Rosin Leah F, Mellone Barbara G
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA; Current address: Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA; Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
Trends Genet. 2017 Feb;33(2):101-117. doi: 10.1016/j.tig.2016.12.001. Epub 2017 Jan 7.
Centromeres are essential chromosomal structures that mediate the accurate distribution of genetic material during meiotic and mitotic cell divisions. In most organisms, centromeres are epigenetically specified and propagated by nucleosomes containing the centromere-specific H3 variant, centromere protein A (CENP-A). Although centromeres perform a critical and conserved function, CENP-A and the underlying centromeric DNA are rapidly evolving. This paradox has been explained by the centromere drive hypothesis, which proposes that CENP-A is undergoing an evolutionary tug-of-war with selfish centromeric DNA. Here, we review our current understanding of CENP-A evolution in relation to centromere drive and discuss classical and recent advances, including new evidence implicating CENP-A chaperones in this conflict.
着丝粒是重要的染色体结构，在减数分裂和有丝分裂细胞分裂过程中介导遗传物质的准确分配。在大多数生物体中，着丝粒是由含有着丝粒特异性H3变体——着丝粒蛋白A（CENP-A）的核小体在表观遗传上指定和传递的。尽管着丝粒执行着关键且保守的功能，但CENP-A和潜在的着丝粒DNA却在快速进化。着丝粒驱动假说来解释了这一矛盾，该假说提出CENP-A正在与自私的着丝粒DNA进行一场进化拔河比赛。在这里，我们回顾了目前对与着丝粒驱动相关的CENP-A进化的理解，并讨论了经典和最新进展，包括暗示CENP-A伴侣蛋白参与这场冲突的新证据。
