chromosomes

We develop a computational model of fission-yeast mitosis using a course-grained Brownian Dynamic framework in conjunction with a force-dependent kinetic Monte Carlo algorithm to replicate the biorientation and segregation of chromosomes.

Recent work has found that microtubule rotational diffusion about minus-end attachment points contributes to kinetochore capture in fission yeast, but the relative contributions of dynamic instability and rotational diffusion are not well understood.

To better understand the role of kinesin-8 proteins in mitosis, we have studied the effects of deletion of the fission-yeast kinesin-8 proteins Klp5 and Klp6 on chromosome movements and spindle length dynamics.

When chromosomes are being separated in preparation for cell division, their motions are slow relative to the speed at which many motor enzymes can move their cellular cargoes and at which microtubules depolymerize.