Chinese Journal of Nature ›› 2021, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (1): 1-8.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-9608.2020.00.003

• Invited Special Paper •     Next Articles

Molecular insights into mechanisms of cohesin in genome maintenance

SHI Zhubing, BAI Xiaochen, YU Hongtao①③   

  1. ①Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, United States of America; ②Department of Biophysics and Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, United States of America; ③School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310024, China
  • Received:2019-08-01 Online:2021-02-25 Published:2021-02-25

Abstract: Cohesin is a key player in genome maintenance. During mitosis, cohesin mediates sister chromatid cohesion and plays an essential role in chromosome segregation. Recent research discovered that cohesin also organizes the 3D genome during interphase and is crucial for the formation of chromatin loops and topologically associating domains (TADs) in mammalian cells. The latest biophysical and structural studies have provided insights into the underlying mechanisms by which cohesin is loaded onto DNA and extrudes DNA loops.