Eg5 activity and density-driven bundling organize the human metaphase mitotic spindle independently of spindle bipolarity.

ABSTRACT: The mitotic spindle segregates chromosomes through the coordinated actions of microtubules and molecular motors. Classic models propose that microtubules nucleate at spindle poles and grow inward to capture chromosomes; however, recent structural studies show that spindles contain short microtubules that do not span the distance between poles and chromosomes. It is unclear how these short microtubules assemble a bipolar spindle. Using cryo-electron tomography to map microtubule polarity in human metaphase spindles, we find that microtubules form locally antiparallel bundles with consistent 8 nm wall-to-wall spacing. We utilized motor perturbations and centriole depletion, which generated motor-active monopolar spindles, to reveal that the kinesin-5 motor Eg5 organizes local antiparallel ov

SUBMITTER: Conway W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12871229 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature