title: Elastic tethers between separating anaphase chromosomes in crane-fly spermatocytes coordinate chromosome movements to the two poles.
abstract: Separating anaphase chromosomes in crane-fly spermatocytes are connected by elastic tethers, as originally described by LaFountain et al. (2002): telomere-containing arm fragments severed from the arms move backwards to the partner telomeres. We have tested whether the tethers coordinate the movements of separating partner chromosomes. In other cell types anaphase chromosomes move faster, temporarily, when their kinetochore microtubules are severed. However, in crane-fly spermatocytes the chromosomes move at their usual speed when their kinetochore microtubules are severed. To test whether the absence of increased velocity is because tethers link the separating chromosomes and coordinate their movements, we cut tethers with a laser microbeam and then cut the kinetochore microtubules. After this procedure, the associated chromosome sped up, as in other cells. These results indicate that the movements of partner anaphase chromosomes in crane-fly spermatocytes are coordinated by elastic tethers connecting the two chromosomes and confirm that chromosomes speed up in anaphase when their kinetochore microtubules are severed. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, York University, Toronto, Ontario, M3J 1P3, Canada.
authors.forename: Rozhan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sheykhani
authors.affiliation: Beckman Laser Institute and Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92617.|Department of Bioengineering and Institute for Engineering in Medicine, University of California, San Diego 92093.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berns
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, York University, Toronto, Ontario, M3J 1P3, Canada.
authors.forename: Arthur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Forer
mesh_terms: D000705:Anaphase / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D020090:Chromosome Segregation; D004175:Diptera / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D013090:Spermatocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008941:Spindle Apparatus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology
keywords: anaphase chromosomes; spindle function; tethers