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Scrofani J, Ruhnow F, Chew WX, Normanno D, Nedelec F, Surrey T, Vernos I. Branched microtubule nucleation and dynein transport organize RanGTP asters in Xenopus laevis egg extract. Mol Biol Cell 2024; 35:ar12. [PMID: 37991893 PMCID: PMC10881172 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e23-10-0407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Chromosome segregation relies on the correct assembly of a bipolar spindle. Spindle pole self-organization requires dynein-dependent microtubule (MT) transport along other MTs. However, during M-phase RanGTP triggers MT nucleation and branching generating polarized arrays with nonastral organization in which MT minus ends are linked to the sides of other MTs. This raises the question of how branched-MT nucleation and dynein-mediated transport cooperate to organize the spindle poles. Here, we used RanGTP-dependent MT aster formation in Xenopus laevis (X. laevis) egg extract to study the interplay between these two seemingly conflicting organizing principles. Using temporally controlled perturbations of MT nucleation and dynein activity, we found that branched MTs are not static but instead dynamically redistribute over time as poles self-organize. Our experimental data together with computer simulations suggest a model where dynein together with dynactin and NuMA directly pulls and move branched MT minus ends toward other MT minus ends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacopo Scrofani
- Quantitative Cell Biology Program, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Felix Ruhnow
- Quantitative Cell Biology Program, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Wei-Xiang Chew
- Quantitative Cell Biology Program, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Davide Normanno
- Quantitative Cell Biology Program, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francois Nedelec
- Sainsbury Laboratory, Cambridge University, Bateman street, CB2 1LR Cambridge, UK
| | - Thomas Surrey
- Quantitative Cell Biology Program, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08002 Barcelona, Spain
- Institución Catalana de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados (ICREA), Pg. Lluis Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Isabelle Vernos
- Quantitative Cell Biology Program, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08002 Barcelona, Spain
- Institución Catalana de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados (ICREA), Pg. Lluis Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
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2
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Nayak P, Chatterjee S, Paul R. Microtubule search-and-capture model evaluates the effect of chromosomal volume conservation on spindle assembly during mitosis. Phys Rev E 2023; 108:034401. [PMID: 37849183 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.108.034401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Variation in the chromosome numbers can arise from the erroneous mitosis or fusion and fission of chromosomes. While the mitotic errors lead to an increase or decrease in the overall chromosomal substance in the daughter cells, fission and fusion keep this conserved. Variations in chromosome numbers are assumed to be a crucial driver of speciation. For example, the members of the muntjac species are known to have very different karyotypes with the chromosome numbers varying from 2n=70+3B in the brown brocket deer to 2n=46 in the Chinese muntjac and 2n=6/7 in the Indian muntjac. The chromosomal content in the nucleus of these closely related mammals is roughly the same and various chromosome fusion and fission pathways have been suggested as the evolution process of these karyotypes. Similar trends can also be found in lepidoptera and yeast species which show a wide variation of chromosome numbers. The effect of chromosome number variation on the spindle assembly time and accuracy is still not properly addressed. We computationally investigate the effect of conservation of the total chromosomal substance on the spindle assembly during prometaphase. Our results suggest that chromosomal fusion pathways aid the microtubule-driven search and capture of the kinetochore in cells with monocentric chromosomes. We further report a comparative analysis of the site and percentage of amphitelic captures, dependence on cell shape, and position of the kinetochore in respect to chromosomal volume partitioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pinaki Nayak
- School of Mathematical and Computational Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Saptarshi Chatterjee
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA
| | - Raja Paul
- School of Mathematical and Computational Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata 700032, India
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3
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Kraus J, Alfaro-Aco R, Gouveia B, Petry S. Microtubule nucleation for spindle assembly: one molecule at a time. Trends Biochem Sci 2023; 48:761-775. [PMID: 37482516 PMCID: PMC10789498 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2023.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
The cell orchestrates the dance of chromosome segregation with remarkable speed and fidelity. The mitotic spindle is built from scratch after interphase through microtubule (MT) nucleation, which is dependent on the γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC), the universal MT template. Although several MT nucleation pathways build the spindle framework, the question of when and how γ-TuRC is targeted to these nucleation sites in the spindle and subsequently activated remains an active area of investigation. Recent advances facilitated the discovery of new MT nucleation effectors and their mechanisms of action. In this review, we illuminate each spindle assembly pathway and subsequently consider how the pathways are merged to build a spindle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jodi Kraus
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | | | - Bernardo Gouveia
