Speaker: Kerry Bloom, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Thad L. Beyle Distinguished Professor and Chair of Biology

Title: Chromatin springs and their role in chromosome segregation

Abstract: The centromere is the chromosomal site where the kinetochore is assembled, and where centromere DNA is physically coupled to microtubules. Tension exerted through the centromere is essential for the fidelity of chromosome segregation. Together with an interdisciplinary group of physicists and applied mathematicians we have found that the centromere is organized into loops that act as a shock absorber to buffer the variable forces generated by dynamic microtubules.  The centromere is not simply a passive DNA binding site for the kinetochore but plays an active role in partitioning chromosomes.

Host: Moe Gupta