It is shown here that one can induce prematurely condensed chromosomes (PCCs) in G1-phase human (HeLa) and mouse (FT210) cells by treating them with the protein phosphatase inhibitor calyculin A. However, histone H1 i...It is shown here that one can induce prematurely condensed chromosomes (PCCs) in G1-phase human (HeLa) and mouse (FT210) cells by treating them with the protein phosphatase inhibitor calyculin A. However, histone H1 is not phosphorylated in these G1-PCCs. It has previously been proposed that histone H1 phosphorylation is responsible for mitotic chromosome condensation, but our results suggest that this is not the case. They indicate instead that phosphorylation of histone H1 is not required for chromosome condensation. It is known that the Cdk1 protein kinase, which triggers mitosis and also phosphorylates histone H1, cannot be activated in G1-phase because mitotic cyclins are not present. Since calyculin A induces PCCs in G1-phase in the absence of active Cdk1, our results suggest that inactivation of protein phosphatases may be just as important for the onset of chromosome condensation and other mitotic events as the activation of protein kinases.展开更多
Dinoflagellates are a very large and diverse group of eukaryotic algae that play a major role in aquatic food webs of both fresh water and marine habitats. Moreover, the toxic members of this group pose a health threa...Dinoflagellates are a very large and diverse group of eukaryotic algae that play a major role in aquatic food webs of both fresh water and marine habitats. Moreover, the toxic members of this group pose a health threat in the form of red tides. Finally, dinoflagellates are of great evolutionary importance,because of their taxonomic position, and their unusual chromosome structure and composition. While the cytoplasm of dinoflagellates is typically eukaryotic, the nucleus is unique when compared to the nucleus of other eukaryotes. More specifically, while the chromosomes of all other eukaryotes contain histones,dinoflagellate chromosomes lack histones completely. There are no known exceptions to this observation: all dinoflagellates lack histones, and all other eukaryotes contain histones. Nevertheless, dinoflagellates remain a relatively unstudied group of eukaryotes.展开更多
文摘It is shown here that one can induce prematurely condensed chromosomes (PCCs) in G1-phase human (HeLa) and mouse (FT210) cells by treating them with the protein phosphatase inhibitor calyculin A. However, histone H1 is not phosphorylated in these G1-PCCs. It has previously been proposed that histone H1 phosphorylation is responsible for mitotic chromosome condensation, but our results suggest that this is not the case. They indicate instead that phosphorylation of histone H1 is not required for chromosome condensation. It is known that the Cdk1 protein kinase, which triggers mitosis and also phosphorylates histone H1, cannot be activated in G1-phase because mitotic cyclins are not present. Since calyculin A induces PCCs in G1-phase in the absence of active Cdk1, our results suggest that inactivation of protein phosphatases may be just as important for the onset of chromosome condensation and other mitotic events as the activation of protein kinases.
文摘Dinoflagellates are a very large and diverse group of eukaryotic algae that play a major role in aquatic food webs of both fresh water and marine habitats. Moreover, the toxic members of this group pose a health threat in the form of red tides. Finally, dinoflagellates are of great evolutionary importance,because of their taxonomic position, and their unusual chromosome structure and composition. While the cytoplasm of dinoflagellates is typically eukaryotic, the nucleus is unique when compared to the nucleus of other eukaryotes. More specifically, while the chromosomes of all other eukaryotes contain histones,dinoflagellate chromosomes lack histones completely. There are no known exceptions to this observation: all dinoflagellates lack histones, and all other eukaryotes contain histones. Nevertheless, dinoflagellates remain a relatively unstudied group of eukaryotes.
