Centrosome-associated protein E (CENPE) is a kinesin-like motor protein that accumulates in the G2 phase of the cell cycle. Unlike other centrosome-associated proteins, it is not present during interphase and first appears at the centromere region of chromosomes during prometaphase. This protein is required for stable spindle microtubule capture at kinetochores which is a necessary step in chromosome alignment during prometaphase. This protein also couples chromosome position to microtubule depolymerizing activity. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants encoding distinct protein isoforms.