Non-centrosomal microtubule nucleation and organization in mitosis
During mitotic spindle assembly, γ-tubulin ring complexes (γTuRCs) nucleate microtubules at the centrosome, around mitotic chromatin and, by augmindependent recruitment, from pre-existing microtubules. The analysis of these distinct pathways in somatic cells is challenging due to the predominance of...
| Autor: | |
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| Tipo de recurso: | tesis doctoral |
| Estado: | Versión publicada |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2014 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | CBUC, CESCA |
| Repositorio: | TDR. Tesis Doctorales en Red |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:www.tdx.cat:10803/299799 |
| Acceso en línea: | http://hdl.handle.net/10803/299799 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Microtubule Nucleation Mitosis Spindle gamma-TuRC Augmin Centrosome Microtúbul Nucleació Fus cromàtic Augmina Centrosoma 576 |
| Sumario: | During mitotic spindle assembly, γ-tubulin ring complexes (γTuRCs) nucleate microtubules at the centrosome, around mitotic chromatin and, by augmindependent recruitment, from pre-existing microtubules. The analysis of these distinct pathways in somatic cells is challenging due to the predominance of centrosomal nucleation. It is also unknown how microtubules derived from different nucleation pathways are organized into the bipolar spindle structure. Minus ends were shown to be present throughout the spindle with a higher concentration near the poles. However, the analysis of minus end dynamics has been prevented by lack of a suitable probe. I have identified the γ-tubulin ring complex (γTuRC) as a reliable marker for noncentrosomal microtubule minus ends in the spindle and have confirmed the accumulation of minus ends in the pole-proximal region. Using cells stably expressing γ-tubulin fused to photoactivatable GFP and mutants of γTuRC subunits, I have demonstrated that the γTuRC is recruited preferentially in the poledistal spindle region, where it associates with microtubule minus ends and then moves poleward along the mitotic spindle. Poleward transport of γTuRC at minus ends depends on the molecular motors dynein, KIFC1 and KIF11. I also discovered that some of the γTuRC that reaches the poles is stably incorporated at the centrosomes, complementing the microtubule-independent centrosome targeting previously described. Using laser ablation of centrosomes, I studied non-centrosomal spindle assembly. At mitotic entry, in the absence of centrosomes, these cells could nucleate microtubules from the nuclear area. These microtubules formed multipolar spindles but cells eventually divided into two daughter cells. However, cells derived from these abnormal mitoses were typically not viable. In summary, by revealing the dynamics of the minus ends of non-centrosomal microtubules, I have provided novel insight into assembly and architecture of the mitotic spindle. In addition, I have shown that centrosomes, even though not essential for somatic cell division, play an important role in the fidelity of spindle assembly and function. |
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