1. Spatial coordination of spindle assembly by chromosome-mediated signaling gradients.
- Author
-
Caudron M, Bunt G, Bastiaens P, and Karsenti E
- Subjects
- Animals, Cell Cycle Proteins metabolism, Centrosome metabolism, Chromatin metabolism, Cues, Diffusion, Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors metabolism, Guanosine Triphosphate metabolism, Male, Mathematics, Metaphase, Microscopy, Fluorescence, Nuclear Proteins metabolism, Oocytes, Recombinant Proteins metabolism, Spermatozoa, Xenopus laevis, Chromosomes metabolism, Microtubules metabolism, Mitosis, Signal Transduction, Spindle Apparatus metabolism, beta Karyopherins metabolism, ran GTP-Binding Protein metabolism
- Abstract
During cell division, chromosomes are distributed to daughter cells by the mitotic spindle. This system requires spatial cues to reproducibly self-organize. We report that such cues are provided by chromosome-mediated interaction gradients between the small guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) Ran and importin-beta. This produces activity gradients that determine the spatial distribution of microtubule nucleation and stabilization around chromosomes and that are essential for the self-organization of microtubules into a bipolar spindle.
- Published
- 2005
- Full Text
- View/download PDF