Structural biology of the vertebrate kinetochore complex CENP-T/W and CENP-S/X complexes

在真核生物中，着丝粒位于染色体的着丝粒区域，在细胞分裂过程中连接染色体和微管。为了理解分子机制，我们分析了CENP-SX和CENP-TW复合物。两者都类似于组蛋白，但它们彼此更相似。它们形成稳定的CENP-TWSX四聚体。CENP-TWSX四聚体的生化分析表明其与DNA的结合性质与CENP-TW或CENP-SX不同。这些分析表明CENP-TWSX复合物在真核生物的着丝粒处形成了独特的染色质

In eukaryotes, kinetochore is built at the centromeric region of chromosomes and they connect chromosome and microtubules during cell division. To understand the molecular mechanisms, we analyzed CENP-SX and CENP-TW complexes. Both were similar to histones but they were more similar to each other. They formed a stable CENP-TWSX tetramer. Biochemical analysis of CENP-TWSX tetramer revealed that its DNA binding property is different from that of CENP-TW or CENP-SX. These analyses suggest that CENP-TWSX complex forms a unique chromatin at eukaryotic centromere