Chromosome division during anaphase: centromere vs. kinetochore mechanism

[Genecks]

In the past year, I've come across a new hypothesis that states that the kinetochore is responsible for the pulling feature that occurs in anaphase.

 

If I remember how the experiment to prove such a theory occurred, what happened was that the tublin proteins that attach from the centromere to the kinetochore were fluorescently labeled. From there, a laser was shined across a band of the kinetochore to see which part of the protein chain was shortening. It was found that the kinetochore is moving toward the centromere and the centromere is not pulling at all. Thus, this suggested that the kinetochore is somehow chewing up the tubulin like a person eating a person of licorice.

 

Analogy:

A person holds the licorice in a static position with the hand (centromere extending chain) and the person's head with jaw and eating force (chromosome with kinetochore) moves down the chain and eats it (the chromosome's kinetochore eats the licorice and moves toward the hand).

 

What are all of your thoughts on this?

 

Is the theory of breakdown of tublin by the kinetochore feasible, thus no pull force is created by the centromere?

Edited December 25, 2009 by Genecks

[CharonY]

What precisely is new about this?