Real-time imaging of DNA loop extrusion by condensin

It has been hypothesized that SMC protein complexes such as condensin and cohesin spatially organize chromosomes by extruding DNA into large loops. We directly visualized the formation and processive extension of DNA loops by yeast condensin in real time. Our findings constitute unambiguous evidence for loop extrusion. We observed that a...

DNA-loop extruding condensin complexes can traverse one another

Condensin, a key component of the structure maintenance of chromosome (SMC) protein complexes, has recently been shown to be a motor that extrudes loops of DNA¹. It remains unclear, however, how condensin complexes work together to collectively package DNA into chromosomes. Here we use time-lapse single-molecule visualization to...