Chromosomes. CENP-C Reshapes and Stabilizes CENP-A Nucleosomes at the Centromere

Overview

Journal Science

Specialty Science

Date 2015 May 9

PMID 25954010

Citations 116

Authors

Samantha J Falk

Lucie Y Guo

Nikolina Sekulic

Evan M Smoak

Tomoyasu Mani

Glennis A Logsdon

Kushol Gupta

Lars E T Jansen

Gregory D Van Duyne

Sergei A Vinogradov

Michael A Lampson

Ben E Black

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Inheritance of each chromosome depends upon its centromere. A histone H3 variant, centromere protein A (CENP-A), is essential for epigenetically marking centromere location. We find that CENP-A is quantitatively retained at the centromere upon which it is initially assembled. CENP-C binds to CENP-A nucleosomes and is a prime candidate to stabilize centromeric chromatin. Using purified components, we find that CENP-C reshapes the octameric histone core of CENP-A nucleosomes, rigidifies both surface and internal nucleosome structure, and modulates terminal DNA to match the loose wrap that is found on native CENP-A nucleosomes at functional human centromeres. Thus, CENP-C affects nucleosome shape and dynamics in a manner analogous to allosteric regulation of enzymes. CENP-C depletion leads to rapid removal of CENP-A from centromeres, indicating their collaboration in maintaining centromere identity.

Citing Articles

Solution conformational differences between conventional and CENP-A nucleosomes are accentuated by reversible deformation under high pressure.

Gupta K, Sekulic N, Allu P, Sapp N, Huang Q, Sarachan K bioRxiv. 2025; .

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High-resolution analysis of human centromeric chromatin.

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Non-nucleosomal (CENP-A/H4) - DNA complexes as a possible platform for centromere organization.

Ali-Ahmad A, Mors M, Carrer M, Li X, Bilokapic S, Halic M bioRxiv. 2025; .

PMID: 39803555 PMC: 11722257. DOI: 10.1101/2024.12.31.630874.

FBXO47 regulates centromere pairing as key component of centromeric SCF E3 ligase in mouse spermatocytes.

Ma A, Yang Y, Cao L, Chen L, Zhang J Commun Biol. 2024; 7(1):1099.

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β-TrCP-Mediated Proteolysis of Mis18β Prevents Mislocalization of CENP-A and Chromosomal Instability.

Sethi S, Shrestha R, Balachandra V, Durairaj G, Au W, Nirula M Mol Cell Biol. 2024; 44(10):429-442.

PMID: 39135477 PMC: 11486186. DOI: 10.1080/10985549.2024.2382445.

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