Cited by 1,227Microtubule and mitosis dynamicsDNA Repair MechanismsGenomic variations and chromosomal abnormalities

DNA breaks and chromosome pulverization from errors in mitosis

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Crasta, Karen, Ganem, Neil J., Dagher, Regina, Lantermann, Alexandra B., Ivanova, Elena V., Pan, Yunfeng, Nezi, Luigi, Protopopov, Alexei +2 more·2012·Nature

Abstract

The involvement of whole-chromosome aneuploidy in tumorigenesis is the subject of debate, in large part because of the lack of insight into underlying mechanisms. Here we identify a mechanism by which errors in mitotic chromosome segregation generate DNA breaks via the formation of structures called micronuclei. Whole-chromosome-containing micronuclei form when mitotic errors produce lagging chromosomes. We tracked the fate of newly generated micronuclei and found that they undergo defective and asynchronous DNA replication, resulting in DNA damage and often extensive fragmentation of the chromosome in the micronucleus. Micronuclei can persist in cells over several generations but the chromosome in the micronucleus can also be distributed to daughter nuclei. Thus, chromosome segregation errors potentially lead to mutations and chromosome rearrangements that can integrate into the genome. Pulverization of chromosomes in micronuclei may also be one explanation for 'chromothripsis' in cancer and developmental disorders, where isolated chromosomes or chromosome arms undergo massive local DNA breakage and rearrangement.

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Authors
Crasta, K., Ganem, N. J., Dagher, R., Lantermann, A. B., Ivanova, E. V., Pan, Y., Nezi, L., Protopopov, A., Chowdhury, D., & Pellman, D.
Affiliations
  • Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (US)
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute (US)
Corresponding author
Pellman, David
Venue
Nature
Published
2012-01-18
Volume
482
Issue
7383
Pages
53-58
ISSN
  • 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-4687
OpenAlex
W2095617425
Cited by
1,227
References
52
Citations by year
2026: 50 · 2025: 63 · 2024: 76 · 2023: 89 · 2022: 77 · 2021: 95 · 2020: 106 · 2019: 87 · 2018: 108 · 2017: 85 · 2016: 79 · 2015: 97 · 2014: 77 · 2013: 88 · 2012: 49
FWCI
47.22
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute
  • National Cancer Institute (R00CA154531, R01CA142698)
  • National Institute of General Medical Sciences (GM 083299, R01GM083299)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Microtubule and mitosis dynamics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › DNA Repair Mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genomic variations and chromosomal abnormalities
Keywords
micronuclei, whole-chromosome aneuploidy, chromothripsis, DNA strand breaks, chromosome pulverization, lagging chromosomes, DNA damage response, chromosome fragmentation, carcinogenesis, chromosomal rearrangements, S phase
MeSH terms
Aneuploidy, Cell Transformation, Neoplastic, DNA Replication, Humans, Mitosis, Neoplasms, Chromosome Breakage, Chromosome Segregation, Comet Assay, Cell Line, Tumor, Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective, DNA Fragmentation

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