The Exocyst complex and Rab5 are required for abscission by localizing ESCRT III subunits to the cytokinetic bridge

Cytokinesis is the final step of cell division following chromosome segregation that generates two daughter cells. The conserved Exocyst complex is required for scission of the intercellular cytokinetic bridge, although the molecular mechanisms it employs in this process are unclear. We identify and validate the early endocytic GTPase Rab5 as an interactor of the Exocyst complex. Rab5 localizes in the cytokinetic bridge and on the midbody ring in a manner similar to the Exocyst complex. Depletion of Rab5 led to delayed abscission. Caenorhabditis elegans orthologs of both Exocyst complex subunits and Rab5 localize along the cleavage furrow and are required for cytokinesis in early embryos. Cytokinetic cells depleted of either Rab5 or the Exocyst subunits Exoc3 and Exoc4 showed impaired deposition of the ESCRT III subunits CHMP2B and/or CHMP4B near the midbody ring. The study reveals an evolutionarily conserved role for the early endocytic marker Rab5 in cytokinetic abscission. In addition, it uncovers a key requirement of the Exocyst and Rab5 for the delivery of components of the membrane severing ESCRT III machinery to complete cytokinesis.