Gene

Cell biology

Cohesin

Biology

Establishment of sister chromatid cohesion

Biochemistry

Separase

Genetics

Chromatin

Chromosome segregation

Enzyme

Chemistry

ATPase

Sister chromatids

Chromosome

Science

A blueprint to understand cohesin Cohesin is a multiprotein complex that entraps sister chromatids for chromosome segregation and regulates transcription by extruding DNA loops to shape DNA organization. Shi et al. determined the structure of human cohesin bound to the protein NIBPL, which helps load cohesin onto DNA, and DNA at medium resolution by cryo–electron microscopy. Two adenosine triphosphatase domains play a key role in cohesin function. The structure explains how NIBPL and DNA synergistically activate these domains and gives insight into how DNA is trapped by cohesin. Science , this issue p. 1454

Cryo-EM structure of the human cohesin-NIPBL-DNA complex