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Related Concept Videos

Histone Variants at the Centromere02:30

Histone Variants at the Centromere

Histone variants are the histone proteins with structural and sequence variations. These variants may be regarded as “mutant” forms that replace their canonical histone counterparts in the nucleosomes. Specific post-translational modifications on the histone variants enable further chromatin complexity and regulate tissue-specific gene expression. The most common histone variants are from histone H2A, H2B, and linker histone H1 families. However, several variants of histone H3 variants are also...
Centrosome Duplication02:25

Centrosome Duplication

The primary microtubule organizing center (MTOC) in animal cells is the centrosome. A centrosome has two cylindrical centrioles at its core. Each centriole consists of nine sets of three microtubules held together by proteins. The centrioles are positioned at right angles to each other and surrounded by a shapeless protein cloud called the pericentriolar matrix, or pericentriolar material (PCM).
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Spindle Assembly02:50

Spindle Assembly

Spindle assembly occurs through three, often coexisting, pathways – the centrosome-mediated pathway, the chromatin-mediated pathway, and the microtubule-mediated pathway – collectively contributing to form a robust spindle apparatus.
In most cells, centrosomes are the primary microtubule nucleation centers. In the centrosome-mediated pathway, the G2-prophase transition triggers centrosome maturation and increased microtubule nucleation. Progressive nucleation results in a microtubule array...
Attachment of Sister Chromatids02:57

Attachment of Sister Chromatids

As cells progress into mitosis, the nuclear envelope breaks down, and the condensed chromosomes are exposed to the array of bipolar microtubules of the mitotic spindle. The kinetochore, a large, disc-shaped protein complex, is present at the centromere region of the sister chromatids and acts as a binding site for the microtubules.  Usually, the plus-end of a single microtubule is embedded within the kinetochore. However, some kinetochores first establish lateral contact with the side-wall of a...
Attachment of Sister Chromatids02:57

Attachment of Sister Chromatids

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Centrioles and Centrosomes01:13

Centrioles and Centrosomes

Most animal cells comprise a pair of centrioles together called a centrosome. The cell duplicates its centrosome and contains two centrosomes side-by-side, which begin to move apart during the prophase. As the centrosomes migrate to two different sides of the cell, microtubules start extending from each centrosome toward the other end. The mitotic spindle is composed of the centrosomes and their emerging microtubules.
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Immunofluorescence Analysis of Endogenous and Exogenous Centromere-kinetochore Proteins
05:35

Immunofluorescence Analysis of Endogenous and Exogenous Centromere-kinetochore Proteins

Published on: March 3, 2016

Centromere assembly and propagation.

Corey A Morris1, Danesh Moazed

  • 1Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. cmorris@hms.harvard.edu

Cell
|February 27, 2007
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Centromere assembly uses epigenetic strategies to build and maintain essential DNA structures across cell divisions. This review explores how organisms from yeast to humans achieve this complex, sequence-independent process.

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Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Epigenetics
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Centromeres are crucial for accurate chromosome segregation during cell division.
  • Centromere assembly is a complex process involving protein structures built on DNA.
  • This assembly is independent of specific DNA sequences and must be stably propagated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review epigenetic strategies for centromere assembly and propagation.
  • To explore how active centromeres are established and maintained across cell divisions.
  • To compare these strategies in diverse organisms, from yeast to humans.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of epigenetic mechanisms.
  • Analysis of centromere assembly and propagation strategies.
  • Comparative study across different species.

Main Results:

  • Identified diverse epigenetic mechanisms for centromere formation.
  • Highlighted sequence-independent DNA binding by centromeric proteins.
  • Demonstrated stable propagation of centromeric structures through cell division.

Conclusions:

  • Epigenetic regulation is key to assembling and propagating centromeres.
  • Organisms employ conserved and divergent strategies for centromere maintenance.
  • Understanding these mechanisms is vital for cell division fidelity.