NAME:

Stanley Jiang

QUIZ for Monday, 4/6

1) What are kinetochore microtubules and how do they function to cause the partitioning of
sister chromatids during anaphase.
Kinetochore microtubules are those spindle microtubules that extend from the spindle pole
and binds itself to the kinetochore of a chromosome after the nuclear envelope has broken down.
Because that sister chromatids typically face opposite directions, each chromatid attaches to
opposite poles, which generates tension on the kinetochores of each chromosome because they are
being pulled in opposite directions. Once a tension signal is released after each sister kinetochore
attaches correctly, the cell is ready to be separated. These kinetochore microtubules shorten to
move the attached chromatids apart to each pole during Anaphase 1.
2) Why do motor proteins require ATP to function? (Hint: see page 155 & Fig 4.46)
Motor proteins, such as myosin or chines, uses energy from ATP hydrolysis the move itself
along a cytoskeletal fiber. To do this, the ATP gets hydrolyzed to release the free energy that
generates movement. However, to prevent the proteins from moving in random directions, there are
conformational changes in the protein that prevent backwards movement. The motor proteins also
have the ability to acts as ATPases that also have conformational changes that prevents the reversal
of ATP hydrolysis that is required to create a backwards movement for the specific type of motor
protein. Without the ability to regenerate ATP from ADP and inorganic P, then reverse movement in
these proteins are not possible.
3) Microtubules become 20 times more dynamic during mitosis. Why is it advantageous to have
very dynamic microtubules during prometaphase?
It is important that there is enough strength to pull apart the cell into two daughter cells
during mitosis. The microtubules are dynamic and have various roles depending on the type. The
kinetochore microtubules, as the name suggests, connects directly to the kinetochores of the sister
chromatids and pull them apart. The astral microtubules anchor themselves to the cell membrane to
pull the poles farther apart, while the interloper microtubules have the ability to slide past one
another to create additional pull. These different types of microtubules will ensure more correct cell
division when it occurs.
4) Thought Question: Consider a cell in metaphase. What do you think would happen if you use a
laser to destroy the kinetochore on one side of a metaphase chromosome? (Hint: do you think
the 2 sister chromatids will stay together? Why or why not? Do you think that the chromosome
will stay at the metaphase plate? Why or why not?
At the beginning of metaphase, the chromosomes should already be aligned at the metaphase
plate. If the kinetochore of one of the chromatids are destroyed, then there would be no site for the
kinetochore microtubules to attach to. This means that the two sister chromatids will not be able to
separate from one another. The chromosome as a whole would not be able to stay in the center of
the cell. To stay in the center of the cell, there must be two microtubules attached onto opposite
kinetochores to create tension that pulls the chromosome both sides. If the link to one side is
severed, then there is no tension keeping the chromosome on the metaphase plate, thus having an
extra copy of a sister chromatid within the new daughter cell if it divides.