It is one of the mysteries in biology: how does a cell neatly distribute its replicated DNA between two daughter cells? Scientists are split into two camps: the first argues that condensing works like a hook, tying DNA together. The other camp thinks that the ring-shaped protein pulls the DNA inwards to create a loop. Now researchers from give the ‘loop-extrustion camp’ a boost: condensin does indeed have the putative ‘motor power’ on board.