Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Histone Variants at the Centromere02:30

Histone Variants at the Centromere

4.3K
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...
4.3K
Centrioles and Centrosomes01:13

Centrioles and Centrosomes

2.5K
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...
2.5K
The Nucleosome Core Particle01:12

The Nucleosome Core Particle

855
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...
855
Chromosome Structure02:40

Chromosome Structure

22.5K
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...
22.5K
The Nucleosome02:33

The Nucleosome

16.1K
DNA in a human cell is almost 2m long and it is packed inside a tiny nucleus that is only a few microns in diameter. The level of compaction of DNA inside the nucleus is astonishing. It is organized into several sequentially higher levels of compaction to fit into such a tiny space. The most compact form of DNA is a chromosome that can be seen under a microscope in a dividing cell.
DNA is wound twice around a protein complex called histone core, that consist of 8 histone proteins. This complex...
16.1K
Genomic DNA in Eukaryotes00:58

Genomic DNA in Eukaryotes

46.6K
Eukaryotes have large genomes compared to prokaryotes. To fit their genomes into a cell, eukaryotic DNA is packaged extraordinarily tightly inside the nucleus. To achieve this, DNA is tightly wound around proteins called histones, which are packaged into nucleosomes that are joined by linker DNA and coil into chromatin fibers. Additional fibrous proteins further compact the chromatin, which is recognizable as chromosomes during certain phases of cell division.
46.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

A Plasmodiophora Brassicae Effector PbCBM1 Promotes Clubroot Susceptibility by Competitively Binding to AtPHB3 to Disrupt Salicylic Acid Biosynthesis in Plants.

Plant, cell & environment·2026
Same author

Structure and function of a fungal AB toxin-like chimerolectin involved in anti-nematode defense.

The EMBO journal·2026
Same author

Recognition and silencing of a new transposable element.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

BnaA07.SUC2 regulated by BnaA05.MYC2 in jasmonate pathway promotes oilseed rape susceptibility to Plasmodiophora brassicae.

PLoS pathogens·2026
Same author

Identification of YBX1 as an essential host RNA-binding protein governing tumor-selective replication of oncolytic virus M1.

Molecular therapy : the journal of the American Society of Gene Therapy·2026
Same author

Toxicity of Polystyrene Nanoplastics and Tributyl Phosphate to Rye under Freeze-Thaw Cycles: Implications for Crop Safety and Mechanistic Insights from Transcriptome and Root Microbiome.

Journal of agricultural and food chemistry·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 2, 2025

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

15.2K

Non-nucleosomal (CENP-A/H4)2 - DNA complexes as a possible platform for centromere organization.

Ahmad Ali-Ahmad1, Mira Mors2, Manuel Carrer2

  • 1Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway (NCMM), Nordic EMBL Partnership, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo 0318, Norway.

Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|January 13, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The centromere

More Related Videos

Mass Spectrometry Analysis to Identify Ubiquitylation of EYFP-tagged CENP-A EYFP-CENP-A
09:02

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

Published on: June 10, 2020

5.5K
Quantitative Immunofluorescence Assay to Measure the Variation in Protein Levels at Centrosomes
09:39

Quantitative Immunofluorescence Assay to Measure the Variation in Protein Levels at Centrosomes

Published on: December 20, 2014

15.2K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 2, 2025

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

15.2K
Mass Spectrometry Analysis to Identify Ubiquitylation of EYFP-tagged CENP-A EYFP-CENP-A
09:02

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

Published on: June 10, 2020

5.5K
Quantitative Immunofluorescence Assay to Measure the Variation in Protein Levels at Centrosomes
09:39

Quantitative Immunofluorescence Assay to Measure the Variation in Protein Levels at Centrosomes

Published on: December 20, 2014

15.2K

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Epigenetics
  • Structural Biology

Background:

  • The centromere is epigenetically marked by CENP-A (centromere protein A), a histone H3 variant, essential for chromosome segregation.
  • CENP-A nucleosomes recruit the centromere-associated network of proteins (CCAN) to form the kinetochore.
  • Previous structures showed limited interaction between CENP-A and CCAN, leaving its organization mechanism unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the structural basis of CENP-A nucleosome organization and its role in CCAN recruitment.
  • To investigate the structure of CENP-A/H4 tetramers and di-tetramers assembled on DNA.

Main Methods:

  • Cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) was used to determine the structure of CENP-A/H4 tetramers and di-tetramers.
  • Nucleosomes were assembled on DNA in the absence of H2A/H2B histone dimers.

Main Results:

  • The cryoEM structure of 2x(CENP-A/H4)2-di-tetramers assembled on DNA was determined.
  • This structure reveals the organization of CENP-A/H4 tetramers and di-tetramers.

Conclusions:

  • The (CENP-A/H4)2-tetramers and -di-tetramers provide a structural platform for CCAN organization.
  • This finding offers insights into the assembly and function of centromeres during cell division.