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Maize centromeres: where sequence meets epigenetics

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Frontiers in Biology

Abstract

The centromere is a highly organized structure mainly composed of repeat sequences, which make this region extremely difficult for sequencing and other analyses. It plays a conserved role in equal division of chromosomes into daughter cells in both mitosis and meiosis. However, centromere sequences show notable plasticity. In a dicentric chromosome, one of the centromeres can become inactivated with the underlying DNA unchanged. Furthermore, formerly inactive centromeres can regain activity under certain conditions. In addition, neocentromeres without centromeric repeats have been found in a wide spectrum of species. This evidence indicates that epigenetic mechanisms together with centromeric sequences are associated with centromere specification.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China

    Wenchao Yin & Fangpu Han

  2. Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA

    James A. Birchler

  3. Graduate Universtiy of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100039, China

    Wenchao Yin

Authors
  1. Wenchao Yin
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  2. James A. Birchler
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  3. Fangpu Han
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Correspondence to James A. Birchler or Fangpu Han.

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Yin, W., Birchler, J.A. & Han, F. Maize centromeres: where sequence meets epigenetics. Front. Biol. 6, 102–108 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11515-011-1118-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11515-011-1118-6

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