Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • In Brief
  • Published:

Cytokinesis

Ringfenced from damage

Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology volume 15, page 5 (2014)Cite this article

Subjects

The condensin complex forms a ring around chromosomes during mitosis and meiosis, which is important for their proper segregation. Here, the authors investigate how these defects arise, and show that induced cleavage of the condensin ring causes cells to arrest in metaphase of the next cell cycle, owing to the induction of a DNA damage-dependent checkpoint. Fluorescent microscopy imaging of chromosomes showed that experimentally induced cleavage of the condensin ring led to accumulation of DNA double-strand breaks during cytokinesis, but this did not prevent completion of cell division. Remarkably, induction of condensin ring re-closure shortly before anaphase was sufficient to rescue chromosome arm segregation. Thus, the condensin ring protects chromosome arms against damage induction during cytokinesis, and thereby ensures proper chromosome segregation.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Cuylen, S. et al. Entrapment of chromosomes by condensin rings prevents their breakage during cytokinesis. Dev. Cell 27, 469–478 (2013)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Alison Schuldt
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Schuldt, A. Ringfenced from damage. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 15, 5 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrm3729

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrm3729

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing