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Related Concept Videos

Forces Acting on Chromosomes02:11

Forces Acting on Chromosomes

During mitosis, chromosome movements occur through the interplay of multiple piconewton level forces. In prometaphase, these forces help in chromosome assembly or congression at the equatorial plane, eventually leading to their alignment at the metaphase plate. The forces acting on the chromosomes are space and time-dependent; therefore, they vary with the position of the chromosomes as the cell progresses through mitosis. 
Microtubules and motor proteins exert two types of forces on...
Forces Acting on Chromosomes02:11

Forces Acting on Chromosomes

During mitosis, chromosome movements occur through the interplay of multiple piconewton level forces. In prometaphase, these forces help in chromosome assembly or congression at the equatorial plane, eventually leading to their alignment at the metaphase plate. The forces acting on the chromosomes are space and time-dependent; therefore, they vary with the position of the chromosomes as the cell progresses through mitosis. 
Microtubules and motor proteins exert two types of forces on...
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.
Near the end of the prophase, also called late prophase or "prometaphase,"...
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...
Chromosome Structure02:40

Chromosome Structure

A functional eukaryotic chromosome must contain three elements: a centromere, telomeres, and numerous origins of replication.
The centromere is a DNA sequence that links sister chromatids. This is also where kinetochores, protein complexes to which spindle microtubules attach, are constructed after the chromosome is replicated. The kinetochores allow the spindle microtubules to move the chromosomes within the cell during cell division.
Telomeres consist of non-coding repetitive nucleotide...
Chromosome Structure02:40

Chromosome Structure

A functional eukaryotic chromosome must contain three elements: a centromere, telomeres, and numerous origins of replication.
The centromere is a DNA sequence that links sister chromatids. This is also where kinetochores, protein complexes to which spindle microtubules attach, are constructed after the chromosome is replicated. The kinetochores allow the spindle microtubules to move the chromosomes within the cell during cell division.
Telomeres consist of non-coding repetitive nucleotide...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 5, 2026

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

Centromeres: moving chromosomes through space and time.

D D Shaw1

  • 1Research School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra, A.C.T. 2601, Australia.

Trends in Ecology & Evolution
|January 18, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Centromeres are crucial for genome evolution and chromosome segregation. Despite their essential function, centromere DNA sequences and organization have rapidly diversified across species, revealing species-specific structures.

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Immunofluorescence Analysis of Endogenous and Exogenous Centromere-kinetochore Proteins
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Live Cell Imaging to Assess the Dynamics of Metaphase Timing and Cell Fate Following Mitotic Spindle Perturbations
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Live Cell Imaging to Assess the Dynamics of Metaphase Timing and Cell Fate Following Mitotic Spindle Perturbations

Published on: September 20, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Genomics
  • Molecular Biology
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Centromeres are essential for accurate chromosome segregation during cell division.
  • Their role in linking genes suggests conserved structure and function across eukaryotes.
  • However, molecular analyses reveal significant divergence in centromere DNA and organization.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the evolutionary patterns of centromere DNA and protein interactions.
  • To understand how conserved centromere function is maintained despite sequence divergence.

Main Methods:

  • Molecular analyses of centromere DNA sequences.
  • Biochemical studies of protein interactions at centromeres.
  • Comparative genomics across eukaryotic lineages.

Main Results:

  • Centromeres exhibit highly divergent DNA sequences and organizational patterns.
  • Despite divergence, centromeres retain essential functional attributes for chromosome segregation.
  • Evidence suggests centromeres are species-specific entities.

Conclusions:

  • Centromeres have undergone rapid evolutionary diversification.
  • Species-specific DNA families and non-histone proteins characterize centromeres.
  • Conserved function is maintained through adaptable molecular mechanisms.