The cohesin protein complex mediates sister chromatid cohesion to ensure accurate chromosome segregation, and also influences gene transcription in higher eukaryotes. Modest deficits in cohesin function that do not alter chromosome segregation cause significant birth defects. The mechanisms by which cohesin participates in gene regulation have been studied in Drosophila, revealing that it is involved in gene activation by transcriptional enhancers and epigenetic gene silencing mediated by Polycomb group proteins. Recent studies reveal that early DNA replication origins are important for determining which genes associate with cohesin, and suggest that cohesin at replication origins is important for establishing both sister chromatid cohesion and enhancer–promoter communication.

粘连蛋白复合物介导姐妹染色单体粘连以确保准确的染色体分离，并且还影响高等真核生物中的基因转录。粘连蛋白功能的适度缺陷不会改变染色体分离，从而导致严重的出生缺陷。粘连蛋白参与基因调控的机制已在果蝇中进行了研究，揭示其参与转录增强子的基因激活和多梳族蛋白介导的表观遗传基因沉默。最近的研究表明，早期 DNA 复制起点对于确定哪些基因与粘连蛋白相关非常重要，并表明复制起点处的粘连蛋白对于建立姐妹染色单体粘连和增强子-启动子通讯非常重要。