The C. elegans TPX2 homologue, TPXL-1, is required for polar clearing. (A) TPXL-1 depletion shortens kinetochore microtubules and increases the distance between the centrosomal aster and the anterior pole; codepletion of HCP-4, which disrupts kinetochore microtubules, rescues this distance. The distance between the anterior centrosome marked with GFP::SPD-5 and the anterior cell pole is plotted for the indicated conditions. n = number of embryos. (B) Time-lapse series of myosin-depleted rga-3/4Δ embryos expressing GFP::anillin, a GFP::centrosome marker (SPD-5, cyan) and mCherry::histone (red). Representative tpxl-1(RNAi) (top; n = 8) and hcp-4 tpxl-1(RNAi) (bottom; n = 10) embryos are shown. (C) Kymographs of the cortex at the anterior pole in the embryos in B beginning 180 s after NEBD. (D) Normalized cortical GFP::anillin fluorescence is plotted for the anterior pole; n = number of linescans. Images and quantification for hcp-4(RNAi) in C and D were reproduced from Fig. 2 (D and E) for comparison. (E) Time-lapse series of myosin-depleted rga-3/4Δ embryos expressing LifeAct::mKate2. Representative hcp-4(RNAi) (top; n = 9) and hcp-4 tpxl-1(RNAi) (bottom; n = 7) embryos are shown. (F) Kymographs of the cortex at the anterior pole in the embryos in E beginning 180 s after NEBD. (G) Normalized cortical LifeAct::mKate2 fluorescence is plotted for the anterior pole; n = number of linescans. All error bars are SEM. Bars, 5 µm.