Spindle chemistry

Only the major features of spindle organization as now known will be considered here. Spindle chemistry, kinetochore structure, and some details of spindle organization will be discussed in the sections which follow on chromosome movement and distribution. 

Spindle Chemistry. The spindle itself (i.e., ignoring the chromosomes) contains examples of all major cellular constituents nucleic acids (RNA), proteins, lipids, and polysaccharides (reviewed by Forer, 1969). Characterization of these components is so far limited to two or three proteins discussed below and some initial studies of the RNA species (Hartmann and Zimmerman, 1968). It must be remembered here as in the morphological studies that significant materials may well have escaped detection (Forer, 1969). Necessarily, most chemical studies start with isolated spindles with the risk not only of cytoplasmic contamination but also of substantial loss of material (Forer, 1969 Forer and Goldman, 1969). 

Wu SP, Wu G, Surerus KK, Cowan JA (2002) Iron-sulfur cluster biosynthesis. Kinetic analysis of [2Fe-2S] cluster transfer from holo ISU to apo Fd role of redox chemistry and a conserved aspartate. Biochemistry 41 8876-8885 Yaffe MP, Stuurman N, Vale RD (2003) Mitochondrial positioning in fission yeast is driven by association with dynamic microtubules and mitotic spindle poles. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 100 11424-11428... 

It is known that pyrazolines and pyrazoles are an important class of pharmacophores [1,2,3,4, 5,6], Heterocycles containing these fragments are important targets in synthetic and medicinal chemistry since they are key moieties in numerous biologically active compounds possessing tranquilizing, muscle relaxant, psychoanaleptic, anticonvulsant and antidepressant activities [7, 8, 9,10,11,12], This includes kinesin spindle protein [12] and monoamine oxidase [13, 14] inhibitors as well as antimycobacterial [15, 16] and anti-inflammatory [17] agents. 

Brain size and chemistry are strongly influenced by genes. Language and other cognitive functions evolved over millions of years, while the size of human brain tripled. Microcephaly is a disease characterized by a 70% reduction in brain size. It results from a mutation of the spindle-like microcephaly associated (ASPM) gene (Lahn,2005). There is a failure of separation of chromosomes during meiosis, the process where one diploid eukaryotic cell divides into four haploid cells, called gametes. Persons with microcephaly have a small cerebral cortex and often suffer from mental retardation. 

Nabavi N., Spalla O., Cabane B.J. Surface chemistry ofnanometric ceria particles in aqueous dispersions. J. Colloid Interface Sci. 1993 160 459 71 Napper, Polymeric Stabilization of Colloidal Dispersions. New York Academic Press, 1983 Ozaki M., Kratohvil S., Matijevic E. Formation of monodisperse spindle-type hematite particles. J. Colloid Interface Sci. 1984 102(1) 146-151... 

The nonhydrolytic M—O—M bond formation via ester elimination between metal alkoxides and carboxylic acids is a well-known approach in sol-gel chemistry. In this direction, titanium -butoxide and acetic acid were used for the nonhydrolytic synthesis of anatase Ti02 nanopartides at 100 °C [92]. Moreover, spindle-shaped nanoporous anatase Ti02 mesocrystals with a single-crystal-like structure and tunable sizes were synthesized in the tetrabutyl titanate and acetic acid system without any additives imder solvothermal conditions [93]. A complex mesoscale assembly process, involving oriented aggregation of tiny anatase nanocrystals and entrapment of in situ produced butyl acetate as a porogen, was proposed for the formation of the mesocrystals. They exhibited a good performance as anode material for lithium ion batteries [93]. 

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