An engineered centromere, and systems and methods of using the engineered centromere are described. The engineered centromere can have tandem repeats of a DNA sequence with binding motifs to permit binding of fusion proteins that include a DNA binding protein and a kinetochore protein to activate the engineered centromere. Also described are a plant artificial chromosome that includes the engineered centromere, a transgenic plant containing the engineered chromosome, and a method of synthesizing a large molecule by adding multiple genes using the plant artificial chromosome.
