title: Cohesin and its regulation: on the logic of X-shaped chromosomes.
abstract: The X shape of chromosomes is one of the iconic images in biology. Cohesin actually connects the sister chromatids along their entire length, from S phase until mitosis. Then, cohesin's antagonist Wapl allows the separation of chromosome arms by opening a DNA exit gate in cohesin rings. Centromeres are protected against this removal activity, resulting in the X shape of mitotic chromosomes. The destruction of the remaining centromeric cohesin by Separase triggers chromosome segregation. We review the two-phase regulation of cohesin removal and discuss how this affects chromosome alignment and decatenation in mitosis and cohesin reloading in the next cell cycle.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cell Biology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Judith H I
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Haarhuis
authors.affiliation: Division of Cell Biology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ahmed M O
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Elbatsh
authors.affiliation: Division of Cell Biology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Electronic address: b.rowland@nki.nl.
authors.forename: Benjamin D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Rowland
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D022004:Chromosome Structures / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008938:Mitosis; D000097722:Cohesins
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D000097722:Cohesins