What does the anaphase-promoting complex trigger to initiate anaphase?

The anaphase-promoting complex (APC) plays a crucial role during the transition from metaphase to anaphase in cell division. Specifically, it triggers the destruction of cohesins, which are protein complexes that hold sister chromatids together. By marking these cohesins for degradation, the APC ensures that the sister chromatids are released from each other, allowing them to be pulled apart toward opposite poles of the cell.

This coordinated action is essential for accurate chromosome segregation, as it ensures that each daughter cell will receive an equal set of chromosomes. The initiation of anaphase is a highly regulated process, and the destruction of cohesins by the APC is a key event that facilitates this transition by effectively liberating the chromatids for separation.