title: Holding chromatids together to ensure they go their separate ways.
abstract: Association between sister chromatids is essential for their attachment and segregation to opposite poles of the spindle in mitosis and meiosis II. Sister-chromatid cohesion is also likely to be involved in linking homologous chromosomes together in meiosis I. Cytological observations provide evidence that attachment between sister chromatids is different in meiosis and mitosis and suggest that cohesion between the chromatid arms may differ mechanistically from that at the centromere. The physical nature of cohesion is addressed, and proteins that are candidates for holding sister chromatids together are discussed. Dissolution of sister-chromatid cohesion must be regulated precisely, and potential mechanisms to release cohesion are presented.
authors.affiliation: Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Bickel
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Orr-Weaver
mesh_terms: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D002503:Centromere / Q000378:metabolism; D002842:Chromatids / Q000378:metabolism*; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000235:genetics; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008540:Meiosis / Q000235:genetics; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008938:Mitosis / Q000235:genetics; D008954:Models, Biological; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D011506:Proteins; C096223:mei-S332 protein, Drosophila; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins