Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Biophys J. 2010 Nov 17;99(10):3182-90. doi: 10.1016/j.bpj.2010.09.053.
During mitosis, microtubules (MTs), aided by motors and associated proteins, assemble into a mitotic spindle. Recent evidence supports the notion that a membranous spindle matrix aids spindle formation; however, the mechanisms by which the matrix may contribute to spindle assembly are unknown. To search for a mechanism by which the presence of a mitotic membrane might help spindle morphology, we built a computational model that explores the interactions between these components. We show that an elastic membrane around the mitotic apparatus helps to focus MT minus ends and provides a resistive force that acts antagonistically to plus-end-directed MT motors such as Eg5.
在有丝分裂过程中,微管(MTs)在马达和相关蛋白的辅助下组装成有丝分裂纺锤体。最近的证据支持这样一种观点,即一个膜性纺锤体基质有助于纺锤体的形成;然而,基质可能有助于纺锤体组装的机制尚不清楚。为了寻找有丝分裂膜存在的机制可能有助于纺锤体形态的形成,我们构建了一个计算模型来探索这些成分之间的相互作用。我们表明,有丝分裂装置周围的弹性膜有助于聚焦 MT 负端,并提供一种与 Eg5 等指向正端的 MT 马达相反的阻力。