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Published online
doi:10.1083/jcb.200904153
The Journal of Cell Biology, Vol. 186, No. 1, 11-26
The Rockefeller University Press, 0021-9525 $30.00
© Matos et al.
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Article

Synchronizing chromosome segregation by flux-dependent force equalization at kinetochores



Irina Matos1, António J. Pereira1, Mariana Lince-Faria1, Lisa A. Cameron2, Edward D. Salmon2, and Helder Maiato1,3

1 Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal
2 Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
3 Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal

Correspondence to Helder Maiato: maiato{at}ibmc.up.pt

The synchronous movement of chromosomes during anaphase ensures their correct inheritance in every cell division. This reflects the uniformity of spindle forces acting on chromosomes and their simultaneous entry into anaphase. Although anaphase onset is controlled by the spindle assembly checkpoint, it remains unknown how spindle forces are uniformly distributed among different chromosomes. In this paper, we show that tension uniformity at metaphase kinetochores and subsequent anaphase synchrony in Drosophila S2 cells are promoted by spindle microtubule flux. These results can be explained by a mechanical model of the spindle where microtubule poleward translocation events associated with flux reflect relaxation of the kinetochore–microtubule interface, which accounts for the redistribution and convergence of kinetochore tensions in a timescale comparable to typical metaphase duration. As predicted by the model, experimental acceleration of mitosis precludes tension equalization and anaphase synchrony. We propose that flux-dependent equalization of kinetochore tensions ensures a timely and uniform maturation of kinetochore–microtubule interfaces necessary for error-free and coordinated segregation of chromosomes in anaphase.

I. Matos and A.J. Pereira contributed equally to this paper.

Abbreviations used in this paper: CID, centromere identifier; CLASP, cytoplasmic linker associated protein; FSM, fluorescent speckle microscopy; ipMT, interpolar MT; kMT, kinetochore MT; MT, microtubule; ROI, region of interest; SAC, spindle assembly checkpoint.

© 2009 Matos et al.
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