The metaphase-to-anaphase transition: avoiding a mid-life crisis.

The metaphase-to-anaphase transition is a highly regulated process, which is governed by the activity of the anaphase-promoting complex (APC). The APC promotes the degradation of several proteins, including mitotic cyclins and newly identified anaphase inhibitors. Several discoveries made this year shed invaluable light on the regulation of APC activation and its substrate specificity.