title: Centromeres and kinetochores of Brassicaceae.
abstract: The centromere-the primary constriction of monocentric chromosomes-is essential for correct segregation of chromosomes during mitosis and meiosis. Centromeric DNA varies between different organisms in sequence composition and extension. The main components of centromeric and pericentromeric DNA of Brassicaceae species are centromeric satellite repeats. Centromeric DNA initiates assembly of the kinetochore, the large protein complex where the spindle fibers attach during nuclear division to pull sister chromatids apart. Kinetochore assembly is initiated by incorporation of the centromeric histone H3 cenH3 into centromeric nucleosomes. The spindle assembly checkpoint acts during mitosis and meiosis at centromeres and maintains genome stability by preventing chromosome segregation before all kinetochores are correctly attached to microtubules. The function of the spindle assembly checkpoint in plants is still poorly understood. Here, we review recent advances of studies on structure and functional importance of centromeric DNA of Brassicaceae, assembly and function of cenH3 in Arabidopsis thaliana and characterization of core SAC proteins of A. thaliana in comparison with non-plant homologues.
authors.affiliation: Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, 06466, Gatersleben, Germany, lermonto@ipk-gatersleben.de.
authors.forename: Inna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lermontova
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sandmann
authors.forename: Dmitri
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Demidov
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002503:Centromere / Q000378:metabolism*; D020090:Chromosome Segregation / Q000235:genetics; D032461:Chromosomes, Plant / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D017343:Genes, Plant; D005818:Genetic Engineering; D042822:Genomic Instability; D006657:Histones / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018386:Kinetochores / Q000378:metabolism*; D008540:Meiosis; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism; D008938:Mitosis; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D018744:DNA, Plant; D006657:Histones