Epigenetic organisation of chromosomes
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Hereditary traits are transmitted through genes, but there are exceptions to this rule.
Two teams at the University of Geneva have been investigating the location of centromeres - specific points on chromosomes that are essential for cell division. Studying the nematode Caenorhabiditis elegans, they found that the correct location of centromeres is not transmitted by genes but by an epigenetic memory mechanism. This work was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation.