This book presents the latest advances concerning the regulation of chromosome segregation during cell division by means of centromeres and kinetochores. The authors cover both state-of-the-art techniques and a range of species and model systems, shedding new light on the molecular mechanisms controlling the transmission of genetic material between cell divisions and from parent to offspring. The chapters cover five major areas related to the current study of centromeres and kinetochores: 1) their genetic and epigenetic features, 2) key breakthroughs at the molecular, proteomic, imaging and biochemical level, 3) the constitutive centromere proteins, 4) the role of centromere proteins in the physical process of chromosome segregation and its careful orchestration through elaborate regulation, and 5) intersections with reproductive biology, human health and disease, as well as chromosome evolution. The book offers an informative and provocative guide for newcomers as well as those already acquainted with the field.

Kinetochores orchestrate the faithful transmission of chromosomes from one generation to the next. Kinetochores were first depicted over 100 years ago, but kinetochore research has progressed by leaps and bounds since the first description of their constituent DNA and proteins in the 1980s. “The Kinetochore: from Molecular Discoveries to Cancer Therapy” presents a thorough up-to-date analysis of kinetochore and centromere composition, formation, regulation, and activity, both in mitosis and meiosis, in humans and “model” eukaryotic species, and at natural and mutant neocentromeres. Recently initiated translational research on kinetochores is also discussed as kinetochores are being mined as a very rich target for the next generations of anti-cancer drugs.

The 82nd Cold Spring Harbor Symposium focused on Chromosome Segregation & Structure and addressed the enormous progress in our understanding of the nature and behavior of chromosomes during the life cycle of the cell. It is rare to find such a wide-ranging perspective on this topic in one volume and this collection of papers will be valuable to investigators interested in many aspects of cell biology, genetics, and cancer. The topics covered at the meeting included: Meiosis; Mitosis; Chromosome Segregation; Centrosomes and Centrioles; Ploidy, Chromosome Segregation Errors & Disease; Asymmetric Cell Division; Nuclear Architecture; Chromosome Structure and Condensation; Sister Chromatid Cohesion; Genome Stability; and Germ Cells. Numerous speakers participated in interviews during the course of the Symposium week and transcripts of those discussions and the Dorcas Cummings lecture by David Page are included.

This issue of Recent Results in Cancer Research presents a comprehensive review of current understanding of chromosomal instability in cancer and of strategies to use this information for better treatment of patients with cancer. Cancer is a disease of the chromosomes, and chromosomal instability in cancer disrupts gene function by either inactivating tumor suppressor genes or activating growth-promoting oncogenes. The chromosomal basis for these aberrations is either translocations, which change the integrity of genes, or abnormal numbers of chromosomes, a condition referred to as aneuploidy, which results in abnormal gene expression levels. Such structural or numerical chromosomal aberrations are specific for distinct tumor entities. The degree of chromosomal instability and the degree of intratumor heterogeneity have profound consequences for disease outcome and for therapeutic stratification.

Chromatin Regulation and Dynamics integrates knowledge on the dynamic regulation of primary chromatin fiber with the 3D nuclear architecture, then connects related processes to circadian regulation of cellular metabolic states, representing a paradigm of adaptation to environmental changes. The final chapters discuss the many ways chromatin dynamics can synergize to fundamentally contribute to the development of complex diseases. Chromatin dynamics, which is strategically positioned at the gene-environment interface, is at the core of disease development. As such, Chromatin Regulation and Dynamics, part of the Translational Epigenetics series, facilitates the flow of information between research areas such as chromatin regulation, developmental biology, and epidemiology by focusing on recent findings of the fast-moving field of chromatin regulation. - Presents and discusses novel principles of chromatin regulation and dynamics with a cross-disciplinary perspective - Promotes crosstalk between basic sciences and their applications in medicine - Provides a framework for future studies on complex diseases by integrating various aspects of chromatin biology with cellular metabolic states, with an emphasis on the dynamic nature of chromatin and stochastic principles - Integrates knowledge on the dynamic regulation of primary chromatin fiber with 3D nuclear architecture, then connects related processes to circadian regulation of cellular metabolic states, representing a paradigm of adaptation to environmental changes

Mitosis and Meiosis, Part A, Volume 144, a new volume in the Methods in Cell Biology series, continues the legacy of this premier serial with quality chapters authored by leaders in the field. Unique to this updated volume are chapters on Analyzing the Spindle Assembly Checkpoint in human cell culture, an Analysis of CIN, a Functional analysis of the tubulin code in mitosis, Employing CRISPR/Cas9 genome engineering to dissect the molecular requirements for mitosis, Applying the auxin-inducible degradation (AID) system for rapid protein depletion in mammalian cells, Small Molecule Tools in Mitosis Research, Optogenetic control of mitosis with photocaged chemical, and more. - Contains contributions from experts in the field from across the world - Covers a wide array of topics on both mitosis and meiosis - Includes relevant, analysis based topics