# The role of microtubule dynamics in midzone driven chromosome segregation in anaphase

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA · 2024 · $335,173

## Abstract

Summary
The faithful segregation of chromosomes during mitosis is a fundamental and important process, happening
approximately a quadrillion time throughout a human life span. Errors in mitosis have severe implications and
are often detrimental to development, health and survival of the organism. Microtubules are the main building
blocks of mitotic spindles and are a very important target for cancer therapy. We know that microtubules, in
particular kinetochore microtubules, exert forces on chromosomes to initially position them on the metaphase
plate and consequently divide them to the two daughter cells. However, recent research has shown that the
central spindle also plays an important role in chromosome segregation. The precise mechanisms of how the
central spindle regulates chromosome segregation are not fully understood today. A line of evidence has
suggested that the central spindle can generate outward pushing forces to move chromosomes, but it has also
been convincingly shown to slow chromosome segregation down by acting like a break. The goal of this
proposal is to dissect the function of the central spindle during anaphase and to identify how the central spindle
generates forces contributing to the segregation of chromosomes. We further aim to establish the contribution
of microtubule dynamics for central spindle function. To achieve this goal, we use the microstructural data
from tomography in wild type and mutant conditions to monitor the microtubule arrangement and properties in
the central spindle during anaphase and to identify potential interactions and force generating mechanisms.
We will complement the precise structural data with dynamic data on microtubules in the midzone obtained by
cutting edge light-microscopic analysis. We will use mathematical modeling to develop and test hypothesis of
how the spindle midzone contributes to chromosome segregation in anaphase. The ultimate goal of our study
is to understand how the central spindle generates forces that regulate the segregation of chromosomes and to
identify the molecular key players of this process

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10763846
- **Project number:** 5R01GM144668-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Stefanie Redemann
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $335,173
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-02-03 → 2027-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10763846

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10763846, The role of microtubule dynamics in midzone driven chromosome segregation in anaphase (5R01GM144668-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10763846. Licensed CC0.

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