| Budget Amount *help |
¥3,680,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥480,000)
Fiscal Year 2009: ¥650,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥150,000)
Fiscal Year 2008: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
Fiscal Year 2007: ¥1,600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,600,000)
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| Research Abstract |
Accurate chromosome segregation during meiosis/mitosis critically requires the assembly of a bipolar spindle of proper shape and size. We planned to investigate the underlying mechanisms of chromosome segregation machinery with quantitative force measurements, focusing on the architectural regulatory mechanism of the vertebrate meiotic spindle self-assembled in Xenopus egg extracts. The main results of this project are summarized as follows: (1) We developed a new technique based on the force measurements to probe the mechanical framework of the in vitro assembled spindle.This technique makes it possible to examine the mechanical features of the spindle, such as its deformability and stiffness, with the application of nanonewton forces and micron-size perturbations. (2) Using the force measuring techniques, we found that the meiotic spindle at metaphase behaves like either a viscoelastic or a plastic structure depending on the extent of applied load. (3) Transformations between the metaphase spindles of different sizes can be induced by the applying controlled external force, which indicates that the size-control mechanisms respond to and can be modulated by mechanical perturbation.
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