Previous Seminars
Special Seminar - Manu Shukla
- Venue: FMS Boardroom
- Start: Tue, 26 Feb 2019 12:00:00 GMT
- End: Tue, 26 Feb 2019 13:00:00 GMT
Centromeres are regions within eukaryotic chromosomes, which are required for kinetochore establishment to ensure correct segregation of chromosomes. Centromeric chromatin is defined by presence of CENP-A, a histone H3 variant. Once established, CENP-A chromatin and kinetochores are maintained at that location through a positive feedback loop where kinetochore proteins recruited by CENP-A promote deposition of new CENP-A following replication, thus acting as a true epigenetic mark. Understanding how CENP-A chromatin is faithfully maintained through cell divisions and overcomes the challenges posed by the cell cycle remains a major challenge.
Here, Manu will focus on his recent investigation into histone dynamics at fission yeast centromeres during the cell cycle and challenges that lie ahead. Although CENP-A chromatin itself is a heritable entity and is considered to be independent of underlying DNA sequence upon initial establishment, it is normally associated with specific sequences. His recent work shows that intrinsic centromere DNA features assist maintenance of CENP-A chromatin through the cell cycle. Additionally, he will discuss his recent work on the structure of chromatin and a potential methodological path towards understanding chromatin structure in vivo.