The spindle apparatus in early embryonic divisions of Ephestia kuehniella Z. (Pyralidae, Lepidoptera) is formed by alignment of minispindles.
Spindles were isolated from deposited eggs of the Mediterranean mealmoth, Ephestia kuehniella. Their structure and development were studied using anti-tubulin immunofluorescence. The microtubules were labelled with three different monoclonal antibodies. These were directed against beta-tubulin, tyrosinated alpha-tubulin and acetylated alpha-tubulin. Significant differences in the staining behaviour were not detected with the three antibodies. An unusual mode of spindle formation was observed during the first mitotic division after fusion of the pronuclei. Several of the ensuing embryonic divisions may show the same phenomenon. Prophase of these divisions was characterised by an irregular arrangement of microtubules in the nuclear area. The microtubular mass in the nuclear area increased concomitantly with chromosome condensation. Microtubular foci, comparable to the forming asters of canonical spindles, were not detected. The formation of an orderly pattern in the microtubule mass was signalled by the appearance of minispindles apparently developing around individual chromosomes. Several minispindles subsequently aligned and formed metaphase-like entities within the nuclear area. The metaphase-like entities, in turn, aligned with one another and gave rise to a conventional bipolar metaphase spindle with small asters. The further development of the spindle was conventional. The chromosomes migrated towards the spindle poles and finally daughter nuclei formed. The anaphase and telophase spindles possessed both a prominent array of interzone microtubules and asters. The events in prophase of early embryonic mitosis of E. kuehniella may represent a rare case of chromosome-induced spindle formation.
Wolf
K W
KW
Institut für Biologie der Medizinischen, Universität zu Lübeck, Germany.
D000818:Animals; D007814:Larva / Q000166:cytology; D007915:Lepidoptera / Q000196:embryology*; D008938:Mitosis; D008941:Spindle Apparatus