Chromosome Oscillations in Mitosis

Abstract

The motion and positioning of chromosomes during eukaryotic cell division is investigated theoretically. We perform a self-contained analysis where the motion of mono-oriented chromosomes results from the competition between the kinetochore and chromokinesin motors on the chromosome arms. We show that the interplay between the asterlike morphology of the mitotic spindle and the collective dynamics of motors accounts for chromosome motion, positioning, and congression. In particular, the characteristic oscillations of chromosomes observed in vivo arise naturally within this description.