Laser microsurgery reveals conserved viscoelastic behavior of the kinetochore

Scientific paper - Original scientific paper

• Author: Gheorghe Cojoc
• Author: Emanuele Roscioli
• Author: Lijuan Zhang
• Author: Alfonso García-Ulloa
• Author: Jagesh V. Shah
• Author: Michael W. Berns
• Author: Nenad Pavin; MBZ: 204800
• Author: Daniela Cimini
• Author: Iva Marija Tolić; MBZ: 260543
• Author: Juraj Gregan
• Author's institution: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Science; (Department of Physics)
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: NATURAL SCIENCES; Physics
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: NATURAL SCIENCES; Biology

Abstract (english)

Accurate chromosome segregation depends on proper kinetochore– microtubule attachment. Upon microtubule interaction, kinetochores are subjected to forces generated by the microtubules. In this work, we used laser ablation to sever microtubules attached to a merotelic kinetochore, which is laterally stretched by opposing pulling forces exerted by microtubules, and inferred the mechanical response of the kinetochore from its length change. In both mammalian PtK1 cells and in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, kinetochores shortened after microtubule severing. Interestingly, the inner kinetochore–centromere relaxed faster than the outer kinetochore. Whereas in fission yeast all kinetochores relaxed to a similar length, in PtK1 cells the more stretched kinetochores remained more stretched. Simple models suggest that these differences arise because the mechanical structure of the mammalian kinetochore is more complex. Our study establishes merotelic kinetochores as an experimental model for studying the mechanical response of the kinetochore in live cells and reveals a viscoelastic behavior of the kinetochore that is conserved in yeast and mammalian cells.

• Keywords (english): kinetochore; chromosome segregation; mitosis; laser ablation; fluorescence microscopy; quantitative modeling
• Language: english
• Publication type: Scientific paper - Original scientific paper
• Publication status: Published
• Peer review: Peer review - international
• Publication version: Published version
• Journal title: Journal of Cell Biology
• Numbering: vol. 212, no. 7, pp. 767-776
• p-ISSN: 0021-9525
• e-ISSN: 1540-8140
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201506011
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:217:574387
• Publication: 2016
• Document URL: https://rupress.org/jcb/article/212/7/767/38423/Laser-microsurgery-reveals-conserved-viscoelastic
• Type of resource: Text
• Access conditions: Open access
• Public note: © 2016 Cojoc et al. This article is distributed under the terms of an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike–No Mirror Sites license for the first six months after the publication date (see http://www.rupress.org/terms). After six months it is available under a Creative Commons License (Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported license, as described at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/). Submitted: June 2, 2015. Accepted: February 25, 2016. Published March 21, 2016. Šifre projekata: RGY0069/2010, MCB- 0842551, MCB-1517506, P21437, P23609, EC (PCIG11-GA-2012-322300), APVV (APVV- 0334-12), VEGA (1/0196/14)
• Created on: 2020-02-23 13:39:31