REVIEW: Cohesin-Dependent Loop Extrusion: Molecular Mechanics and Role in Cell Physiology

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Arkadiy K. Golov^1,2,a* and Alexey A. Gavrilov^1,b*

¹Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119334 Moscow, Russia

²Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, 3525433 Haifa, Israel

Received October 21, 2023; Revised December 29, 2023; Accepted February 15, 2024

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The most prominent representatives of multisubunit SMC complexes, cohesin and condensin, are best known as structural components of mitotic chromosomes. It turned out that these complexes, as well as their bacterial homologues, are molecular motors, the ATP-dependent movement of these complexes along DNA threads leads to the formation of DNA loops. In recent years, we have witnessed an avalanche-like accumulation of data on the process of SMC dependent DNA looping, also known as loop extrusion. This review briefly summarizes the current understanding of the place and role of cohesin-dependent extrusion in cell physiology and presents a number of models describing the potential molecular mechanism of extrusion in a most compelling way. We conclude the review with a discussion of how the capacity of cohesin to extrude DNA loops may be mechanistically linked to its involvement in sister chromatid cohesion.

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KEY WORDS: cohesin, SMC complexes, loop extrusion, cohesion, DNA gripping state

DOI: 10.1134/S0006297924040023

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