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Updated: Jun 7, 2026

Reconstitution of Basic Mitotic Spindles in Spherical Emulsion Droplets
Published on: August 13, 2016
Revolving movement of a dynamic cluster of actin filaments during mitosis
Masaru Mitsushima1, Kazuhiro Aoki, Miki Ebisuya
1Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan.
Abstract:
The actin cytoskeleton undergoes rapid changes in its architecture during mitosis. Here, we demonstrate novel actin assembly dynamics in M phase. An amorphous cluster of actin filaments appears during prometaphase, revolves horizontally along the cell cortex at a constant angular speed, and fuses into the contractile ring after three to four revolutions. Cdk1 activity is required for the formation of this mitotic actin cluster and its revolving movement. Rapid turnover of actin in the filaments takes place everywhere in the cluster and is also required for its cluster rotation during mitosis. Knockdown of Arp3, a component of the actin filament-nucleating Arp2/3 complex, inhibits the formation of the mitotic actin cluster without affecting other actin structures. These results identify Arp2/3 complex as a key factor in the generation of the dynamic actin cluster during mitosis.
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