Kinetochore formation and behaviour following premature chromosome condensation.

The potential for interphase centromeres to support kinetochore formation following premature chromosome condensation (PCC) has been investigated. We show that the centromere remains competent to initiate kinetochore formation throughout the cell cycle. PCC-kinetochores display a typical trilaminar morphology, associate with microtubules and show movement towards the centrosome. Indirect immunofluorescence studies illustrate that the centromere/kinetochore region of prematurely condensed chromosomes associates with proteins that are normally found within this region in both a cell cycle-dependent and an independent manner.