Dynamics and regulation of centromere proteins in primitive red algae

• Published in: Journal of plant research Vol. 117
• Main Authors: Maruyama, Shinichiro, Kuroiwa, Haruko, Miyagishima, Shin-ya, Kuroiwa, Tsuneyoshi, Tanaka, Kan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.12.2004
• Subjects: Cyanidioschyzon; Cyanidioschyzon merolae; Japan
• ISSN: 0918-9440

Although centromeres are universal chromosomal compartments responsible for faithful chromosome segregation, they are rapidly evolving. In most plant cells, centromeric DNA is usually composed of thousands of tandem repeats and a variety of insertions and other sequences. The primitive red alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae nuclear genome, which is completely sequenced recently, does not seem to have such an array of highly repetitive sequences. It may sound paradoxical that centromeres retain conserved functions and rapidly evolving primary structures, but some centromere protein components are universally conserved among Eukaryotes. We investigated the localization of the centromere specific protein CENP-A for chasing the centromere dynamics. Furthermore, we identified homologs of other centromere proteins, e.g. CENP-C and CENP-E, and kinetochore components in Cyanidioschyzon, maybe one of the closest relatives of the ancestral plant. RT-PCR analyses suggested that these components were subjected to the cell cycle dependent transcription regulation. In conclusion, we are now getting the whole picture of structural basis and gene regulation of the primitive red algal chromosomes.