Fig. 5: Anaphase cytoplasmic flows scale by confinement that ultimately scales NER.

a, Flow velocity near the chromosomes as a function of cell length. Bins, cell stage. n = 15, 20, 6, 8, 6 and 4 PIV measurements from 10, 13, 7, 4, 4 and 3 embryos at 4-, 8-, 16-, 32-, 64- and 128-cell stages, respectively. b, Correlation between flow velocity near the chromosomes and chromosome velocity. Same cells as in a at ten timepoints, corresponding to the 100–200 s after anaphase time window. Fit, linear regression. c, Results of theoretical analysis of chromosome separation distance as a function of time. t = 0 s, anaphase onset. The colours correspond to simulated cells of different sizes. d, Position of NER as a function of cell length. Theoretical data, orange; experimental data, blue. Bin 1, n = 3 cells; bin 2, n = 6 cells; bin 3, n = 19 cells; bin 4, n = 14 cells; bin 5, n = 55 cells. Bins, cell length. e,f, Vorticity (e) and velocity (f) of computed flows in a big cell, corresponding to a 4-cell stage experimental cell. g,h, Vorticity (g) and velocity (h) of computed flows in a small cell, corresponding to a 16-cell stage experimental cell. In e–h: arrows, flow field; red circles show the position of chromosomes. i, Control and aspirated embryo, at the 2-cell stage. j, Kymograph of a cell from a control and an aspirated embryo (2-cell stage). Left: H2B–mCherry, blue arrowheads highlight histone aggregates. Right: WGA-640 (blue) and NLS-GFP (yellow). Note that chromosome separation is reduced in the aspirated embryo. k, Position of NER in control (filled circles) and aspirated embryos (asterisks). Colours show different developmental stages. l, Position of NER in control (filled circles) and aspirated embryos (asterisks), by cell stage. For the same developmental stage, NER occurs at shorter distances in aspirated embryos. n = 14, 17, 9 and 8 cells from 13, 16, 9 and 7 embryos from 2- and 4-cell stage control and 2- and 4-cell stage aspirated embryos, respectively.

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