A plant-derived protein known as colchicine can be used to poison cells by blocking the formation of the spindle. Which of the following would result if colchicine is added to a sample of cells in G2?
A) The cells would immediately die.
B) The cells would be unable to begin M and stay in G2.
C) The chromosomes would coil and shorten but have no spindle to which to attach.
D) The chromosomes would segregate but in a disorderly pattern.
E) Each resultant daughter cell would also be unable to form a spindle.

Question

blues · Answer

The spindle is a scaffold to which chromosomes attach themselves at the middle of the cell. As the two cells separate, the spindle pulls one copy of each chromosome into each daughter cell.

So if the spindle wasn't there, the chromosomes would coil and shorten but there wouldn't be a spindle for them to interact with. When the cells divided, there is no telling how many or which copies of which chromosomes wound up in each daughter cell.

anonymous · Answer

so wat is the answer?

blues · Answer

C. If you read the answer carefully, it was the first sentence of the second paragraph. Sorry that wasn't clear.