ArticleCurrent biology : CB2019
Microtubule End-Clustering Maintains a Steady-State Spindle Shape.
Article in Current biology : CB, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 23 papers.
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Who cites it
23 citing papers in PubMed, 39 citations in OpenAlex.
- Activation and regulation of the dynein-dynactin-NuMA complex.Nature chemical biology · 2026Article
- Multiscale temporal tuning of force generation complex machinery governs cortical microtubule interactions during the first mitotic division inbioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- Eg5 activity and density-driven bundling organize the human metaphase mitotic spindle independently of spindle bipolarity.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- Aurora A regulates the material property of spindle poles to orchestrate nuclear organization at mitotic exit.The EMBO journal · 2025Article
- Alternative splicing repurposes the Drosophila mitotic regulator Mud for meiotic functions.Genetics · 2025Article
- NuMA mechanically reinforces the spindle independently of its partner dynein.Current biology : CB · 2025Article
- Motor-driven microtubule diffusion in a photobleached dynamical coordinate system.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2025Article
- NuMA is a mitotic adaptor protein that activates dynein and connects it to microtubule minus ends.The Journal of cell biology · 2025Article
- Molecular design principles for bipolar spindle organization by two opposing motors.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2025Article
- NuMA mechanically reinforces the spindle independently of its partner dynein.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2024Article
- Article
- Mechanisms underlying spindle assembly and robustness.Nature reviews. Molecular cell biology · 2023Review
- Kinetochore-fiber lengths are maintained locally but coordinated globally by poles in the mammalian spindle.eLife · 2023Article
- Understanding the underlying mechanisms governing spindle orientation: How far are we from there?Journal of cellular and molecular medicine · 2022Review
- Modest increase of KIF11 expression exposes fragilities in the mitotic spindle, causing chromosomal instability.Journal of cell science · 2022Article
- Cross-linker design determines microtubule network organization by opposing motors.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2022Article
- Opposing motors provide mechanical and functional robustness in the human spindle.Developmental cell · 2021Article
- The mitotic protein NuMA plays a spindle-independent role in nuclear formation and mechanics.The Journal of cell biology · 2020Article
- NuMA interaction with chromatin is vital for proper chromosome decondensation at the mitotic exit.Molecular biology of the cell · 2020Article
- PP2A--B55γ counteracts Cdk1 and regulates proper spindle orientation through the cortical dynein adaptor NuMA.Journal of cell science · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
Each time a cell divides, the microtubule cytoskeleton self-organizes into the metaphase spindle: an ellipsoidal steady-state structure that holds its stereotyped geometry despite microtubule turnover and internal stresses [1-6]. Regulation of microtubule dynamics, motor proteins, microtubule crosslinking, and chromatid cohesion can modulate spindle size and shape, and yet modulated spindles reach and hold a new steady state [7-11]. Here, we ask what maintains any spindle steady-state geometry. We report that clustering of microtubule ends by dynein and NuMA is essential for mammalian spindles to hold a steady-state shape. After dynein or NuMA deletion, the mitotic microtubule network is "turbulent"; microtubule bundles extend and bend against the cell cortex, constantly remodeling network shape. We find that spindle turbulence is driven by the homotetrameric kinesin-5 Eg5, and that acute Eg5 inhibition in turbulent spindles recovers spindle geometry and stability. Inspired by in vitro work on active turbulent gels of microtubules and kinesin [12, 13], we explore the kinematics of this in vivo turbulent network. We find that turbulent spindles display decreased nematic order and that motile asters distort the nematic director field. Finally, we see that turbulent spindles can drive both flow of cytoplasmic organelles and whole-cell movement-analogous to the autonomous motility displayed by droplet-encapsulated turbulent gels [12]. Thus, end-clustering by dynein and NuMA is required for mammalian spindles to reach a steady-state geometry, and in their absence Eg5 powers a turbulent microtubule network inside mitotic cells.
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