Developmental Cell
Volume 42, Issue 2, 24 July 2017, Pages 181-189.e3
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Short Article
Association of M18BP1/KNL2 with CENP-A Nucleosome Is Essential for Centromere Formation in Non-mammalian Vertebrates

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2017.06.019Get rights and content
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Highlights

  • Chicken M18BP1/KNL2 localizes to centromeres throughout the cell cycle

  • Localization of M18BP1/KNL2 depends on CENP-A, but not CENP-C, in chicken cells

  • The CENP-C-like motif in M18BP1/KNL2 aids its centromere localization and function

  • Chicken M18BP1/KNL2 directly binds to CENP-A nucleosomes via the CENP-C-like motif

Summary

Centromeres are specified and maintained by sequence-independent epigenetic mechanisms through the incorporation of CENP-A into centromeres. Given that CENP-A incorporation requires the Mis18 complex to be in the centromere region, it is necessary to precisely understand how the Mis18 complex localizes to the centromere region. Here, we showed that centromere localization of the Mis18 complex depends on CENP-A, but not CENP-C or CENP-T, in chicken DT40 cells. Furthermore, we demonstrated that M18BP1/KNL2, a member of the Mis18 complex, contained the CENP-C-like motif in chicken and other vertebrates, which is essential for centromere localization and M18BP1/KNL2 function in DT40 cells. We also showed that in vitro reconstituted CENP-A nucleosome, but not H3 nucleosome, bound to the CENP-C-like motif containing M18BP1/KNL2. Based on these results, we conclude that M18BP1/KNL2 is essential for centromere formation through direct binding to CENP-A nucleosome in non-mammalian vertebrates. This explains how new CENP-A recognizes the centromere position.

Key words

M18BP1/KNL2
CENP-A
epigenetics
centromere specification
Mis18 complex
kinetochore

Cited by (0)

3

Present address: Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China

4

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