Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Cohesins

Cohesins

Cohesin protein complexes are a molecular glue that holds two sister chromatids together. They play an important role both in mitosis and meiosis. In mitosis, all cohesin complexes present on the chromosomes are removed before the start of the anaphase stage.
Cohesin complexes in Meiotic Division
Meiosis involves two distinct rounds of chromosomal segregation and cell divisions— Meiosis I followed by Meiosis II – producing four daughter cells. Meiosis I includes the separation of homologous...

Cohesins

Cohesins

Cohesin protein complexes are a molecular glue that holds two sister chromatids together. They play an important role both in mitosis and meiosis. In mitosis, all cohesin complexes present on the chromosomes are removed before the start of the anaphase stage.
Cohesin complexes in Meiotic Division
Meiosis involves two distinct rounds of chromosomal segregation and cell divisions— Meiosis I followed by Meiosis II – producing four daughter cells. Meiosis I includes the separation of homologous...

Condensins

Condensins

Condensins are large protein complexes that use ATP to fuel the assembly of chromosomes during mitosis. They transform the tangled, shapeless mass of post-interphase DNA into individualized chromosomes by compacting, organizing, and segregating chromosomal DNA.
The plant and animal cells contain two types of condensin complexes—condensin I and condensin II. Both complexes have five subunits: two SMC (Structural Maintenance of Chromosomes) subunits, a kleisin subunit, and two HEAT-repeat...

Condensins

Condensins

Condensins are large protein complexes that use ATP to fuel the assembly of chromosomes during mitosis. They transform the tangled, shapeless mass of post-interphase DNA into individualized chromosomes by compacting, organizing, and segregating chromosomal DNA.
The plant and animal cells contain two types of condensin complexes—condensin I and condensin II. Both complexes have five subunits: two SMC (Structural Maintenance of Chromosomes) subunits, a kleisin subunit, and two HEAT-repeat...

Separation of Sister Chromatids

Separation of Sister Chromatids

At the transition from prophase to metaphase, there is a reduction in cohesion along the chromosomal arms, resulting in the resolution of sister chromatids. However, residual cohesin connections remain to hold the sister chromatids together until the transition from metaphase to anaphase. The residual connection prevents any premature separation of sister chromatids, blocking the risks of aneuploidy within the daughter cells.
At the onset of anaphase, separase, a proteolytic enzyme, is...

Separation of Sister Chromatids

Separation of Sister Chromatids

At the transition from prophase to metaphase, there is a reduction in cohesion along the chromosomal arms, resulting in the resolution of sister chromatids. However, residual cohesin connections remain to hold the sister chromatids together until the transition from metaphase to anaphase. The residual connection prevents any premature separation of sister chromatids, blocking the risks of aneuploidy within the daughter cells.
At the onset of anaphase, separase, a proteolytic enzyme, is...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Contribution of cohesins STAG1 and STAG2 to preimplantation development in mice.

Communications biology·2026

Same author

Multifaceted roles of PDS5B in RAD51-dependent homology-directed DNA repair and replication fork protection.

Nature communications·2026

Same author

miR-203 facilitates timely cell fate transitions via epigenetic modulation during early embryogenesis.

Science advances·2026

Same author

Tumour acidosis remodels the glycocalyx to control lipid scavenging and ferroptosis.

Nature cell biology·2026

Same author

A comprehensive genetic catalog of human double-strand break repair.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2025

Same author

What Epigenetics Teaches Us About Neuron-Glioma Interactions.

BioEssays : news and reviews in molecular, cellular and developmental biology·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 16, 2026

Examination of Mitotic and Meiotic Fission Yeast Nuclear Dynamics by Fluorescence Live-cell Microscopy

Examination of Mitotic and Meiotic Fission Yeast Nuclear Dynamics by Fluorescence Live-cell Microscopy

Published on: June 24, 2019

Cohesin, a chromatin engagement ring.

Silvia Remeseiro¹, Ana Losada

¹Chromosome Dynamics Group, Molecular Oncology Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain.

Current Opinion in Cell Biology

|December 11, 2012

Summary

Cohesin, a protein complex, holds DNA together for chromosome segregation and gene regulation. Mutations in cohesin are linked to developmental disorders and cancer, known as cohesinopathies.

Area of Science:

Molecular Biology
Genetics
Cell Biology

Background:

Cohesin is a conserved, ring-shaped protein complex essential for genome stability.
It mediates sister chromatid cohesion for accurate chromosome segregation during cell division.
Cohesin also forms chromatin loops regulating gene expression, replication, and recombination.

Purpose of the Study:

To summarize the fundamental roles of cohesin in DNA organization and cellular processes.
To highlight the significance of cohesin in maintaining genomic integrity and regulating gene expression.
To underscore the link between cohesin dysfunction and human diseases.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on cohesin structure and function.
Analysis of cohesin's role in chromosome segregation, DNA repair, and gene regulation.

More Related Videos

Immunofluorescence Analysis of Endogenous and Exogenous Centromere-kinetochore Proteins

Immunofluorescence Analysis of Endogenous and Exogenous Centromere-kinetochore Proteins

Published on: March 3, 2016

Deciphering Molecular Mechanism of Histone Assembly by DNA Curtain Technique

Deciphering Molecular Mechanism of Histone Assembly by DNA Curtain Technique

Published on: March 9, 2022

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 16, 2026

Examination of Mitotic and Meiotic Fission Yeast Nuclear Dynamics by Fluorescence Live-cell Microscopy

Examination of Mitotic and Meiotic Fission Yeast Nuclear Dynamics by Fluorescence Live-cell Microscopy

Published on: June 24, 2019

Immunofluorescence Analysis of Endogenous and Exogenous Centromere-kinetochore Proteins

Immunofluorescence Analysis of Endogenous and Exogenous Centromere-kinetochore Proteins

Published on: March 3, 2016

Deciphering Molecular Mechanism of Histone Assembly by DNA Curtain Technique

Deciphering Molecular Mechanism of Histone Assembly by DNA Curtain Technique

Published on: March 9, 2022

Examination of the clinical implications of cohesin mutations.

Main Results:

Cohesin's dual role in linking sister chromatids and forming regulatory chromatin loops is confirmed.
Its critical involvement in mitosis, meiosis, DNA repair, replication, and gene expression is established.
Mutations in cohesin and associated factors are directly linked to cohesinopathies, including developmental syndromes and cancer.

Conclusions:

Cohesin is a vital multi-functional complex with critical roles in genome stability and gene regulation.
Dysfunctional cohesin leads to severe developmental disorders and increased cancer risk.
Further research into cohesin biology is crucial for understanding and treating cohesinopathies.