Structure and Function of Schizosaccharomyces pombe Centromeres
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Excerpt
The centromere of a eukaryotic chromosome is a multifunctional region that provides an attachment site in metaphase for mitotic and meiotic spindle fibers and functions in the movement of chromatids at anaphase. The centromere also maintains chromatid attachment in mitotic metaphase and throughout the first meiotic division. Thus, this specialized chromosomal region functions in the proper segregation of chromosomes during cell division, thereby ensuring the equal distribution of genetic information to the next generation of somatic or germ-line cells.
We are analyzing the structural organization and defining the functional parameters of the centromere regions of each of the three chromosomes of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. S. pombe is an excellent model system for centromere studies, as it is very amenable to genetic and biochemical analysis, and considerable evidence now indicates that centromeres in fission yeast may resemble those of higher eukaryotes more closely than centromeres of the budding yeast...
