
We investigated the role of Pav-KLP, a kinesin-6, in the coordination of spindle and cortical dynamics during mitosis in Drosophila embryos. In vitro, Pav-KLP behaves as a dimer. In vivo, it localizes to mitotic spindles and furrows. Inhibition of Pav-KLP causes defects in both spindle dynamics and furrow ingression, as well as causing changes in the distribution of actin and vesicles. Thus, Pav-KLP stabilizes the spindle by crosslinking interpolar microtubule bundles and contributes to actin furrow formation possibly by transporting membrane vesicles, actin and/or actin regulatory molecules along astral microtubules. Modeling suggests that furrow ingression during cellularization depends on: (1) a Pav-KLP-dependent force driving an initial slow stage of ingression; and (2) the subsequent Pav-KLP-driven transport of actin- and membrane-containing vesicles to the furrow during a fast stage of ingression. We hypothesize that Pav-KLP is a multifunctional mitotic motor that contributes both to bundling of interpolar microtubules, thus stabilizing the spindle, and to a biphasic mechanism of furrow ingression by pulling down the furrow and transporting vesicles that deliver new material to the descending furrow.
Embryo, Nonmammalian, Microscopy, Confocal, Mitosis, Spindle Apparatus, Microtubules, Actins, Fluorescence, Tubulin Modulators, Protein Transport, Animals, Drosophila Proteins, Drosophila, Antibodies, Blocking, Microtubule-Associated Proteins, Microtubule-Organizing Center
Embryo, Nonmammalian, Microscopy, Confocal, Mitosis, Spindle Apparatus, Microtubules, Actins, Fluorescence, Tubulin Modulators, Protein Transport, Animals, Drosophila Proteins, Drosophila, Antibodies, Blocking, Microtubule-Associated Proteins, Microtubule-Organizing Center
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