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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2016 Dec 2.
Published in final edited form as: Cell Rep. 2016 Nov 22;17(9):2394–2404. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2016.10.084

Figure 5. Model of centromere function mediated by centromeric chromatin and DNA sequences.

Figure 5

At exit of mitosis, centromeric chromatin replication and identity is mediated by CENP-A (in red) deposition via interaction with HJURP. CENP-A then mediates the assembly of CENP-C (in green) in mid-G1 followed by CENP-N/L (in orange) during S-phase. These steps might be interconnected. At this point, CENP-A becomes dispensable for mitotic centromere function as long as CENP-B (in light blue) is stably bound to centromeric sequences to support CENP-C binding. Assembly of the other subunits of the CCAN, such as CENP-T/W (in yellow) and HIKM (in brown), allows the full recruitment of the kinetochore complex (in grey) required to mediate centromere function. In summary, we propose that the kinetochore is tethered to the centromere through a dual linkage of CENP-A chromatin and CENP-B-bound DNA sequences, as the two major links from the DNA to the kinetochore to mediate successful chromosome segregation.