Centromeric chromatin is established largely by epigenetic processes and involves the incorporation of histone H3 variant CENP-A. A new study implicates monoubiquitinated histone H2B (H2Bub1) in maintaining active centromeric chromatin in human cells and in fission yeast. H2Bub1 prevents heterochromatin formation at centromeres and promotes noncoding transcription, centromere integrity and accurate chromosomal segregation.
- Laia Sadeghi
- Lee Siggens
- Karl Ekwall
