The positioning mechanics of microtubule asters in Drosophila embryo explants
Microtubule asters are essential in localizing the action of microtubules in processes including mitosis and organelle positioning. In large cells, such as the one-cell sea urchin embryo, aster dynamics are dominated by hydrodynamic pulling forces. However, in systems with more densely positioned nu...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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eLife Sciences Publications Ltd
2024-03-01
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| Series: | eLife |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://elifesciences.org/articles/90541 |
| _version_ | 1797289375060459520 |
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| author | Jorge de-Carvalho Sham Tlili Timothy E Saunders Ivo A Telley |
| author_facet | Jorge de-Carvalho Sham Tlili Timothy E Saunders Ivo A Telley |
| author_sort | Jorge de-Carvalho |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Microtubule asters are essential in localizing the action of microtubules in processes including mitosis and organelle positioning. In large cells, such as the one-cell sea urchin embryo, aster dynamics are dominated by hydrodynamic pulling forces. However, in systems with more densely positioned nuclei such as the early Drosophila embryo, which packs around 6000 nuclei within the syncytium in a crystalline-like order, it is unclear what processes dominate aster dynamics. Here, we take advantage of a cell cycle regulation Drosophila mutant to generate embryos with multiple asters, independent from nuclei. We use an ex vivo assay to further simplify this biological system to explore the forces generated by and between asters. Through live imaging, drug and optical perturbations, and theoretical modeling, we demonstrate that these asters likely generate an effective pushing force over short distances. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T19:03:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-16d5864055d14e339889fb08d48da9b4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-084X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T19:03:04Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | eLife Sciences Publications Ltd |
| record_format | Article |
| series | eLife |
| spelling | doaj.art-16d5864055d14e339889fb08d48da9b42024-03-01T10:25:41ZengeLife Sciences Publications LtdeLife2050-084X2024-03-011210.7554/eLife.90541The positioning mechanics of microtubule asters in Drosophila embryo explantsJorge de-Carvalho0Sham Tlili1Timothy E Saunders2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5755-0060Ivo A Telley3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4444-1046Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Oeiras, PortugalMechanobiology Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, SingaporeMechanobiology Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore; Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, A*Star, Proteos, Singapore, Singapore; Centre for Mechanochemical Cell Biology, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Warwick, United KingdomInstituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Oeiras, PortugalMicrotubule asters are essential in localizing the action of microtubules in processes including mitosis and organelle positioning. In large cells, such as the one-cell sea urchin embryo, aster dynamics are dominated by hydrodynamic pulling forces. However, in systems with more densely positioned nuclei such as the early Drosophila embryo, which packs around 6000 nuclei within the syncytium in a crystalline-like order, it is unclear what processes dominate aster dynamics. Here, we take advantage of a cell cycle regulation Drosophila mutant to generate embryos with multiple asters, independent from nuclei. We use an ex vivo assay to further simplify this biological system to explore the forces generated by and between asters. Through live imaging, drug and optical perturbations, and theoretical modeling, we demonstrate that these asters likely generate an effective pushing force over short distances.https://elifesciences.org/articles/90541centrosomeactive systemsmicrotubulescytoskeletonex vivo |
| spellingShingle | Jorge de-Carvalho Sham Tlili Timothy E Saunders Ivo A Telley The positioning mechanics of microtubule asters in Drosophila embryo explants eLife centrosome active systems microtubules cytoskeleton ex vivo |
| title | The positioning mechanics of microtubule asters in Drosophila embryo explants |
| title_full | The positioning mechanics of microtubule asters in Drosophila embryo explants |
| title_fullStr | The positioning mechanics of microtubule asters in Drosophila embryo explants |
| title_full_unstemmed | The positioning mechanics of microtubule asters in Drosophila embryo explants |
| title_short | The positioning mechanics of microtubule asters in Drosophila embryo explants |
| title_sort | positioning mechanics of microtubule asters in drosophila embryo explants |
| topic | centrosome active systems microtubules cytoskeleton ex vivo |
| url | https://elifesciences.org/articles/90541 |
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