Genetic and epigenetic effects on centromere establishment

摘要: Endogenous chromosomes contain centromeres to direct equal chromosomal segregation in mitosis and meiosis. The location function of existing is usually maintained through cell cycles generations. Recent studies have investigated how the centromere-specific histone H3 variant CENP-A assembled replenished after DNA replication epigenetically propagate centromere identity. However, occasionally become inactivated, with or without change underlying sequences, lost rearrangements, resulting acentric chromosomes. New centromeres, known as neocentromeres, may form on ectopic, non-centromeric regions rescue from being lost, dicentric if original still active. In addition, de novo can chromatinization purified that exogenously introduced into cells. Here, we review phenomena naturally occurring experimentally induced new summarize genetic (DNA sequence) epigenetic features these centromeres. We compare characteristics native understand whether there are different requirements for establishment propagation. Based our understanding mechanisms formation, discuss perspectives developing more stably segregating human artificial facilitate gene delivery therapeutics research.