CHFR, a novel checkpoint gene inactivated in human cancer, delays chromosome condensation in cells treated with microtubule poisons. To understand the molecular mechanism for this delay, we characterized cells with inactivated CHFR and stably transfected derivatives expressing the wild-type gene. After exposure to microtubule poisons, the CHFR-expressing cells arrested transiently in early prophase with a characteristic ruffled morphology of the nuclear envelope and no signs of chromosome condensation. Several markers suggested that Cyclin A/Cdc2 had been activated, whereas Aurora-A and -B and Cyclin B1/Cdc2 were inactive. Further, Cyclin B1 was excluded from the nucleus. Ectopic expression of Cyclin B1 with a mutant nuclear export sequence induced chromosome condensation, and thus overcame the CHFR checkpoint. We conclude that the mechanism by which CHFR delays chromosome condensation involves inhibition of accumulation of Cyclin B1 in the nucleus.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/sj.onc.1208428 | DOI Listing |
J Chem Phys
January 2025
CNRS, Laboratoire PHENIX (Physicochimie des Electrolytes et Nanosystèmes Interfaciaux), Sorbonne Université, 4 Place Jussieu, 75005 Paris, France.
By means of a minimal physical model, we investigate the interplay of two phase transitions at play in chromatin organization: (1) liquid-liquid phase separation within the fluid solvating chromatin, resulting in the formation of biocondensates; and (2) the coil-globule crossover of the chromatin fiber, which drives the condensation or extension of the chain. In our model, a species representing a domain of chromatin is embedded in a binary fluid. This fluid phase separates to form a droplet rich in a macromolecule (B).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBMB Rep
January 2025
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan (44919), Republic of Korea.
The nucleosome is the fundamental structural unit of chromosome fibers. A DNA wraps around a histone octamer to form a nucleosome, while neighboring nucleosomes interact to form higher-order structures and fit gigabase-long DNAs into a small volume of the nucleus. Nucleosomes interrupt the access of transcription factors to a genomic region, and provide regulatory controls of gene expression.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNat Commun
January 2025
Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Nuclear speckles are membraneless organelles that associate with active transcription sites and participate in post-transcriptional mRNA processing. During the cell cycle, nuclear speckles dissolve following phosphorylation of their protein components. Here, we identify the PP1 family as the phosphatases that counteract kinase-mediated dissolution.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNat Commun
December 2024
Department of Medicine, Columbia Center for Human Development and Stem Cell Therapies, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
Pluripotent stem cells possess a unique nuclear architecture characterized by a larger nucleus and more open chromatin, which underpins their ability to self-renew and differentiate. Here, we show that the nucleolus-specific RNA helicase DDX18 is essential for maintaining the pluripotency of human embryonic stem cells. Using techniques such as Hi-C, DNA/RNA-FISH, and biomolecular condensate analysis, we demonstrate that DDX18 regulates nucleolus phase separation and nuclear organization by interacting with NPM1 in the granular nucleolar component, driven by specific nucleolar RNAs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCurr Opin Cell Biol
December 2024
Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan. Electronic address:
During mitosis, chromosomes condense, align to form a metaphase plate and segregate to the two daughter cells. Mitosis is one of the most complex recurring transformations in the life of a cell and requires a high degree of reliability to ensure the error-free transmission of genetic information to the next cell generation. An abnormally prolonged mitosis indicates potential defects that compromise genomic integrity.
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