Abstract
During cell division, the proper assembly of a microtubule-based bipolar spindle depends on signals from chromatin. However, it is unknown how the spatial organization of chromatin signals affects spindle morphology. Here, we use paramagnetic chromatin beads, and magnetic fields for their alignment in cell-free extracts, to examine the spatial components of signals that regulate spindle assembly. We find that for linear chromatin-bead arrays that vary by eightfold in length, metaphase spindle size and shape are constant. Our findings indicate that, although chromatin provides cues for microtubule formation, metaphase spindle organization, which is controlled by microtubule-based motors, is robust to changes in the shape of chromatin signals.
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Acknowledgements
We thank J. Tirnauer for the EB1 expression plasmid; T. Schroer for the p150-CC1 expression plasmid; and L. Postow for helpful discussions. This work was supported by a National Institutes of Health grant to T.M.K. (GM 65933). J.G. is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Predoctoral fellow. Z.G. acknowledges CNRS for support.
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Gaetz, J., Gueroui, Z., Libchaber, A. et al. Examining how the spatial organization of chromatin signals influences metaphase spindle assembly. Nat Cell Biol 8, 924–932 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncb1455
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ncb1455
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