Shugoshin 1 or Shugoshin-like 1, is a

protein Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, res ...

that in humans is encoded by the ''SGO1''

gene In biology, the word gene (from , ; "... Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a b ...

Model organisms

Model organisms have been used in the study of SGOL1 function. A conditional

knockout mouse A knockout mouse, or knock-out mouse, is a genetically modified mouse (''Mus musculus'') in which researchers have inactivated, or " knocked out", an existing gene by replacing it or disrupting it with an artificial piece of DNA. They are importa ...

line, called ''Sgol1^{tm1a(EUCOMM)Wtsi}'' has been generated. Male and female animals underwent a standardized

phenotypic screen In genetics, the phenotype () is the set of observable characteristics or traits of an organism. The term covers the organism's morphology or physical form and structure, its developmental processes, its biochemical and physiological proper ...

to determine the effects of deletion. Twenty six tests were carried out on

mutant In biology, and especially in genetics, a mutant is an organism or a new genetic character arising or resulting from an instance of mutation, which is generally an alteration of the DNA sequence of the genome or chromosome of an organism. It ...

mice and three significant abnormalities were observed. No

homozygous Zygosity (the noun, zygote, is from the Greek "yoked," from "yoke") () is the degree to which both copies of a chromosome or gene have the same genetic sequence. In other words, it is the degree of similarity of the alleles in an organism. Mo ...

embryos were identified during gestation, and thus none survived until

weaning Weaning is the process of gradually introducing an infant human or another mammal to what will be its adult diet while withdrawing the supply of its mother's milk. The process takes place only in mammals, as only mammals produce milk. The infan ...

. The remaining tests were carried out on

heterozygous Zygosity (the noun, zygote, is from the Greek "yoked," from "yoke") () is the degree to which both copies of a chromosome or gene have the same genetic sequence. In other words, it is the degree of similarity of the alleles in an organism. Mo ...

mutant adult mice and a decreased regulatory

T cell A T cell is a type of lymphocyte. T cells are one of the important white blood cells of the immune system and play a central role in the adaptive immune response. T cells can be distinguished from other lymphocytes by the presence of a T-cell r ...

number was observed in male animals.

Mechanisms

A physical mechanism that guarantees the accurate segregation of

sister chromatids A sister chromatid refers to the identical copies (chromatids) formed by the DNA replication of a chromosome, with both copies joined together by a common centromere. In other words, a sister chromatid may also be said to be 'one-half' of the dup ...

during mitosis arises from the ring shaped

cohesin Cohesin is a protein complex that mediates sister chromatid cohesion, homologous recombination, and DNA looping. Cohesin is formed of SMC3, SMC1, SCC1 and SCC3 ( SA1 or SA2 in humans). Cohesin holds sister chromatids together after DNA rep ...

complex consisting of 4 subunits (

SMC1A Structural maintenance of chromosomes protein 1A (SMC1A) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''SMC1A'' gene. SMC1A is a subunit of the cohesin complex which mediates sister chromatid cohesion, homologous recombination and DNA looping. ...

/ B,

SMC3 Structural maintenance of chromosomes protein 3 (SMC3) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SMC3 gene. SMC3 is a subunit of the Cohesin complex which mediates sister chromatid cohesion, homologous recombination and DNA looping. Cohesi ...

, SCC1, and SA1/ 2 in humans). This complex encircles the two sister chromatids and resists the pulling force of microtubules. The characteristic X-shape chromosomes are formed due to the centromeric cohesin protected by Shugoshin-

PP2A Protein phosphatase 2 (PP2), also known as PP2A, is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ''PPP2CA'' gene. The PP2A heterotrimeric protein phosphatase is ubiquitously expressed, accounting for a large fraction of phosphatase activity in eu ...

complex.

Kinetochore A kinetochore (, ) is a disc-shaped protein structure associated with duplicated chromatids in eukaryotic cells where the spindle fibers attach during cell division to pull sister chromatids apart. The kinetochore assembles on the centromere and ...

localization of Sgo1-PP2A is dependent upon phosphorylation on

histone H2A Histone H2A is one of the five main histone proteins involved in the structure of chromatin in eukaryotic cells. The other histone proteins are: H1, H2B, H3 and H4. Background Histones are proteins that package DNA into nucleosomes. Hist ...

of nucleosome, which is the important substrate of spindle checkpoint kinase

BUB1 Mitotic checkpoint serine/threonine-protein kinase BUB1 also known as BUB1 (budding uninhibited by benzimidazoles 1) is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ''BUB1'' gene. Bub1 is a serine/threonine protein kinase first identified in gen ...

. Centromeric cohesin and H2A-pT120 specify two distinct pools of Sgo1-PP2A at inner centromeres and kinetochores respectively, while the

CDK1 Cyclin-dependent kinase 1 also known as CDK1 or cell division cycle protein 2 homolog is a highly conserved protein that functions as a serine/threonine protein kinase, and is a key player in cell cycle regulation. It has been highly studied in t ...

/cyclin B phosphorylation on Sgo1 is essential for Sgo1-PP2A to protect centromeric cohesin, not only for bringing PP2A to cohesin, but also physically shield out the negative regulator

WAPAL Wings apart-like protein homolog (WAPL) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''WAPAL'' gene. WAPL is a key regulator of the Cohesin complex which mediates sister chromatid cohesion, homologous recombination and DNA looping. Cohesin is f ...

from cohesin.

Model organisms

Mechanisms

References

Further reading