Centromeres: Key Drivers of Evolutionary Change
Researchers at the University of Rochester have discovered that centromeres, crucial for cell division, can rapidly reorganize over short evolutionary timescales, suggesting they may be hotspots for evolutionary innovation. This finding, observed in fruit flies, challenges the notion that essential genetic structures are highly conserved, revealing instead that centromeres undergo dramatic shifts in their genetic elements. The study highlights the potential implications for understanding genome instability-related diseases, such as cancer.