Fig. 4. Roles of dynein in the fission yeast, S. pombe. (A) Nuclear migration. During meiotic prophase, dynein mediates the cortical attachment of astral microtubules (purple lines) emanating from the SPB (red circles) and drives their lateral sliding at the attachment site toward the cell end (red arrow), resulting in movement of the nucleus toward the end (black arrow). The microtubules shorten during the movement and eventually disappear when the nucleus reaches the cortical attachment site of the microtubule. The nucleus moves towards the opposite side (black arrow) when cortical attachment of microtubules is established in the other side of the cell (red arrow). The nucleus moves until it reaches the cortical attachment site of the microtubules. This series is repeated during meiotic prophase. (B) Telomere clustering. During mitotic interphase, centromeres (white circles) are located near the SPB, whereas telomeres (red rectangles) are located away from it, probably in association with nuclear membrane. Upon entering meiosis, telomeres move towards the SPB to form a telomere cluster, which remains near the SPB during meiotic prophase, whereas centromeres dissociate from the SPB. Dynein plays a role in telomere clustering. (C) Nuclear fusion. Upon nitrogen starvation, haploid fission yeast cells with opposite mating types fuse to form a zygote containing a diploid nucleus. Dynein and Klp2 drive fusion of two haploid nuclei in the zygote.

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