The cell cycle oscillator and spindle length set the speed of chromosome separation in <i>Drosophila</i> embryos.

ABSTRACT: Anaphase is tightly controlled in space and time to ensure proper separation of chromosomes. The mitotic spindle, the self-organized microtubule structure driving chromosome segregation, scales in size with the available cytoplasm. Yet, the relationship between spindle size and chromosome movement remains poorly understood. Here, we address how the movement of chromosomes changes during the cleavage divisions of the Drosophila blastoderm. We show that the speed of chromosome separation gradually decreases during the 4 nuclear divisions of the blastoderm. This reduction in speed is accompanied by a similar reduction in the length of the spindle, thus ensuring that these two quantities are tightly linked. Using a combination of genetic and quantitative imaging approaches, we find that

SUBMITTER: Xu Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11212860 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature