Resolving the genomic localization of the kollerin cohesin-loader complex

Abstract

The kollerin complex, consisting of Scc2/Scc4 in yeast and Nipbl/M au2 in vertebrates, is crucial for the chromatin-association of the cohesin complex and therefore for the critical functions of cohesin in cell division, transcriptional regulation and chromatin organisation. Despite the recent efforts to determine the genomic localization of the kollerin complex in different cell lines, major questions still remain unresolved, for instance where cohesin is actually loaded onto chromatin. Further, Nipbl seems to have also additional roles, for instance as transcription factor. This chapter summarizes our current knowledge on kollerin function and the recent studies on the genomic localization of Scc2, highlighting and critically discussing controversial data.