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Centromere structure and evolution

Guest Editors:
Fangpu Han, PhD, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
Michael Lampson, PhD, Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, USA
Barbara Mellone, PhD, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, USA


Genome Biology called for submissions to our Collection on the structural intricacies and evolutionary dynamics of centromeres, which are crucial for understanding the mechanisms governing genome stability and inheritance.

Meet the Guest Editors

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Fangpu Han, PhD, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China

Fangpu Han is a PI and group leader for Plant Chromosome biology lab, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. He is also a PAG committee member and co-organizer for plants. His research is focused on genetics and epigenetics of plant centromere, diplodization mechanism for polyploid wheat, and wide hybridization for wheat Furarium breeding.

Michael Lampson, PhD, Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, USA

Michael Lampson is a Professor of Biology and cell biologist at the University of Pennsylvania. His research group focuses on chromosome segregation and cell division, centromere function and inheritance in the germline, cell biology of meiotic drive, and evolution of centromere proteins.

Barbara Mellone, PhD, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, USA

Barbara Mellone is a Professor of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of Connecticut. Her research centers on the complexities of centromere specification, assembly, and inheritance, employing a comprehensive approach that integrates cell biology, molecular techniques, and genomic analysis in Drosophila.

About the collection

Genome Biology is calling for submissions to our Collection on evolutionary and structural aspects of centromeres.

The centromere plays a pivotal role in ensuring accurate chromosome segregation during cell division. Understanding the structural intricacies and evolutionary dynamics of centromeres is fundamental to unraveling the complex mechanisms that govern genome stability and inheritance. Centromeres are not only essential for accurate chromosome segregation but are also hubs for various cellular processes. Investigating their evolution, structure, and function provides insights into the genomic plasticity and adaptability of organisms. 

This collection welcomes contributions that deepen our understanding of how they contribute to the overall architecture and stability of genomes. Accepted topics for submission include:

  • Molecular mechanisms underlying centromere formation and organization
  • Evolutionary conservation and divergence of centromeric sequences
  • Inheritance patterns of centromeric structures across generations
  • Role of centromere structure variants in genomic diversity
  • Functional dynamics and regulation of centromeres during the cell cycle
  • Assembly and architecture of centromeric chromatin
  • Organization and stability of centromeric regions
  • The interplay between centromere structure and "satellite DNA"
  • Kinetochore function and its contribution to centromere biology
  • Evolutionary innovations in centromere proteins


Image credit: © Anusorn / stock.adobe.com

  1. The Drosophila genus is ideal for studying genome evolution due to its relatively simple chromosome structure and small genome size, with rearrangements mainly restricted to within chromosome arms, such as Muller...

    Authors: Daniel Gebert, Amir D. Hay, Jennifer P. Hoang, Adam E. Gibbon, Ian R. Henderson and Felipe Karam Teixeira
    Citation: Genome Biology 2025 26:63
  2. While CENP-A is the epigenetic determinant of the centromeric function, the role of CENP-B, a centromeric protein binding a specific DNA sequence, the CENP-B-box, remains elusive. In the few mammalian species ...

    Authors: Eleonora Cappelletti, Francesca M. Piras, Marialaura Biundo, Elena Raimondi, Solomon G. Nergadze and Elena Giulotto
    Citation: Genome Biology 2025 26:23
  3. We systematically examine the application of different phasing strategies to decrypt strawberry genome organization and produce a fully phased and accurate reference genome for Fragaria x ananassa cv. “EA78” (2n ...

    Authors: Xin Jin, Haiyuan Du, Maoxian Chen, Xu Zheng, Yiying He and Andan Zhu
    Citation: Genome Biology 2025 26:17

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Research, Method, Short Report, Review, and Database article types. Before submitting your manuscript, please ensure you have read our submission guidelines.

To submit your manuscript to this Collection, please use our online submission system and indicate in your covering letter that you would like the article to be considered for inclusion in the "Centromere structure and evolution" Collection.

All articles submitted to Collections are peer reviewed in line with the journal’s standard peer review policy and are subject to all of the journal’s standard editorial and publishing policies. This includes the journal’s policy on competing interests. 

The Guest Editors have no competing interests with the submissions which they handle through the peer review process. The peer review of any submissions for which the Guest Editors have competing interests is handled by another Editor or Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.