The SUMO protease SENP1 is required for cohesion maintenance and mitotic arrest following spindle poison treatment

► SENP1 knockout chicken DT40 cells are hypersensitive to spindle poisons. ► Spindle poison treatment of SENP1−/− cells leads to increased mitotic slippage. ► Mitotic slippage in SENP1−/− cells associates with apoptosis and endoreplication. ► SENP1 counteracts sister chromatid separation during mitotic arrest. ► Plk1-mediated cohesion down-regulation is involved in colcemid cytotoxicity.