SMC Proteins and Their Multiple Functions in Higher Plants

In plants as in other eukaryotes, SMC (Structural Maintenance of Chromosome) protein complexes and proteins interacting with them are essential for sister chromatid cohesion, chromosome condensation, DNA repair and recombination. The presence of paralogous genes for various components of the different SMC complexes allowed diversification of their biological functions during evolution of higher plants. Here I summarize the multiple functions of plant SMC complexes and some of the particularities these proteins show in comparison to those of other organisms. Copyright (C) 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel