An optimum rate of microtubule flux for error correction in metaphase spindle

Accurate chromosome segregation requires efficient corrections of erroneous kinetochore-microtubule attachments during metaphase. However, the detailed mechanisms of how the erroneous attachments can be corrected in the metaphase spindle with the presence of microtubule poleward flux are unclear. To explore the mechanisms and understand the roles the flux plays in the error correction, here we study numerically the correction of various erroneous (merotelic, syntelic, and monotelic) attachments in the metaphase spindle exhibiting the flux. We show that with the effect of kinase Aurora B activity, the erroneous attachments can be corrected efficiently. In contrast, without the effect of Aurora B activity the erroneous attachments cannot be corrected efficiently. More interestingly, we find that an optimum rate of the microtubule poleward flux or an optimum amplitude of the kinetochore oscillation is present, which can result in both the efficient error correction and high mitotic fidelity.