cohesin

noun

co·​he·​sin kō-ˈhē-sən 

-zən

plural cohesins

: a ring-shaped protein complex that produces cohesion between sister chromatids and mediates their separation during cell division and that also plays a role in repairing damaged replicated DNA and regulating genetic transcription

At the cell-cycle stage known as anaphase, cohesins are cleaved and cohesion between sister chromatids dissolves, triggering their segregation.

—Paul Megee

Word History

First Known Use

1998, in the meaning defined above