The functional role for condensin in the regulation of chromosomal organization during the cell cycle

Abstract

In all organisms, the control of cell cycle progression is a fundamental process that is essential for cell growth, development, and survival. Through each cell cycle phase, the regulation of chromatin organization is essential for natural cell proliferation and maintaining cellular homeostasis. During mitosis, the chromatin morphology is dramatically changed to have a "thread-like" shape and the condensed chromosomes are segregated equally into two daughter cells. Disruption of the mitotic chromosome architecture physically impedes chromosomal behaviors, such as chromosome alignment and chromosome segregation; therefore, the proper mitotic chromosome structure is required to maintain chromosomal stability. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that mitotic chromosome condensation is induced by condensin complexes. Moreover, recent studies have shown that condensin also modulates interphase chromatin and regulates gene expression. This review mainly focuses on the molecular mechanisms that condensin uses to exert its functions during the cell cycle progression. Moreover, we discuss the condensin-mediated chromosomal organization in cancer cells.

Tetraploidy in cancer and its possible link to aging

“…83 The results are consistent with the functional role of condensin in the regulation of chromosomal organization of mitotic cells. 81 The results are also consistent with previous reports showing that tetraploidization can induce apoptosis. 36 These results suggest that apoptosis in the retina of developing zebrafish is one of the phenotypes caused by unscheduled tetraploidy that may be related to cellular senescence.…”

“…In zebrafish, mutation of the non‐SMC subunit of condensin increased tetraploidy and the rate of apoptosis in retinal progenitor cells, but not in postmitotic retinal cells at 3 days postfertilization . The results are consistent with the functional role of condensin in the regulation of chromosomal organization of mitotic cells . The results are also consistent with previous reports showing that tetraploidization can induce apoptosis .…”

“…Condensin is a highly conserved complex composed of two subunits of the structural maintenance of chromosome (SMC) family of proteins plus three non‐SMC subunits. The expression of condensin is often increased in human cancer cells, potentially conferring resistance to DNA replication stress and DNA damage . During aging, the expression of Alu and SINE retrotransposon RNAs is increased in human stem cells, which prevents recruitment of condensin to the chromatin structure and causes persistent DNA damage checkpoint activation and senescence .…”

Unresolved Complexity in the Gene Regulatory Network Underlying EMT

“…Positioning DNA around histone octamers-nucleosomes-to form chromatin is essential to maintain the integrity of the genome; chromatin prevents DNA strand entanglement, but also dynamically regulates DNA replication and gene expression (129,130). Extracellular stimuli, intracellular pathways, and transcription factors are subject to variation between patients and between cancers, and chromosomal instability promotes cancer (131), but the DNA is the same in all cells of the organism (132) and mechanisms and regulators of chromatin condensation are well-known (133). This makes chromatin the ultimate platform for action.…”

The Transformation of the Nuclear Nanoarchitecture in Human Field Carcinogenesis

“…For example, using qRT-PCR methods, we found the histone deacetylases HDAC1, HDAC2, HDAC3, HDAC5 and HDAC7, all to be upregulated in the field of human CRC [ 25 ]. Aberrant regulation of chromatin has been implicated in functional alterations, such as changes in cell cycle, chromosomal stability and gene expression [ 26 ]. Recent work, including from our group, has focused on the importance of chromatin structure on transcriptional regulation [ 27 , 28 ].…”