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Sabine Petry
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
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4
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Valdez VA, Neahring L, Petry S, Dumont S. Mechanisms underlying spindle assembly and robustness. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2023; 24:523-542. [PMID: 36977834 PMCID: PMC10642710 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-023-00584-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
The microtubule-based spindle orchestrates chromosome segregation during cell division. Following more than a century of study, many components and pathways contributing to spindle assembly have been described, but how the spindle robustly assembles remains incompletely understood. This process involves the self-organization of a large number of molecular parts - up to hundreds of thousands in vertebrate cells - whose local interactions give rise to a cellular-scale structure with emergent architecture, mechanics and function. In this Review, we discuss key concepts in our understanding of spindle assembly, focusing on recent advances and the new approaches that enabled them. We describe the pathways that generate the microtubule framework of the spindle by driving microtubule nucleation in a spatially controlled fashion and present recent insights regarding the organization of individual microtubules into structural modules. Finally, we discuss the emergent properties of the spindle that enable robust chromosome segregation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lila Neahring
- Department of Bioengineering & Therapeutic Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Developmental & Stem Cell Biology Graduate Program, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sabine Petry
- Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.
| | - Sophie Dumont
- Department of Bioengineering & Therapeutic Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Developmental & Stem Cell Biology Graduate Program, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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5
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Almeida AC, Soares-de-Oliveira J, Maiato H. Optimized protocol for live-cell analysis of kinetochore fiber maturation in Indian muntjac cells. STAR Protoc 2023; 4:102011. [PMID: 36640366 PMCID: PMC9846000 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2022.102011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Here, we take advantage of the low chromosome number (2N=6) and distinctively large kinetochores of female Indian muntjac cells to investigate the molecular mechanism underlying k-fiber maturation. We describe steps for monitoring kinetochore-microtubule dynamics over time. Specifically, we detail the combination of live-cell super-resolution CH-STED microscopy of microtubule growth events within individual k-fibers and a laser-mediated k-fiber injury/repair assay. These tools provide a direct assessment of microtubule amplification mechanisms within k-fibers in metazoans. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Almeida et al. (2022).1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Coelho Almeida
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Joana Soares-de-Oliveira
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Helder Maiato
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; Cell Division Group, Department of Biomedicine, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal.
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6
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Wu J, Larreategui-Aparicio A, Lambers MLA, Bodor DL, Klaasen SJ, Tollenaar E, de Ruijter-Villani M, Kops GJPL. Microtubule nucleation from the fibrous corona by LIC1-pericentrin promotes chromosome congression. Curr Biol 2023; 33:912-925.e6. [PMID: 36720222 PMCID: PMC10017265 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Error-free chromosome segregation in mitosis and meiosis relies on the assembly of a microtubule-based spindle that interacts with kinetochores to guide chromosomes to the cell equator before segregation in anaphase. Microtubules sprout from nucleation sites such as centrosomes, but kinetochores can also promote microtubule formation. It is unclear, however, how kinetochore-derived microtubules are generated and what their role is in chromosome segregation. Here, we show that the transient outer-kinetochore meshwork known as the fibrous corona serves as an autonomous microtubule nucleation platform. The fibrous corona is essential for the nucleation of kinetochore-derived microtubules, and when dissociated from the core kinetochore, it retains microtubule nucleation capacity. Nucleation relies on a fibrous-corona-bound pool of the LIC1 subunit of the dynein motor complex, which interacts with the γ-tubulin-tethering protein pericentrin (PCNT). PCNT is essential for microtubule nucleation from fibrous coronas, and in centrosome-depleted cells, where nearly all mitotic nucleation occurs at fibrous coronas, chromosome congression is fully dependent on PCNT. We further show that chromosomes in bovine oocytes, which naturally lack centrosomes, have highly expanded fibrous coronas that drive chromosome-derived microtubule nucleation. Preventing fibrous corona expansion in these cells impairs chromosome congression and causes spindle assembly defects. Our results show that fibrous coronas are autonomous microtubule-organizing centers that are important for spindle assembly, which may be especially relevant in acentrosomal cells such as oocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingchao Wu
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Uppsalalaan 8, 3584CT Utrecht, the Netherlands; University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584CX Utrecht, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Jaarbeursplein 6, 3521AL Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Ainhoa Larreategui-Aparicio
