Maize centromeres: where sequence meets epigenetics

doi:10.1007/s11515-011-1118-6

Front Biol

2011, Vol. 6

Issue (2) : 102-108 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11515-011-1118-6

REVIEW

Maize centromeres: where sequence meets epigenetics

Wenchao YIN^1,3, James A. BIRCHLER²(

), Fangpu HAN¹(

)

1. State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; 2. Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; 3. Graduate Universtiy of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China

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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.

Keywords centromere centromere inactivation centromere reactivation nondisjunction maize

Corresponding Author(s): BIRCHLER James A.,Email:BirchlerJ@Missouri.edu; HAN Fangpu,Email:fphan@genetics.ac.cn

Issue Date: 01 April 2011

Cite this article:

Wenchao YIN,James A. BIRCHLER,Fangpu HAN. Maize centromeres: where sequence meets epigenetics[J]. Front Biol, 2011, 6(2): 102-108.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fib/EN/10.1007/s11515-011-1118-6
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fib/EN/Y2011/V6/I2/102

Fig.1 Newly formed dicentric chromosome from B-9-Dp9 with the two centromeres as large as normal B centromere. Arrow indicates the new dicentric chromosome. (A) Merged image. (B) DAPI. (C) CentC and (D) CRM. Scale bar=10 μm

Fig.2 Reactivation of an inactive centromere. Immunolocalization analysis of CENP-C in meiosis in plants containing a dicentric chromosome with one centromere inactive. CENP-C signals are red; ZmBs is green; and DAPI-stained chromosomes are blue. Arrows indicate that the smaller centromere has gained CENP-C signals. (A) Merged image. (B) DAPI. (C) ZmBs. (D) CENP-C. Scale bar=10 μm

Fig.3 7-Bic-1 at mitotic metaphase and meiosis pachytene. The inactive B centromere from 9Bic-1 was translocated to chromosome arm 7S and named 7-Bic-1. (A) Mitotic metaphase. Knob is green and red is B repeats; arrows indicate the new translocation chromosomes containing an inactive B centromere. (B) Meiotic pachytene, CentC is green and red is B repeats, arrow indicates the inactive B centromere. Scale bar=10 μm

Fig.4 Immunolocalization analysis of SGO1 in a plant containing one minichromosome (#3) derived from the B chromosome (Arrows). The mini-B exhibits SGO1 signal at anaphase I. The DAPI-stained chromosomes are blue; maize SGO antibody (SGO1) is magenta; ZmBs is green. (A) Merged image. (B) DAPI. (C) ZmBs. (D) SGO1. Arrow indicates the sister chromatids separated at meiosis I. Scale bar=10 μm

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