Structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) proteins

Abstract

The evolutionarily‐conserved eukaryotic SMC (structural maintenance of chromosomes) proteins are ubiquitous chromosomal components in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. The eukaryotic SMC proteins form two kind of heterodimers: the SMC1/SMC3 and the SMC2/SMC4 types. These heterodimers constitute an essential part of higher order complexes, which are involved in chromatin and DNA dynamics. The two most prominent and best‐characterized complexes are cohesin and condensin, necessary for sister chromatid cohesion and chromosome condensation. Here we discuss these functions together with additional roles in gene dosage compensation and DNA recombination.