Tension-clock control of human mitotic chromosome oscillations

Abstract

During cell division paired (sister) chromosomes are observed to perform approximate saw-tooth oscillations across the cell mid-plane. Experimental data suggests that these oscillations are regulated through intersister tension. We propose a time dependent tension threshold model that exhibits three stable periodic solutions and the phase diagram can be generated semi-analytically. Incorporation of diffusive noise reproduces realistic oscillations, with realistic periods, amplitudes and reproducing the observation that either sister of the pair can switch direction first.

arXiv comment4 pages (including references and figure legends), 3 figures