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Chromosome condensation outside of mitosis: Mechanisms and new tools
Author(s) -
Gotoh Eisuke,
Durante Marco
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of cellular physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.529
H-Index - 174
eISSN - 1097-4652
pISSN - 0021-9541
DOI - 10.1002/jcp.20720
Subject(s) - mitosis , premature chromosome condensation , interphase , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , maturation promoting factor , sendai virus , chromosome , chromosome segregation , genetics , cell cycle , cell , virus , gene , cyclin dependent kinase 1
A basic principle of cell physiology is that chromosomes condense during mitosis. However, condensation can be uncoupled from mitotic events under certain circumstances. This phenomenon is known as “premature chromosome condensation (PCC).” PCC provides insights in the mechanisms of chromosome condensation, thus helping clarifying the key molecular events leading to the mitosis. Besides, PCC has proved to be an useful tool for analyzing chromosomes in interphase. For example, using PCC we can visualize genetic damage shortly after the exposure to clastogenic agents. More than 30 years ago, the first report of PCC in interphase cells fused to mitotic cells using Sendai virus was described (virus‐mediated PCC). The method paved the way to a great number of fundamental discoveries in cytogenetics, radiation biology, and related fields, but it has been hampered by technical difficulties. The novel drug‐induced PCC method was introduced about 10 years ago. While fusion‐induced PCC exploits the action of external maturation/mitosis promoting factor (MPF), migrating from the inducer mitotic cell to the interphase recipient, drug‐induced PCC exploits protein phosphatase inhibitors, which can activate endogenous intracellular MPF. This method is much simpler than fusion‐induced PCC, and has already proven useful in different fields. J. Cell. Physiol. 209: 297–304, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.