Which stage of mitosis involves sister chromatids separating and moving toward opposite poles?

Question

Which stage of mitosis involves sister chromatids separating and moving toward opposite poles?

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The question asks which stage of mitosis features the separation of sister chromatids and their movement toward opposite poles.
First, recognize that sister chromatids are held together at the centromere until they are pulled apart during mitosis. 
Next, consider the main stages of mitosis: prophase, prometaphase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase (with cytokinesis following).
In prophase, chromatin condenses into visible chromosomes and the nuclear envelope begins to break down, but sister chromatids have not yet separated.
Prometaphase involves further chromosome condensation and attachment of spindle fibers to kinetochores, yet separation has not occurred.
Metaphase is characterized by chromosomes aligning along the equatorial plane with kinetochores attached to spindle fibers, but the centromeres have not split.
Anaphase is the key stage where the sister chromatids split at the centromere and are pulled toward opposite poles by shortening of microtubules attached to kinetochores and by motor proteins walking along microtubules. This rapid separation ensures each daughter cell will receive an identical set of chromosomes.
Telophase follows, during which the chromosomes arrive at the poles, begin de-condensing, and the nuclear envelope reforms, but the critical separation of chromatids has already occurred in anaphase.
If there were other options listed, they would typically correspond to earlier stages (prophase/prometaphase/metaphase) or a later stage (telophase/cytokinesis), none of which involve the actual separation of sister chromatids in the way described.
In short, the defining action of sister chromatid separation and movement to opposite poles occurs specifically during anaphase, which aligns with the provided answer.

01:447:380:17 GENETICS Week 8- In-person problem set_Fa25

Which stage of mitosis involves sister chromatids separating and moving toward opposite poles?

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