title: Mechanical design principles of a mitotic spindle.
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 fourfold elongation by organising microtubules into a rigid transverse array, preserving correct microtubule number and dynamically rescaling microtubule length.
authors.affiliation: Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Jonathan J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.affiliation: Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Hélio
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Roque
authors.affiliation: Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Antony
authors.affiliation: Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nédélec
mesh_terms: D000705:Anaphase; D001692:Biological Transport; D002453:Cell Cycle; D020090:Chromosome Segregation; D019245:Compressive Strength; D055032:Electron Microscope Tomography; D008870:Microtubules / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012568:Schizosaccharomyces / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008941:Spindle Apparatus / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D059008:Time-Lapse Imaging
keywords: S. cerevisiae; S. pombe; biophysics; cell biology; cytoskeleton; forces; mitosis; structural biology