Chromosome Dynamics Laboratory, RIKEN Advanced Science Institute, Wako, Saitama, Japan.
Genes Dev. 2012 Aug 1;26(15):1659-78. doi: 10.1101/gad.194746.112.
Condensins are multisubunit protein complexes that play a fundamental role in the structural and functional organization of chromosomes in the three domains of life. Most eukaryotic species have two different types of condensin complexes, known as condensins I and II, that fulfill nonoverlapping functions and are subjected to differential regulation during mitosis and meiosis. Recent studies revealed that the two complexes contribute to a wide variety of interphase chromosome functions, such as gene regulation, recombination, and repair. Also emerging are their cell type- and tissue-specific functions and relevance to human disease. Biochemical and structural analyses of eukaryotic and bacterial condensins steadily uncover the mechanisms of action of this class of highly sophisticated molecular machines. Future studies on condensins will not only enhance our understanding of chromosome architecture and dynamics, but also help address a previously underappreciated yet profound set of questions in chromosome biology.
凝缩素是多亚基蛋白复合物，在生命三个领域的染色体的结构和功能组织中起着基本作用。大多数真核生物物种具有两种不同类型的凝缩素复合物，称为凝缩素 I 和 II，它们具有不同的功能，并且在有丝分裂和减数分裂过程中受到不同的调节。最近的研究表明，这两个复合物有助于广泛的间期染色体功能，如基因调控、重组和修复。它们在细胞类型和组织中的特异性功能以及与人类疾病的相关性也在不断显现。对真核生物和细菌凝缩素的生化和结构分析不断揭示了这一类高度复杂的分子机器的作用机制。对凝缩素的未来研究不仅将增强我们对染色体结构和动态的理解，还将有助于解决以前被低估但却非常重要的染色体生物学问题。
