Chromosome silencing during mitosis

Mitotic chromatin is largely assumed incompatible with transcription due to changes in the transcription machinery and chromosome architecture. However, the mechanisms of mitotic transcriptional inactivation and their interplay with chromosome assembly remain largely unknown. Here I will present our recent finding on the dynamics and mechanisms of transcription inactivation during mitosis, assessed by monitoring ongoing transcription in Drosophila early embryos. I will further discuss how failures to silence chromatin during nuclear division can impair faithful chromosome segregation and organism development.