Defining a core configuration for human centromeres during mitosis.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 38040722.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-023-42980-2 and PMC identifier 10692335.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
The centromere components cohesin, CENP-A, and centromeric DNA are essential for biorientation of sister chromatids on the mitotic spindle and accurate sister chromatid segregation. Insight into the 3D organization of centromere components would help resolve how centromeres function on the mitotic spindle. We use ChIP-seq and super-resolution microscopy with single particle averaging to examine the geometry of essential centromeric components on human chromosomes. Both modalities suggest cohesin is enriched at pericentromeric DNA. CENP-A localizes to a subset of the α-satellite DNA, with clusters separated by ~562 nm and a perpendicular intervening ~190 nM wide axis of cohesin in metaphase chromosomes. Differently sized α-satellite arrays achieve a similar core structure. Here we present a working model for a common core configuration of essential centromeric components that includes CENP-A nucleosomes, α-satellite DNA and pericentromeric cohesion. This configuration helps reconcile how centromeres function and serves as a foundation to add components of the chromosome segregation machinery.
Medical subject headings
- DNA, Satellite
- Centromere