Authors: Florian S, Mayer TU
Abstract
Activity of the sliding motor Eg5 and coordinated microtubule dynamics are both essential for mitotic spindle pole separation. It is still a matter of controversy if changes in microtubule dynamics can compensate inhibition of Eg5 activity and re-enable bipolarization. Using a consistent live-cell-imaging approach, we show that perturbation of microtubule dynamics can compensate inhibition of Eg5 through a spindle formation process reminiscent of meiosis: In Eg5-inhibited mammalian somatic cells, alteration of microtubule dynamics through depletion of TOGp or low doses of nocodazole induces the formation of multiple acentrosomal spindle poles which pass through an intermediate multipolar state followed by bipolarization. Pole separation depends...

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