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Histone Variants at the Centromere

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...

The Nucleosome Core Particle

The Nucleosome Core Particle

Nucleosomes are the DNA-histone complex, where the DNA strand is wound around the histone core. The histone core is an octamer containing two copies of H2A, H2B, H3, and H4 histone proteins.
Nucleosomes, paradoxically, perform two opposite functions simultaneously. On the one hand, their primary aim is to protect the delicate DNA strands from physical damage and help achieve a higher compaction ratio. On the other hand, they must allow polymerase enzymes to access histone-bound DNA during...

The Nucleosome Core Particle

The Nucleosome Core Particle

Nucleosomes are the DNA-histone complex, where the DNA strand is wound around the histone core. The histone core is an octamer containing two copies of H2A, H2B, H3, and H4 histone proteins.
The paradox
Nucleosomes, paradoxically, perform two opposite functions simultaneously. On the one hand, their main responsibility is to protect the delicate DNA strands from physical damage and help achieve a higher compaction ratio. While on the other hand, they must allow polymerase enzymes to access DNA...

Histone Modification

Histone Modification

The histone proteins have a flexible N-terminal tail extending out from the nucleosome. These histone tails are often subjected to post-translational modifications such as acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation, and ubiquitination. Particular combinations of these modifications form “histone codes” that influence the chromatin folding and tissue-specific gene expression.
Acetylation
The enzyme histone acetyltransferase adds acetyl group to the histones. Another enzyme, histone deacetylase,...

Histone Modification

Histone Modification

The histone proteins have a flexible N-terminal tail extending out from the nucleosome. These histone tails are often subjected to post-translational modifications such as acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation, and ubiquitination. Particular combinations of these modifications form “histone codes” that influence the chromatin folding and tissue-specific gene expression.
Acetylation
The enzyme histone acetyltransferase adds acetyl group to the histones. Another enzyme, histone deacetylase,...

Centrioles and Centrosomes

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.
Near the end of the prophase, also called late prophase or "prometaphase,"...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Immunofluorescence Analysis of Endogenous and Exogenous Centromere-kinetochore Proteins

Immunofluorescence Analysis of Endogenous and Exogenous Centromere-kinetochore Proteins

Published on: March 3, 2016

The histone variant CENP-A and centromere specification

Ben E Black¹, Emily A Bassett

¹Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and Program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. blackbe@mail.med.upenn.edu

Current Opinion in Cell Biology

|January 30, 2008

Summary

The centromere

Area of Science:

Epigenetics and Molecular Biology
Chromosomal Biology
Cellular Biology

Background:

The centromere is crucial for accurate chromosome segregation during cell division.
The histone variant CENP-A is the leading epigenetic marker for centromere identity.
Understanding centromere specification is key to preventing aneuploidy and developmental disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

To elucidate the physical and molecular mechanisms underlying CENP-A's role in centromere specification.
To explore the structural basis of CENP-A nucleosomes and their interaction with centromeric proteins.
To investigate the propagation of centromere identity through cell division cycles.

Main Methods:

Structural analysis of CENP-A containing nucleosomes.

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Published on: June 10, 2020

Generation of Centromere-Associated Protein-E CENP-E-/- Knockout Cell Lines using the CRISPR/Cas9 System

Generation of Centromere-Associated Protein-E CENP-E^-/- Knockout Cell Lines using the CRISPR/Cas9 System

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Mass Spectrometry Analysis to Identify Ubiquitylation of EYFP-tagged CENP-A (EYFP-CENP-A)

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Generation of Centromere-Associated Protein-E CENP-E-/- Knockout Cell Lines using the CRISPR/Cas9 System

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Biochemical characterization of the CENP-A nucleosome-associated complex (NAC).

Comparative analysis of CENP-A relatives in different eukaryotic organisms.

Main Results:

CENP-A nucleosomes exhibit conformational rigidity, serving as a physical epigenetic mark.
The CENP-A(NAC) complex recognizes these specialized nucleosomes.
Unconventional histone complex arrangements involving CENP-A relatives were observed.
Centromere identity propagation relies on CENP-A's targeting domain and a priming reaction.

Conclusions:

CENP-A's unique structure and interactions establish the epigenetic basis of centromere identity.
The CENP-A(NAC) complex acts as a reader of this epigenetic mark.
Conserved mechanisms involving CENP-A and its relatives ensure faithful chromosome inheritance across eukaryotes.