2009 National DNA Day Online Chatroom Transcript
This is just one question from an archive of the National DNA Day Moderated Chat held in April 2009. The NHGRI Director and many genomics experts from across NHGRI took questions from students, teachers and the general public on topics ranging from basic genomic research, to the genetic basis of disease, to ethical questions about genetic privacy.
| 413 |
Can you please explain what centromeres are? I know they are the constricted parts of chromosomes, but what do they do?
| |
Ed Ramos, Ph.D:
Science Policy Analyst and Research Fellow
Centromeres are extremely important to a cell, especially during cell division. Spindle fibers attach to kinetochores, which are formed on top of centromeres. Spindle fibers help guide them to the resulting sister cells of mitosis or meiosis. |
|
