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Shaping mitotic chromosomes: From classical concepts to molecular mechanisms

How eukaryotic genomes are packaged into compact cylindrical chromosomes in preparation for cell divisions has remained one of the major unsolved questions of cell biology. Novel approaches to study the topology of DNA helices inside the nuclei of intact cells, paired with computational modeling and...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Kschonsak, Marc, Haering, Christian H
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2015
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4683672/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25988527
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bies.201500020
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author Kschonsak, Marc
Haering, Christian H
author_facet Kschonsak, Marc
Haering, Christian H
author_sort Kschonsak, Marc
collection PubMed
description How eukaryotic genomes are packaged into compact cylindrical chromosomes in preparation for cell divisions has remained one of the major unsolved questions of cell biology. Novel approaches to study the topology of DNA helices inside the nuclei of intact cells, paired with computational modeling and precise biomechanical measurements of isolated chromosomes, have advanced our understanding of mitotic chromosome architecture. In this Review Essay, we discuss – in light of these recent insights – the role of chromatin architecture and the functions and possible mechanisms of SMC protein complexes and other molecular machines in the formation of mitotic chromosomes. Based on the information available, we propose a stepwise model of mitotic chromosome condensation that envisions the sequential generation of intra-chromosomal linkages by condensin complexes in the context of cohesin-mediated inter-chromosomal linkages, assisted by topoisomerase II. The described scenario results in rod-shaped metaphase chromosomes ready for their segregation to the cell poles.
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spelling pubmed-46836722015-12-23 Shaping mitotic chromosomes: From classical concepts to molecular mechanisms Kschonsak, Marc Haering, Christian H Bioessays Prospects & Overviews How eukaryotic genomes are packaged into compact cylindrical chromosomes in preparation for cell divisions has remained one of the major unsolved questions of cell biology. Novel approaches to study the topology of DNA helices inside the nuclei of intact cells, paired with computational modeling and precise biomechanical measurements of isolated chromosomes, have advanced our understanding of mitotic chromosome architecture. In this Review Essay, we discuss – in light of these recent insights – the role of chromatin architecture and the functions and possible mechanisms of SMC protein complexes and other molecular machines in the formation of mitotic chromosomes. Based on the information available, we propose a stepwise model of mitotic chromosome condensation that envisions the sequential generation of intra-chromosomal linkages by condensin complexes in the context of cohesin-mediated inter-chromosomal linkages, assisted by topoisomerase II. The described scenario results in rod-shaped metaphase chromosomes ready for their segregation to the cell poles. Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2015-07 2015-05-18 /pmc/articles/PMC4683672/ /pubmed/25988527 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bies.201500020 Text en © 2015 The Authors. Bioessays published by WILEY Periodicals, Inc. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.
spellingShingle Prospects & Overviews
Kschonsak, Marc
Haering, Christian H
Shaping mitotic chromosomes: From classical concepts to molecular mechanisms
title Shaping mitotic chromosomes: From classical concepts to molecular mechanisms
title_full Shaping mitotic chromosomes: From classical concepts to molecular mechanisms
title_fullStr Shaping mitotic chromosomes: From classical concepts to molecular mechanisms
title_full_unstemmed Shaping mitotic chromosomes: From classical concepts to molecular mechanisms
title_short Shaping mitotic chromosomes: From classical concepts to molecular mechanisms
title_sort shaping mitotic chromosomes: from classical concepts to molecular mechanisms
topic Prospects & Overviews
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4683672/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25988527
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bies.201500020
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