Polewards chromosome movement driven by microtubule depolymerization in vitro

Abstract

We constructed complexes between isolated chromosomes and microtubules made from purified tubulin to study the movement of chromosomes towards the 'minus' end of microtubules in vitro, a process analogous to the movement of chromosomes towards the pole of the spindle at anaphase of mitosis. Our results show that the energy for this movement is derived solely from microtubule depolymerization, and indicate that anaphase movement of chromosomes is both powered and regulated by microtubule depolymerization at the kinetochore.