife-cycle-coupled evolutionmitotic strategy divergenceCell division
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#19 of 2,954
2518m citations

Orientation-independent-DIC imaging reveals that a transient rise in depletion attraction contributes to mitotic chromosome condensation

Shiori Iida et al.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences202410.1073/pnas.2403153121

Michael Shribak, Kazuhiro MaeshimaNational Institute of Genetics, Japan

orientation-independent-DIC imagingdepletion attractionMacromolecular crowdingChromosome condensationcondensinstopoisomerase IIαchromosome milieuConfocal microscopyoptical path differencesmolecular densityNuclear envelope breakdownchromatin liquid dropletshypotonic treatmenthypertonic treatmentcell volume decreasechromatin stiffnessprophase to anaphase progressiontelophase decondensationin vitro chromatin assembly
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#20 of 2,954
2318m citations

Structure of the human outer kinetochore KMN network complex

Stanislau Yatskevich et al.Nature Structural & Molecular Biology202410.1038/s41594-024-01249-y

Stanislau Yatskevich, David BarfordMRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, United Kingdom

KMN complexouter kinetochoreKNL1CMIS12CNdc80 complexCCANCryo-electron microscopyChromosome segregationKinetochore-microtubule attachmentDsn1AURKBSer100 phosphorylationSer109 phosphorylationAutoinhibitioncentromeremitotic spindle
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Dominant research themes and year-over-year shifts in Microtubule and mitosis dynamics

What Topics Define the Class of 2026?

Research in microtubule and mitosis dynamics within the Class of 2026 centers on high-resolution structural architectures and key regulatory mechanisms controlling chromosome segregation. Structural determination via cryo-electron microscopy (Cryo-EM) and cryo-electron tomography (Cryo-ET) dominates the landscape, enabling atomic-level visualization of complex cellular machinery in situ. A primary focal point is the γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC), which accounts for 14% of normalized concept mentions in top-cited literature, alongside 13-protofilament microtubule lattice templates that dictate nucleation geometry. Kinetochore-microtubule attachments are another central hub, with prominent investigation into the Ndc80 complex, KMN network, and associated coiled-coil domain proteins. Regulation of mitotic progression is heavily defined by key kinases including Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) and Aurora B kinase (AURKB), which orchestrate error correction, spindle assembly checkpoint signaling, and mechanical force generation across the spindle apparatus. Together, these studies highlight how structural insights into nucleation complexes and kinase signaling cascades converge to explain mechanisms preventing chromosome mis-segregation during mitosis.

Leading research themes
Leading research themes

How Did Topics Shift from the Class of 2025 to the Class of 2026?

Between the Class of 2025 and the Class of 2026, research in microtubule and mitosis dynamics experienced a pronounced shift from descriptive, broad-scale cellular imaging toward atomic and sub-nanometer structural mechanism. The most striking emerging trend is the surge in γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC) structural studies, rising from 0% in 2023 to 14% of paper mentions in 2024. Similarly, 13-protofilament microtubule nucleation jumped from 0% to 10%, while cryo-electron tomography (Cryo-ET) expanded fivefold from 2% to 10%. Functional focus on Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) expanded from 4% to 10%, and chromosome mis-segregation mechanisms grew fourfold to 8%. Conversely, broader phenotypic tracking and general imaging methodologies saw relative declines; single-molecule imaging dropped from 8% down to 4%, while general clinical phenotypes like aneuploidy and genomic instability decreased from 6% to 4%. Meanwhile, foundational structural methodologies like Cryo-EM (10%) and coiled-coil domain analyses (8%) remained steady workhorses. This evolution reflects a field rapidly consolidating around structural biophysics and site-specific enzymatic control of centrosomal and kinetochore assemblies.

How topics shifted year over year
How topics shifted year over year
Methodology

PRI identifies high-impact research using a transparent, topic-agnostic framework applied consistently across scientific domains. Bibliographic records are drawn from OpenAlex, including publication dates, citation relationships, and document types.

This ranking covers the Class of 2026 cohort: journal articles published in 2024. Reviews and other non-article document types are excluded to ensure comparability.

Research impact is quantified with an 18-month post-publication citation window—the number of citing works published within 18 months of each paper's publication date. This metric captures early impact while controlling for publication age.

An LLM-based relevance classifier then reviews each candidate's title and abstract to confirm substantive alignment with the target domain. Only papers classified as relevant appear in the final ranking.

Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459

Full methodologyGitHubbioRxiv preprint

Cite this ranking

Pepkio Research Index (PRI). Topics and Trends in Most Cited Microtubule and mitosis dynamics Papers, Class of 2026. https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/microtubule-and-mitosis-dynamics/2026. Accessed 2026-07-23.

Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459