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Uppsalalaan 8, 3584CT Utrecht, the Netherlands; University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584CX Utrecht, the Netherlands; Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584CL Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Maaike L A Lambers
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Uppsalalaan 8, 3584CT Utrecht, the Netherlands; University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584CX Utrecht, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Jaarbeursplein 6, 3521AL Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Dani L Bodor
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Uppsalalaan 8, 3584CT Utrecht, the Netherlands; University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584CX Utrecht, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Jaarbeursplein 6, 3521AL Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Sjoerd J Klaasen
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Uppsalalaan 8, 3584CT Utrecht, the Netherlands; University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584CX Utrecht, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Jaarbeursplein 6, 3521AL Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Eveline Tollenaar
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584CL Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Marta de Ruijter-Villani
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Uppsalalaan 8, 3584CT Utrecht, the Netherlands; University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584CX Utrecht, the Netherlands; Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584CL Utrecht, the Netherlands; Division of Woman and Baby, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584CX Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Geert J P L Kops
- Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Uppsalalaan 8, 3584CT Utrecht, the Netherlands; University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584CX Utrecht, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Jaarbeursplein 6, 3521AL Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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7
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Štimac V, Koprivec I, Manenica M, Simunić J, Tolić IM. Augmin prevents merotelic attachments by promoting proper arrangement of bridging and kinetochore fibers. eLife 2022; 11:83287. [PMID: 36269126 PMCID: PMC9640188 DOI: 10.7554/elife.83287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The human mitotic spindle is made of microtubules nucleated at centrosomes, at kinetochores, and from pre-existing microtubules by the augmin complex. However, it is unknown how the augmin-mediated nucleation affects distinct microtubule classes and thereby mitotic fidelity. Here, we use superresolution microscopy to analyze the previously indistinguishable microtubule arrangements within the crowded metaphase plate area and demonstrate that augmin is vital for the formation of uniformly arranged parallel units consisting of sister kinetochore fibers connected by a bridging fiber. This ordered geometry helps both prevent and resolve merotelic attachments. Whereas augmin-nucleated bridging fibers prevent merotelic attachments by creating a nearly parallel and highly bundled microtubule arrangement unfavorable for creating additional attachments, augmin-nucleated k-fibers produce robust force required to resolve errors during anaphase. STED microscopy revealed that bridging fibers were impaired twice as much as k-fibers following augmin depletion. The complete absence of bridging fibers from a significant portion of kinetochore pairs, especially in the inner part of the spindle, resulted in the specific reduction of the interkinetochore distance. Taken together, we propose a model where augmin promotes mitotic fidelity by generating assemblies consisting of bridging and kinetochore fibers that align sister kinetochores to face opposite poles, thereby preventing erroneous attachments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Štimac
- Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Isabella Koprivec
- Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Martina Manenica
- Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Juraj Simunić
- Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Iva M Tolić
- Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
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8
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The augmin complex architecture reveals structural insights into microtubule branching. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5635. [PMID: 36163468 PMCID: PMC9512787 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33228-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In mitosis, the augmin complex binds to spindle microtubules to recruit the γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC), the principal microtubule nucleator, for the formation of branched microtubules. Our understanding of augmin-mediated microtubule branching is hampered by the lack of structural information on the augmin complex. Here, we elucidate the molecular architecture and conformational plasticity of the augmin complex using an integrative structural biology approach. The elongated structure of the augmin complex is characterised by extensive coiled-coil segments and comprises two structural elements with distinct but complementary functions in γ-TuRC and microtubule binding, linked by a flexible hinge. The augmin complex is recruited to microtubules via a composite microtubule binding site comprising a positively charged unordered extension and two calponin homology domains. Our study provides the structural basis for augmin function in branched microtubule formation, decisively fostering our understanding of spindle formation in mitosis. The formation of branched microtubule networks in mitotic spindles depends on the augmin complex. Zupa, Würtz et al. elucidate the molecular architecture and conformational plasticity of the augmin complex using integrative structural biology, providing structural insights into microtubule branching.
