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Microtubules in the fungal pathogen Ustilago maydis are highly dynamic and determine cell polarity

Gero Steinberg, Roland Wedlich-Söldner, Marianne Brill^‡ and Irene Schulz

Institut für Genetik und Mikrobiologie, LMU, Maria-Ward-Straße 1a, D-80638 München, Germany

Bending of a MT in FB1otefGFPTub1. Note that the bend MT is neither in contact with the cortex nor with other MTs suggesting that it interacts with invisible cell components.

Bending of MTs in FB1otefGFPTub1. MTs are focussed towards one cell pole. Cortical sliding of MTs appears to cause bending of the left bundle, demonstrating that MTs interact at the focus point. Note that bending is followed by a release and another bending.

Bending of a MT-bundle in FB2rGFPTub1. No indications for MT interaction with the cortex is obvious, suggesting that bending results from sliding within the bundle.

In FB1otefGFPTub1 a rigid bridge of spindle MTs connects two asters during anaphase B. Astral MTs have contact with the cortex and appear to exert pulling force on the spindle poles resulting in lateral motion of the aster. These forces most likely supports spindle elongation during mitosis.

Motion of a short MT along a filamentous track that appears dark as it excludes the cytoplasmic background of GFP-Tub1 fusion protein in FB1otefGFPTub1. Note that the MT has no contact with other MTs.

Formation, sliding and cortical motion of a short free MT. A MT elongates while it remains attached to another MT. The attached end slides along this MT, while the other end still elongates. As it gains contact with the cortex the short MT changes direction and subsequently detaches and rapidly moves along the cortex.

In FB1otefGFPTub1 a rigid bridge of spindle MTs connects two asters during anaphase B. Astral MTs have contact with the cortex and appear to exert pulling force on the spindle poles resulting in lateral motion of the aster. These forces most likely support spindle elongation during mitosis.

Prior to cytokinesis, nuclei are positioned within mother and daughter cell, respectively. Dynamic astral MTs kept contact with the cortex and prominent short range motion of the asters was observed.

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