Gluing chromosomes at the right place
Wednesday, October 8, 2014 - 11:00
in Biology & Nature
During cell division, chromosomes acquire a characteristic X-shape with the two DNA molecules (sister chromatids) linked at a central “connection region” that contains highly compacted DNA. It was unknown if rearrangements in this typical X-shape architecture could disrupt the correct separation of chromosomes. A recent study now shows that the dislocation of particular DNA segments perturbs proper chromosome separation. The results of this study raise the possibility that chromosome rearrangements involving these regions, often seen in many cancers, can induce additional errors in cell division and thereby compromise genetic stability.