Centromere RNA is a key component for the assembly of nucleoproteins at the nucleolus and centromere

Abstract

The centromere is a complex structure, the components and assembly pathway of which remain inadequately defined. Here, we demonstrate that centromeric α-satellite RNA and proteins CENPC1 and INCENP accumulate in the human interphase nucleolus in an RNA polymerase I-dependent manner. The nucleolar targeting of CENPC1 and INCENP requires α-satellite RNA, as evident from the delocalization of both proteins from the nucleolus in RNase-treated cells, and the nucleolar relocalization of these proteins following α-satellite RNA replenishment in these cells. Using protein truncation and in vitro mutagenesis, we have identified the nucleolar localization sequences on CENPC1 and INCENP. We present evi..