Sister chromatid cohesion during meiosis: Differential mechanisms for arms and centromere coherence

Abstract

Sister chromatid cohesion is a fundamental aspect of chromosome behaviour which ensures faithful disjunction of chromosomes. The differential release of centromeric- and arm-cohesion during meiosis suggests that the molecular basis of cohesion in the two domains might be different. A number of meiotic mutations differentially affect cohesion in the two domains. Recent identification of two proteins, ORD and mei-S332, shows that they are involved in maintaining cohesion in two spatially different locations. While mei-S332 acts to structurally hold the sister centromeres together until second meiotic anaphase, ORD is likely to time the release of cohesion along the arms during first meiotic division.