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Review
. 1999 Jul;263(1):6-13.
doi: 10.1046/j.1432-1327.1999.00509.x.

Structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) proteins: conserved molecular properties for multiple biological functions

A V Strunnikov  1 , R Jessberger
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Free article
Review

Structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) proteins: conserved molecular properties for multiple biological functions

A V Strunnikov et al. Eur J Biochem. 1999 Jul.
Free article

Abstract

The evolutionarily-conserved eukaryotic SMC (structural maintenance of chromosomes) proteins are ubiquitous chromosomal components in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. The eukaryotic SMC proteins form two kind of heterodimers: the SMC1/SMC3 and the SMC2/SMC4 types. These heterodimers constitute an essential part of higher order complexes, which are involved in chromatin and DNA dynamics. The two most prominent and best-characterized complexes are cohesin and condensin, necessary for sister chromatid cohesion and chromosome condensation. Here we discuss these functions together with additional roles in gene dosage compensation and DNA recombination.

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