| Description: | A replicated chromosome includes two kinetochores that control chromosome segregation during mitosis. The Centromere Protein-A, CENP-A, is a Histone H3-like protein that contains a C-terminal H3-like domain, which is required for centromere localization of CENP-A, and an antigenic N-terminal domain. CENP-A, originally isolated from HeLa cells, is essential for kinetochore targeting of CENP-C. In the presence of DNA CENP-A forms an octa-meric complex with histones H4, H2A, H2B. CENP-A specifically localizes to active centromeres and is a component of specialized centromeric nucleosomes, on which kinetochores are assembled. CENP-A is essential for nucleosomal packaging of centromeric DNA at interphase and functions as a centromere formation marker on the chromosome. |
