Condensin controls cellular RNA levels through the accurate segregation of chromosomes instead of directly regulating transcription.

Condensins are genome organisers that shape chromosomes and promote their accurate transmission. Several studies have also implicated condensins in gene expression, although any mechanisms have remained enigmatic. Here, we report on the role of condensin in gene expression in fission and budding yeasts.

The loading of condensin in the context of chromatin.

The packaging of DNA into chromosomes is a ubiquitous process that enables living organisms to structure and transmit their genome accurately through cell divisions. In the three kingdoms of life, the architecture and dynamics of chromosomes rely upon ring-shaped SMC (Structural Maintenance of Chromosomes) condensin complexes. To understand how condensin rings organize chromosomes, it is essential to decipher how they associate with chromatin filaments.

Nucleosome eviction in mitosis assists condensin loading and chromosome condensation.

Condensins associate with DNA and shape mitotic chromosomes. Condensins are enriched nearby highly expressed genes during mitosis, but how this binding is achieved and what features associated with transcription attract condensins remain unclear. Here, we report that condensin accumulates at or in the immediate vicinity of nucleosome-depleted regions during fission yeast mitosis.

A high-sensitivity phospho-switch triggered by Cdk1 governs chromosome morphogenesis during cell division.

The initiation of chromosome morphogenesis marks the beginning of mitosis in all eukaryotic cells. Although many effectors of chromatin compaction have been reported, the nature and design of the essential trigger for global chromosome assembly remain unknown. Here we reveal the identity of the core mechanism responsible for chromosome morphogenesis in early mitosis.

The yeast polo kinase Cdc5 regulates the shape of the mitotic nucleus.

Abnormal nuclear size and shape are hallmarks of aging and cancer. However, the mechanisms regulating nuclear morphology and nuclear envelope (NE) expansion are poorly understood. In metazoans, the NE disassembles prior to chromosome segregation and reassembles at the end of mitosis.

Cdk1-dependent regulation of the Mre11 complex couples DNA repair pathways to cell cycle progression.

Homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) are the main pathways ensuring the repair of DNA double-stranded breaks (DSBs) in eukaryotes. It has long been known that cell cycle stage is a major determinant of the type of pathway used to repair DSBs in vivo. However, the mechanistic basis for the cell cycle regulation of the DNA damage response is still unclear.

A genetic screen for functional partners of condensin in fission yeast.

Mitotic chromosome condensation is a prerequisite for the accurate segregation of chromosomes during cell division, and the conserved condensin complex a central player of this process. However, how condensin binds chromatin and shapes mitotic chromosomes remain poorly understood. Recent genome-wide binding studies showing that in most species condensin is enriched near highly expressed genes suggest a conserved link between condensin occupancy and high transcription rates.

Gene silencing of transgenes inserted in the Aspergillus nidulans alcM and/or alcS loci.

While carrying out a systematic disruption of the genes of unknown function in the alc gene cluster from the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans, we observed a strong diminution of the transcription of markers inserted in the alcS gene. This was found to be the case for the two markers tested, nadA (from A. nidulans) and pyrG (from A.

Biodiversity and evolution of primary carbon metabolism in Aspergillus nidulans and other Aspergillus spp.

Some of the Aspergilli are reputed for their versatile and efficient catabolism of soluble carbon sources and related metabolites as well as raw polymeric materials. Here, we present a detailed investigation of the genomic and evolutionary basis for this versatility, using seven Aspergillus and one Neosartorya genome sequences. We manually annotated about 155 genes per genome covering glycolysis, the pentose phosphate cycle, alternative routes of D-glucose metabolism, catabolism of D-galactose and pentoses, and the TCA cycle, as well as the utilization of acetate and ethanol, propionate metabolism, and gluconeogenesis.

The 2008 update of the Aspergillus nidulans genome annotation: a community effort.

The identification and annotation of protein-coding genes is one of the primary goals of whole-genome sequencing projects, and the accuracy of predicting the primary protein products of gene expression is vital to the interpretation of the available data and the design of downstream functional applications. Nevertheless, the comprehensive annotation of eukaryotic genomes remains a considerable challenge. Many genomes submitted to public databases, including those of major model organisms, contain significant numbers of wrong and incomplete gene predictions.

AcpA, a member of the GPR1/FUN34/YaaH membrane protein family, is essential for acetate permease activity in the hyphal fungus Aspergillus nidulans.

In a previous study, alcS, a gene of the Aspergillus nidulans alc cluster, was shown to encode a protein that belongs to the GPR1/FUN34/YaaH membrane protein family. BLAST screening of the A. nidulans genome data identified additional genes encoding hypothetical proteins that could belong to this family.