title: Replication fork stability is essential for the maintenance of centromere integrity in the absence of heterochromatin.
abstract: The centromere of many eukaryotes contains highly repetitive sequences marked by methylation of histone H3K9 by Clr4(KMT1). This recruits multiple heterochromatin proteins, including Swi6 and Chp1, to form a rigid centromere and ensure accurate chromosome segregation. In the absence of heterochromatin, cells show an increased rate of recombination in the centromere, as well as chromosome loss. These defects are severely aggravated by loss of replication fork stability. Thus, heterochromatin proteins and replication fork protection mechanisms work in concert to prevent abnormal recombination, preserve centromere integrity, and ensure faithful chromosome segregation.
authors.affiliation: Molecular & Computational Biology Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910, USA.
authors.forename: Pao-Chen
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ruben C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Petreaca
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Ji-Ping
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Marc D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Susan L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Forsburg
mesh_terms: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002503:Centromere / Q000378:metabolism*; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020090:Chromosome Segregation; D004261:DNA Replication; D006570:Heterochromatin / Q000378:metabolism*; D011495:Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D008780:Methyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D012568:Schizosaccharomyces / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; C115018:Chp1 protein, S pombe; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D006570:Heterochromatin; D006657:Histones; D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins; C465958:Swi6 protein, S pombe; D008780:Methyltransferases; D011495:Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase; C112744:clr4 protein, S pombe