During mitosis, chromosomes are captured by microtubules and aligned at the cell center. The kinetochore, a large protein complex, forms the site at which microtubules connect with chromosomes. Unattached kinetochores form an expanded outer layer called the ‘fibrous corona’, which accelerates chromosome capture and alignment. After a chromosome has aligned correctly, the corona is removed from the kinetochore. However, fundamental information about the architecture, composition and behavior of the corona is lacking. My project focuses on these aspects of the fibrous corona, using super-resolution techniques, proteomics and live-cell imaging.