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9
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Conway W, Kiewisz R, Fabig G, Kelleher CP, Wu HY, Anjur-Dietrich M, Müller-Reichert T, Needleman DJ. Self-organization of kinetochore-fibers in human mitotic spindles. eLife 2022; 11:75458. [PMID: 35876665 PMCID: PMC9398449 DOI: 10.7554/elife.75458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
During eukaryotic cell division, chromosomes are linked to microtubules (MTs) in the spindle by a macromolecular complex called the kinetochore. The bound kinetochore microtubules (KMTs) are crucial to ensuring accurate chromosome segregation. Recent reconstructions by electron tomography (Kiewisz et al., 2022) captured the positions and configurations of every MT in human mitotic spindles, revealing that roughly half the KMTs in these spindles do not reach the pole. Here, we investigate the processes that give rise to this distribution of KMTs using a combination of analysis of large-scale electron tomography, photoconversion experiments, quantitative polarized light microscopy, and biophysical modeling. Our results indicate that in metaphase, KMTs grow away from the kinetochores along well-defined trajectories, with the speed of the KMT minus ends continually decreasing as the minus ends approach the pole, implying that longer KMTs grow more slowly than shorter KMTs. The locations of KMT minus ends, and the turnover and movements of tubulin in KMTs, are consistent with models in which KMTs predominately nucleate de novo at kinetochores in metaphase and are inconsistent with substantial numbers of non-KMTs being recruited to the kinetochore in metaphase. Taken together, this work leads to a mathematical model of the self-organization of kinetochore-fibers in human mitotic spindles.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Conway
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Robert Kiewisz
- Experimental Center, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Gunar Fabig
- Experimental Center, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Colm P Kelleher
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Hai-Yin Wu
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Maya Anjur-Dietrich
- John A Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Thomas Müller-Reichert
- Experimental Center, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Daniel J Needleman
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
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10
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Vukušić K, Tolić IM. Polar Chromosomes—Challenges of a Risky Path. Cells 2022; 11:cells11091531. [PMID: 35563837 PMCID: PMC9101661 DOI: 10.3390/cells11091531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The process of chromosome congression and alignment is at the core of mitotic fidelity. In this review, we discuss distinct spatial routes that the chromosomes take to align during prometaphase, which are characterized by distinct biomolecular requirements. Peripheral polar chromosomes are an intriguing case as their alignment depends on the activity of kinetochore motors, polar ejection forces, and a transition from lateral to end-on attachments to microtubules, all of which can result in the delayed alignment of these chromosomes. Due to their undesirable position close to and often behind the spindle pole, these chromosomes may be particularly prone to the formation of erroneous kinetochore-microtubule interactions, such as merotelic attachments. To prevent such errors, the cell employs intricate mechanisms to preposition the spindle poles with respect to chromosomes, ensure the formation of end-on attachments in restricted spindle regions, repair faulty attachments by error correction mechanisms, and delay segregation by the spindle assembly checkpoint. Despite this protective machinery, there are several ways in which polar chromosomes can fail in alignment, mis-segregate, and lead to aneuploidy. In agreement with this, polar chromosomes are present in certain tumors and may even be involved in the process of tumorigenesis.
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