title: Replicating centromeric chromatin: spatial and temporal control of CENP-A assembly.
abstract: The centromere is the fundamental unit for insuring chromosome inheritance. This complex region has a distinct type of chromatin in which histone H3 is replaced by a structurally different homologue identified in humans as CENP-A. In metazoans, specific DNA sequences are neither required nor sufficient for centromere identity. Rather, an epigenetic mark comprised of CENP-A containing chromatin is thought to be the major determinant of centromere identity. In this view, CENP-A deposition and chromatin assembly are fundamental processes for the maintenance of centromeric identity across mitotic and meiotic divisions. Several lines of evidence support CENP-A deposition in metazoans occurring at only one time in the cell cycle. Such cell cycle-dependent loading of CENP-A is found in divergent species from human to fission yeast, albeit with differences in the cell cycle point at which CENP-A is assembled. Cell cycle dependent CENP-A deposition requires multiple assembly factors for its deposition and maintenance. This review discusses the regulation of new CENP-A deposition and its relevance to centromere identity and inheritance.
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nechemia-Arbely
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fachinetti
authors.forename: Don W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Cleveland
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D002503:Centromere / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000076247:Centromere Protein A; D002843:Chromatin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D055503:Protein Multimerization / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D001324:Autoantigens; C000619700:CENPA protein, human; D000076247:Centromere Protein A; D002843:Chromatin; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone