Hudson Damien F, Marshall Kathryn M, Earnshaw William C
Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia.
Chromosome Res. 2009;17(2):131-44. doi: 10.1007/s10577-008-9009-7.
Condensin is a highly conserved pentameric complex consisting of two structural maintenance of chromosome (SMC) ATPase subunits and three auxiliary components. While initially regarded as a key driver of mitotic chromosome condensation, condensin is increasingly viewed as having a more subtle influence on chromosome architecture. The two condensin complexes are required to direct the correct folding and organization of chromosomes prior to anaphase and for keeping the chromosomes compact as they separate to the poles. This ancient complex is essential in mitosis and meiosis and has additional roles in gene regulation and DNA repair. The wide variety of biochemical and genetic tools available are gradually unravelling the numerous roles condensin plays during the cell cycle and shedding light on its mechanism of action.
凝聚素是一种高度保守的五聚体复合物，由两个染色体结构维持（SMC）ATP酶亚基和三个辅助成分组成。虽然最初被认为是有丝分裂染色体凝聚的关键驱动因素，但凝聚素现在越来越被视为对染色体结构有更微妙的影响。两种凝聚素复合物对于在后期之前指导染色体的正确折叠和组织以及在染色体向两极分离时保持其紧密状态是必需的。这种古老的复合物在有丝分裂和减数分裂中至关重要，并且在基因调控和DNA修复中具有额外作用。现有的各种生化和遗传工具正在逐渐揭示凝聚素在细胞周期中所起的众多作用，并阐明其作用机制。
