Polo Delivers a PICH to the Kinetochore

In this issue, identify a helicase PICH that localizes to “threads” that remain connected between sister kinetochores after they have separated in anaphase. These threads are thought to be catenated centromeric DNA. PICH contributes to the mitotic checkpoint by recruiting Mad2 to kinetochores and is proposed to regulate checkpoint signaling by monitoring tension at centromeres.