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Holocentromere identity: from the typical mitotic linear structure to the great plasticity of meiotic holocentromeres

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Abstract

The centromere is the chromosomal site of kinetochore assembly and is responsible for the correct chromosome segregation during mitosis and meiosis in eukaryotes. Contrary to monocentrics, holocentric chromosomes lack a primary constriction, what is attributed to a kinetochore activity along almost the entire chromosome length during mitosis. This extended centromere structure imposes a problem during meiosis, since sister holocentromeres are not co-oriented during first meiotic division. Thus, regardless of the relatively conserved somatic chromosome structure of holocentrics, during meiosis holocentric chromosomes show different adaptations to deal with this condition. Recent findings in holocentrics have brought back the discussion of the great centromere plasticity of eukaryotes, from the typical CENH3-based holocentromeres to CENH3-less holocentric organisms. Here, we summarize recent and former findings about centromere/kinetochore adaptations shown by holocentric organisms during mitosis and meiosis and discuss how these adaptations are related to the type of meiosis found.

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Acknowledgments

AM is supported by CNPq/FAPEAL and AP-H by CNPq. The authors also thank Andreas Houben, IPK-Gatersleben, Germany, for fruitful discussions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Genetic Resources, Campus Arapiraca, Federal University of Alagoas, Arapiraca, Alagoas, 57309-005, Brazil

    André Marques

  2. Laboratory of Plant Cytogenetics and Evolution, Department of Botany, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, 50670-420, Brazil

    Andrea Pedrosa-Harand

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  1. André Marques
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  2. Andrea Pedrosa-Harand
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Correspondence to Andrea Pedrosa-Harand.

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AM declares that he has no conflict of interest. AP-H declares that she has no conflict of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

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This article is related to the 21st International Chromosome Conference (Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, July 10–13, 2016).

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Marques, A., Pedrosa-Harand, A. Holocentromere identity: from the typical mitotic linear structure to the great plasticity of meiotic holocentromeres. Chromosoma 125, 669–681 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00412-016-0612-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00412-016-0612-7

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