Cortical dynein shows PAR polarity-dependent asymmetric dynamics in metaphase. (A) TIRF images of early anaphase cortical eGFP::DHC-1 in different genetic backgrounds, showing plus end–associated (arrow) and cortical dynein dots (arrowhead). Bar graphs show frequency distributions of particle intensities from n = 6 embryos per condition during 10 s starting at posterior spindle displacement. Bar, 1 µm. (B) Cumulative frequency distribution of the data shown in A. (C) Comparison of total particle intensity sums (n = 30–344 particles) for each condition shown in A. (D) TIRF microscopy and FRAP of cortical eGFP::LIN-5 and eGFP::DHC-1 in anterior and posterior regions (indicated with dashed circles) during metaphase. (E) Quantification of FRAP as shown in D. Curves show means ± SEM. egfp::lin-5, n = 28 anterior and 22 posterior; egfp::dhc-1 control, n = 19;, Δebp-2, n = 35; Δebp-2; par-2(RNAi), n = 24; Δebp-2; par-3(RNAi), n = 21. (F) Half-lives for cytoplasmic (one phase) and cortical (two phases: fast and slow) recovery curves. Bars represent means ± SEM. egfp::lin-5 (cytoplasm), n = 7; egfp::dhc-1 (cytoplasm), n = 30. n values for cortical FRAP curves are as in E. Unpaired Welch’s Student’s t test. (G) Quantification of the contribution of fast and slow phases of eGFP::LIN-5 and eGFP::DHC-1 to FRAP. n values are as in E. (H) Recovery of curves shown in E. egfp::lin-5, egfp::dhc-1; Δebp-2, egfp::dhc-1; Δebp-2; par-2(RNAi) anterior versus posterior. Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test. egfp::dhc-1; egfp::dhc-1;Δebp-2; par-3(RNAi) anterior versus posterior. Paired Student’s t test; *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01. n values are as in E.