{"title":"Quantitative Microscopy Reveals Centromeric Chromatin Stability, Size, and Cell Cycle Mechanisms to Maintain Centromere Homeostasis.","authors":"Ana Stankovic, Lars E T Jansen","doi":"10.1007/978-3-319-58592-5_6","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Centromeres are chromatin domains specified by nucleosomes containing the histone H3 variant, CENP-A. This unique centromeric structure is at the heart of a strong self-templating epigenetic mechanism that renders centromeres heritable. We review how specific quantitative microscopy approaches have contributed to the determination of the copy number, architecture, size, and dynamics of centromeric chromatin and its associated centromere complex and kinetochore. These efforts revealed that the key to long-term centromere maintenance is the slow turnover of CENP-A nucleosomes, a critical size of the chromatin domain and its cell cycle-coupled replication. These features come together to maintain homeostasis of a chromatin locus that directs its own epigenetic inheritance and facilitates the assembly of the mitotic kinetochore.</p>","PeriodicalId":20880,"journal":{"name":"Progress in molecular and subcellular biology","volume":"56 ","pages":"139-162"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2017-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1007/978-3-319-58592-5_6","citationCount":"6","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Progress in molecular and subcellular biology","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-58592-5_6","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"Medicine","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 6
Abstract
Centromeres are chromatin domains specified by nucleosomes containing the histone H3 variant, CENP-A. This unique centromeric structure is at the heart of a strong self-templating epigenetic mechanism that renders centromeres heritable. We review how specific quantitative microscopy approaches have contributed to the determination of the copy number, architecture, size, and dynamics of centromeric chromatin and its associated centromere complex and kinetochore. These efforts revealed that the key to long-term centromere maintenance is the slow turnover of CENP-A nucleosomes, a critical size of the chromatin domain and its cell cycle-coupled replication. These features come together to maintain homeostasis of a chromatin locus that directs its own epigenetic inheritance and facilitates the assembly of the mitotic kinetochore.
期刊介绍:
Molecular biology has been providing an overwhelming amount of data on the structural components and molecular machineries of the cell and its organelles and the complexity of intra- and intercellular communication. The molecular basis of hereditary and acquired diseases is beginning to be unravelled, and profound new insights into development and evolutionary biology have been gained from molecular approaches. Progress in Molecular and Subcellular Biology summarises the most recent developments in this fascinating area of biology.