Scientists uncover mechanisms that shape the distribution of centromeres
Since the 1800s, scientists have noted the configuration of the centromere, a special region of chromosomes essential for cell division, in the nucleus. To date, however, the determination mechanism and biological significance of the centromere distribution is poorly understood. A team led by researchers from the University of Tokyo and their collaborators recently proposed a two-step regulatory mechanism that forms the distribution of centromeres. Their findings also suggest that the configuration of the centromere in the nucleus plays a role in maintaining genome integrity. The results were published in Natural Plants . During the process of cell division, special chromosomal domains called centromeres are pulled to opposite ends of the cell. Once the cell division is complete and the cell nucleus is built, the centromeres are distributed spatially in the nucleus. If the distribution of the centromeres drawn to the two poles remained unchanged, the cell nucleus would have centro