Mechanical design principles of a mitotic spindle

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Abstract

An organised spindle is crucial to the fidelity of chromosome segregation, but the relationship between spindle structure and function is not well understood in any cell type. The anaphase B spindle in fission yeast has a slender morphology and must elongate against compressive forces. This 'pushing' mode of chromosome transport renders the spindle susceptible to breakage, as observed in cells with a variety of defects. Here we perform electron tomographic analyses of the spindle, which suggest that it organises a limited supply of structural components to increase its compressive strength. Structural integrity is maintained throughout the spindle's four-fold elongation by organising microtubules into a rigid transverse array, preserving correct microtubule number and dynamically rescaling microtubule length.

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Jonathan J Ward

Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Helio Roque

Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Claude Antony

Department of Integrated Structural Biology, UMR7104, Institut Génétique Biologie Moléculaire Cellulaire, Illkirch, France

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
Francois J Nedelec

Cell Biology and Biophysics, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany

For correspondence
nedelec@embl.de

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.

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