Show Notes
This release contains only the music track from Base by Base Episode 354.
Song title: Two Marks, One Map
Original Base by Base episode: 354: How Cohesin Acetylation and ATPase Shape Chromatin Loops and Cohesion
Article metadata:
Article title: Cohesin acetylation and ATPase activity control cohesion and loop architecture through distinct mechanisms
Journal: PNAS
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2531218123
Reference: Costantino L, Ye T, Boardman K, Xiang S, Luo J, Mu Y, Ma W, Koshland D. Cohesin acetylation and ATPase activity control cohesion and loop architecture through distinct mechanisms. PNAS. 2026;123(17):e2531218123. doi:10.1073/pnas.2531218123.
Lyrics:
Verse 1
Midnight on the chromosome line,
A ring of hands keeps time with mine.
It pulls a road from folded air,
Then chooses where to stop and stare.
Pre-Chorus
One small mark can steer the glow,
Another holds what must not go.
Same machine, two different vows,
A quiet switch inside the house.
Chorus
Two marks, one map, and the engine in between,
ATP sparks in a loader’s restless dream.
Loops can find their seats in the light,
But to hold two sisters—K113’s the tie.
Turn the dial, watch the pattern rearrange,
Same binding, new design—nothing stays the same.
Verse 2
When both marks fade, the track runs long,
Wide-open arcs where anchors were strong.
Still on the DNA, still in place,
But drifting past the checkpoint’s face.
Bridge
Speed it up—more loops lock to the rails,
Fewer wander off in random trails.
Slow it down—the skyline stretches thin,
Pds5 at the door, but the order can’t begin.
Final Chorus
Two marks, one map, and the engine in between,
ATP sparks in a loader’s restless dream.
Loops can stand in rows, aligned and bright,
But cohesion needs that single, specific tie.
Separate gears in a single frame,
Pull, position, hold—three notes, one name.
