title: RNA as a structural and regulatory component of the centromere.
abstract: Despite many challenges, great progress has been made in identifying kinetochore proteins and understanding their overall functions relative to spindles and centromeric DNA. In contrast, less is known about the specialized centromeric chromatin environment and how it may be involved in regulating the assembly of kinetochore proteins. Multiple independent lines of evidence have implicated transcription and the resulting RNA as an important part of this process. Here, we summarize recent literature demonstrating the roles of centromeric RNA in regulating kinetochore assembly and maintenance. We also review literature suggesting that the process of centromeric transcription may be as important as the resulting RNA and that such transcription may be involved in recruiting the centromeric histone variant CENH3.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.
authors.forename: Jonathan I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Gent
authors.forename: R Kelly
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Dawe
mesh_terms: D002466:Cell Nucleolus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002503:Centromere / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002843:Chromatin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D042002:Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015825:Chromosomes, Fungal / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006657:Histones / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008938:Mitosis; D012319:RNA Polymerase II / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012331:RNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D038621:Regulatory Sequences, Ribonucleic Acid; D012568:Schizosaccharomyces / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; C410349:Cnp1 protein, S pombe; D006657:Histones; D012331:RNA, Fungal; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D038621:Regulatory Sequences, Ribonucleic Acid; D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins; D012319:RNA Polymerase II