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Centromeres Drive a Hard Bargain.

Leah F Rosin1, Barbara G Mellone2

  • 1Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA; Current address: Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.

Trends in Genetics : TIG
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PubMed
Summary

Centromeres, essential for cell division, involve the protein CENP-A. Rapid evolution of CENP-A and DNA suggests a conflict, known as centromere drive, driving evolutionary changes.

Keywords:
CENP-ADrosophilacentromere drivecentromere evolutioncentromereschromosome segregationmeiosis

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Area of Science:

  • Genetics
  • Epigenetics
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Centromeres are crucial for accurate chromosome segregation during cell division.
  • Centromeres are epigenetically marked by nucleosomes containing CENP-A, a histone H3 variant.
  • Despite conserved function, centromeric DNA and CENP-A evolve rapidly across species.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the evolutionary dynamics of CENP-A.
  • To explore the centromere drive hypothesis explaining CENP-A evolution.
  • To discuss recent findings on CENP-A chaperones in this evolutionary context.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of classical and recent studies on centromere evolution.
  • Analysis of evidence supporting the centromere drive hypothesis.
  • Examination of the role of CENP-A chaperones in centromere evolution.

Main Results:

  • Centromere drive proposes an evolutionary arms race between CENP-A and centromeric DNA.
  • Evidence suggests CENP-A and its associated DNA are under strong diversifying selection.
  • CENP-A chaperones are implicated as key players in mediating this evolutionary conflict.

Conclusions:

  • The centromere drive hypothesis provides a framework for understanding rapid centromere evolution.
  • Evolutionary conflicts at centromeres shape genome evolution and speciation.
  • Further research into CENP-A chaperones is critical for understanding centromere evolution.