Endomembranes promote chromosome missegregation by ensheathing misaligned chromosomes

Abstract

Errors in mitosis that cause chromosome missegregation lead to aneuploidy and micronuclei formation which are associated with cancer. Accurate segregation requires the alignment of all chromosomes by the mitotic spindle at the metaphase plate, and any misalignment must be corrected before anaphase is triggered. The spindle is situated in a membrane-free “exclusion zone”, beyond this zone, endomembranes (endoplasmic reticulum, nuclear envelope and other organelles) are densely packed. We asked what happens to misaligned chromosomes that find themselves beyond the exclusion zone? Here we show that such chromosomes become ensheathed in multiple layers of endomembranes. Chromosome ensheathing delays mitosis and increases the frequency of chromosome missegregation. The micronuclei that form following missegregation have a disrupted nuclear envelope with internal endomembranes. We use an induced organelle relocalization strategy in live cells to show that clearance of endomembranes allows for the rescue of chromosomes that were destined for missegregation. Our findings indicate that endomembranes promote the missegregation of misaligned chromosomes that are outside the exclusion zone, and therefore constitute a risk factor for aneuploidy.