title: Fission yeast kinesin-8 controls chromosome congression independently of oscillations.
abstract: In higher eukaryotes, efficient chromosome congression relies, among other players, on the activity of chromokinesins. Here, we provide a quantitative analysis of kinetochore oscillations and positioning in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, a model organism lacking chromokinesins. In wild-type cells, chromosomes align during prophase and, while oscillating, maintain this alignment throughout metaphase. Chromosome oscillations are dispensable both for kinetochore congression and stable kinetochore alignment during metaphase. In higher eukaryotes, kinesin-8 family members control chromosome congression by regulating their oscillations. By contrast, here, we demonstrate that fission yeast kinesin-8 controls chromosome congression by an alternative mechanism. We propose that kinesin-8 aligns chromosomes by controlling pulling forces in a length-dependent manner. A coarse-grained model of chromosome segregation implemented with a length-dependent process that controls the force at kinetochores is necessary and sufficient to mimic kinetochore alignment, and prevents the appearance of lagging chromosomes. Taken together, these data illustrate how the local action of a motor protein at kinetochores provides spatial cues within the spindle to align chromosomes and to prevent aneuploidy.
authors.affiliation: Université de Toulouse, LBCMCP, 118 route de Narbonne, Toulouse F-31062, France CNRS, LBCMCP-UMR5088, Toulouse F-31062, France.
authors.forename: Hadrien
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mary
authors.affiliation: Université de Toulouse, LBCMCP, 118 route de Narbonne, Toulouse F-31062, France CNRS, LBCMCP-UMR5088, Toulouse F-31062, France.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fouchard
authors.affiliation: DAMCB, 43 rue Horace Bertin, Marseille 13005, France.
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gay
authors.affiliation: Université de Toulouse, LBCMCP, 118 route de Narbonne, Toulouse F-31062, France CNRS, LBCMCP-UMR5088, Toulouse F-31062, France.
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.affiliation: Université de Toulouse, LBCMCP, 118 route de Narbonne, Toulouse F-31062, France CNRS, LBCMCP-UMR5088, Toulouse F-31062, France.
authors.forename: Tiphaine
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gauthier
authors.affiliation: Université de Toulouse, LBCMCP, 118 route de Narbonne, Toulouse F-31062, France CNRS, LBCMCP-UMR5088, Toulouse F-31062, France.
authors.forename: Clémence
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gruget
authors.affiliation: IGDR, Institute of Genetics and Development of Rennes, University Rennes 1, Rennes F-35043, France.
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pécréaux
authors.affiliation: Université de Toulouse, LBCMCP, 118 route de Narbonne, Toulouse F-31062, France CNRS, LBCMCP-UMR5088, Toulouse F-31062, France sylvie.tournier-gachet@univ-tlse3.fr yannick.gachet@univ-tlse3.fr.
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tournier
authors.affiliation: Université de Toulouse, LBCMCP, 118 route de Narbonne, Toulouse F-31062, France CNRS, LBCMCP-UMR5088, Toulouse F-31062, France sylvie.tournier-gachet@univ-tlse3.fr yannick.gachet@univ-tlse3.fr.
authors.forename: Yannick
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gachet
mesh_terms: D001683:Biological Clocks / Q000502:physiology*; D020090:Chromosome Segregation / Q000502:physiology*; D015825:Chromosomes, Fungal / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016547:Kinesins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D012568:Schizosaccharomyces / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016547:Kinesins
keywords: Fission yeast; Kinesin-8; Kinetochore alignment; Mitosis