Maize centromeres: where sequence meets epigenetics

Abstract

The centromere is a highly organized structure mainly composed of repeat sequences, which make this region extremely difficult for sequencing and other analyses. It plays a conserved role in equal division of chromosomes into daughter cells in both mitosis and meiosis. However, centromere sequences show notable plasticity. In a dicentric chromosome, one of the centromeres can become inactivated with the underlying DNA unchanged. Furthermore, formerly inactive centromeres can regain activity under certain conditions. In addition, neocentromeres without centromeric repeats have been found in a wide spectrum of species. This evidence indicates that epigenetic mechanisms together with centromeric sequences are associated with centromere specification.

Keywords

centromere / centromere inactivation / centromere reactivation / nondisjunction / maize

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31071083) and National Science Foundation (No. DBI0922703).

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2014 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg