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Related Concept Videos

Forces Acting on Chromosomes02:11

Forces Acting on Chromosomes

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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. 
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Spindle assembly occurs through three, often coexisting, pathways – the centrosome-mediated pathway, the chromatin-mediated pathway, and the microtubule-mediated pathway – collectively contributing to form a robust spindle apparatus.
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Most animal cells comprise a pair of centrioles together called a centrosome. The cell duplicates its centrosome and contains two centrosomes side-by-side, which begin to move apart during the prophase. As the centrosomes migrate to two different sides of the cell, microtubules start extending from each centrosome toward the other end. The mitotic spindle is composed of the centrosomes and their emerging microtubules.
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Microtubules form through the end-to-end polymerization of tubulin heterodimers. Kinetochore microtubules originate from the spindle poles, and their plus-ends connect with the kinetochores on sister-chromatids. Ndc80 protein complexes, present on the kinetochore, form low-affinity links with the plus end of these kinetochore microtubules.
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The Mitotic Spindle02:27

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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.
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Histone Variants at the Centromere02:30

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Histone variants are the histone proteins with structural and sequence variations. These variants may be regarded as “mutant” forms that replace their canonical histone counterparts in the nucleosomes. Specific post-translational modifications on the histone variants enable further chromatin complexity and regulate tissue-specific gene expression. The most common histone variants are from histone H2A, H2B, and linker histone H1 families. However, several variants of histone H3...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 7, 2025

Reconstitution of Basic Mitotic Spindles in Spherical Emulsion Droplets
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Centromere drive: model systems and experimental progress.

Damian Dudka1, Michael A Lampson2

  • 1Department of Biology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.

Chromosome Research : an International Journal on the Molecular, Supramolecular and Evolutionary Aspects of Chromosome Biology
|June 22, 2022
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Centromere drive, where DNA selfishly manipulates chromosome inheritance, creates genetic conflict. This study explores its mechanisms and the evolution of proteins that suppress these selfish genetic elements.

Keywords:
centromerecentromere drivemeiosismolecular evolutionnon-Mendelian chromosome segregationpositive selection

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Last Updated: Sep 7, 2025

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Area of Science:

  • Genetics
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Centromeres are crucial for chromosome segregation during cell division.
  • Despite their conserved function, centromeric DNA evolves rapidly, and associated proteins show signs of positive selection.
  • The centromere drive hypothesis suggests centromeric DNA can act as a selfish genetic element, causing biased inheritance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe experimental models for studying centromere drive in yellow monkeyflowers and mice.
  • To summarize evidence and molecular mechanisms of centromere drive.
  • To investigate the role of centromeric proteins in suppressing drive-associated fitness costs.

Main Methods:

  • Development and utilization of experimental model systems in plants (yellow monkeyflowers) and mammals (mice).
  • Genetic and molecular analyses to demonstrate and characterize centromere drive.
  • Investigating the evolutionary pressures on centromeric proteins.

Main Results:

  • Key findings demonstrating the occurrence of centromere drive in model systems.
  • Elucidation of molecular mechanisms underlying centromere drive.
  • Evidence suggesting centromeric proteins may evolve to suppress drive-associated fitness costs.

Conclusions:

  • Centromere drive is a validated phenomenon with significant evolutionary implications.
  • Centromeric proteins are potential targets for suppressing selfish centromeric DNA.
  • Further research is needed to fully understand the interplay between centromere drive and genome evolution.