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Forces Acting on Chromosomes

Forces Acting on Chromosomes

During mitosis, chromosome movements occur through the interplay of multiple piconewton level forces. In prometaphase, these forces help in chromosome assembly or congression at the equatorial plane, eventually leading to their alignment at the metaphase plate. The forces acting on the chromosomes are space and time-dependent; therefore, they vary with the position of the chromosomes as the cell progresses through mitosis.
Microtubules and motor proteins exert two types of forces on...

Forces Acting on Chromosomes

Forces Acting on Chromosomes

During mitosis, chromosome movements occur through the interplay of multiple piconewton level forces. In prometaphase, these forces help in chromosome assembly or congression at the equatorial plane, eventually leading to their alignment at the metaphase plate. The forces acting on the chromosomes are space and time-dependent; therefore, they vary with the position of the chromosomes as the cell progresses through mitosis.
Microtubules and motor proteins exert two types of forces on...

Attachment of Sister Chromatids

Attachment of Sister Chromatids

As cells progress into mitosis, the nuclear envelope breaks down, and the condensed chromosomes are exposed to the array of bipolar microtubules of the mitotic spindle. The kinetochore, a large, disc-shaped protein complex, is present at the centromere region of the sister chromatids and acts as a binding site for the microtubules. Usually, the plus-end of a single microtubule is embedded within the kinetochore. However, some kinetochores first establish lateral contact with the side-wall of a...

Duplication of Chromatin Structure

Duplication of Chromatin Structure

The process of chromosome duplication during cell division requires genome-wide disruption and re-assembly of chromatin. The chromatin structure must be accurately inherited, reassembled, and maintained in the daughter cells to ensure lineage propagation.
The basic unit of the chromatin is the nucleosome, consisting of DNA wrapped around octameric histone proteins and short stretches of linker DNA separating individual nucleosomes. The histone proteins within the nucleosome have their...

The Mitotic Spindle

The Mitotic Spindle

The mitotic spindle—or spindle apparatus—is a eukaryotic, cytoskeletal structure made up of long protein fibers called microtubules. Formed during cell division, the spindle separates sister chromatids and moves them to opposite ends of a parental cell, where the now individual chromosomes are distributed to two daughter cell nuclei.
The bipolar configuration of the mitotic spindle facilitates chromosomal segregation, preparing the cell for division. One mechanism that ensures bipolar mitotic...

The Mitotic Spindle

The Mitotic Spindle

The mitotic spindle—or spindle apparatus—is a eukaryotic, cytoskeletal structure made up of long protein fibers called microtubules. Formed during cell division, the spindle separates sister chromatids and moves them to opposite ends of a parental cell, where the now individual chromosomes are distributed to two daughter cell nuclei.
The bipolar configuration of the mitotic spindle facilitates chromosomal segregation, preparing the cell for division. One mechanism that ensures bipolar mitotic...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 13, 2026

Directly Measuring Forces Within Reconstituted Active Microtubule Bundles

Directly Measuring Forces Within Reconstituted Active Microtubule Bundles

Published on: May 10, 2022

Pericentric chromatin loops function as a nonlinear spring in mitotic force balance.

Andrew D Stephens¹, Rachel A Haggerty, Paula A Vasquez

¹Department of Biology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.

The Journal of Cell Biology

|March 20, 2013

Summary

Chromatin acts as a nonlinear spring, crucial for chromosome segregation fidelity. This nonlinear model explains how chromatin stretching and coordination ensure accurate cell division.

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Last Updated: May 13, 2026

Directly Measuring Forces Within Reconstituted Active Microtubule Bundles

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Published on: May 10, 2022

Reconstitution of Basic Mitotic Spindles in Spherical Emulsion Droplets

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Published on: August 13, 2016

Live Cell Imaging to Assess the Dynamics of Metaphase Timing and Cell Fate Following Mitotic Spindle Perturbations

Live Cell Imaging to Assess the Dynamics of Metaphase Timing and Cell Fate Following Mitotic Spindle Perturbations

Published on: September 20, 2019

Area of Science:

Cell Biology
Molecular Biology
Biophysics

Background:

Sister chromatid biorientation on the metaphase spindle is essential for accurate chromosome segregation.
Forces from microtubules and chromatin create tension at kinetochores, silencing the spindle assembly checkpoint.
Previous models using linear chromatin springs failed to predict observed spindle dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the mechanical properties of pericentromeric chromatin during chromosome segregation.
To develop a more accurate biophysical model for chromatin's role in spindle mechanics.
To understand how chromatin structure influences chromosome alignment and segregation fidelity.

Main Methods:

Development of a nonlinear spring model for chromatin.
In vivo observation of chromatin stretching in wild-type and mutant spindles.
Simulations incorporating cross-links between chromatin springs.

Main Results:

A nonlinear spring model with a threshold extension accurately predicts asymmetric chromatin stretching.
This nonlinear model explains the behavior of pericentromeric chromatin in various spindle conditions.
Simulated cross-links between chromatin springs recapitulated pericentromere coordination.

Conclusions:

Chromatin behaves as a nonlinear spring, essential for maintaining spindle stability and chromosome biorientation.
The nonlinear chromatin spring model provides a better framework for understanding spindle mechanics.
Chromatin cross-links contribute to the coordinated behavior of neighboring chromosomes during cell division.