Formation of Centromeres in vivo

Division Of Basic Sciences - Nci

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

Our goal is to dissect the mechanism by which kinetochore proteins binds the centromeric chromatin in the genome and creates the basis for a functional centromere. We have published a few papers on this work, and have 2 more manuscripts that detail more cenRNAs involved in centromere function. We also have unpublished work with EM and biochemical data demonstrating how CENP-A nucleosomes can be altered in the presence or absence of various proteins. These data demonstrate how various epigenetic factors, namely lncRNAs and kinetochore proteins, can modulate CENP-A structure to uniquely define how functional centromere domains are formed and maintained.