title: Do specific nucleotide bases constitute the centromere?
abstract: It is becoming increasingly clear that the underlying base composition of the DNA located in the centromere region is vastly different in different organisms. The chromosomes of related species or even the various chromosomes of the same species differ widely in their so-called centromeric DNA. Yet all centromeres appear physically alike and perform similar functions. The present communication proposes that the physical properties of the centromere are not due to its base composition but due to stereophysical make-up of the DNA segment constituting the centromere. This unique make up might reflect some physical parameter, like curvature, of the DNA present in the centromere constriction. It is further proposed that a proteinaceous factor, centromerase, is responsible for holding the centromeres as one unit until meta-anaphase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno 89557-0015.
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Vig
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001482:Base Composition; D002503:Centromere; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000502:physiology; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation
chemical_list: D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D004247:DNA