How do cells know to line up homologous pairs at the metphase plate

[CrazCo]

Does it just happen? I just don't understand how it could be efficient enough to know that.

[pioneer]

Chromosomes are hydrogen bonded molecular configurations dissolved within water. All the packing with proteins, and the various levels of winding, allow chromosomes to define low configurational energy. The arrangement of homologous pairs is an hydrogen bonding configuration of even higher order and even lower energy. When this configuration separates into two sets of chromosomes, it will increase configurational energy. We need to add energy, via ATP, to increase the potential, to get this higher energy arrangement. Without this energy, the pairs would remain closer to lowest energy.

 

This arrangement is influenced by the centrioles, which are also hydrogen bonding configurations positioned at lowest energy relative to the membrane and its proteins and the DNA. The DNA goes to the lowest energy place between the two sets of centriole, since going either way off center would create a potential. The planar arrangement is the sweet spot of lowest energy.

 

Microtubules connect the configurational potential between the centrioles and the DNA, since the DNA and centriole are at different potentials. The highly packed DNA is about as low potential as it gets. The cell then uses ATP energy to increase the energy of the entire composite structure. This will separate the configuration of the DNA into two higher energy configurations, with movement toward the centriole adding extra configurational energy. The cell tries to lower this potential, resulting in the flow of membrane forming two cells.

 

Making use of configurational potential allows the process to be fool proof. Evolution had the impact of making it more efficient. Because the process is based on configurational potential, it is fairly flexible with respect to some details in the process, as long as the potentials add up. This is another fail safe so different forms of life can still get the job done.

 

 

 

Increasing configuration potential from the metaphase plane will not be a simple reversal of the DNA packing leading to the homologous pairs. The continuity of an energy increase, makes it easier to separate the pairs rather than reverse packing, due to the steric hindrance created within the DNA, i.e, least energy way.

 

A good example of the effect is throwing paper clips in a dish. They get all meshed together. To reverse this into separate paper clips, again, we will not necessarily copy the toss backwards. But rather grab a bunch and let then separate as a group and then start to separate the bunch. The cell graps two bunches and start to separate the paper clips. This is another fool proof or fail safe design to assure two cells.