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

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA · 2024 · $50,453

## Abstract

Summary/Abstract
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 forcSumes 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 by 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:** 10990673
- **Project number:** 3R01GM144668-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Stefanie Redemann
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $50,453
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2022-02-03 → 2027-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10990673

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10990673, The role of microtubule dynamics in midzone driven chromosome segregation in anaphase (3R01GM144668-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10990673. Licensed CC0.

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