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Centromere and kinetochore structure.

W C Earnshaw1, J E Tomkiel

  • 1Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205.

Current Opinion in Cell Biology
|February 1, 1992
PubMed
Summary

Researchers are uncovering the complex structure and function of centromeres. New assays and identified proteins in yeast and mammals are advancing our understanding of centromere assembly and microtubule attachment.

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Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Centromeres are crucial for chromosome segregation during cell division.
  • Understanding centromere structure and function is essential for cell cycle regulation.
  • Previous research has identified some components but a complete picture is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the structural and regulatory components of centromeres.
  • To develop new assays for studying centromere function.
  • To identify novel proteins involved in centromere assembly and microtubule attachment.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe) models.
  • Identifying and characterizing centromere-specific DNA sequences.
  • Developing in vitro microtubule-binding assays.
  • Characterizing mammalian centromere proteins through localization and inhibition studies.

Main Results:

  • New proteins essential for centromere function identified in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
  • An in vitro assay developed to dissect centromere-microtubule attachment.
  • Centromere-specific DNA sequences identified and partially characterized in Schizosaccharomyces pombe.
  • Mammalian centromere proteins further characterized, suggesting roles in kinetochore assembly and regulation.

Conclusions:

  • Advances in yeast models are providing insights into centromere assembly and function.
  • New assays facilitate the study of critical centromere-microtubule interactions.
  • Characterization of mammalian proteins highlights their regulatory roles in kinetochore formation.

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