Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hideo Tsubouchi
Summary: Homologous recombination (HR) is crucial for meiosis and is induced during meiotic prophase. The Hop2-Mnd1 complex, originally identified in budding yeast, is conserved across species and plays an essential role in meiosis. Accumulating evidence suggests that Hop2-Mnd1 promotes RecA-like recombinases for homology search and strand exchange. This review summarizes studies on the mechanism of the Hop2-Mnd1 complex in promoting HR and beyond.
Review
Cell Biology
Elena Llano, Alberto M. Pendas
Summary: The synaptonemal complex (SC) forms during meiosis I and is involved in the synapses of homologous chromosomes, repair of double-strand breaks (DSBs), and formation of crossovers (COs). Defects in SC assembly or meiotic recombination machinery can cause meiotic arrest and infertility. Many proteins involved in these processes are meiosis-specific, but some also have roles in somatic DNA repair and are associated with cancer development.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Martin G. France, Janina Enderle, Sarah Roehrig, Holger Puchta, F. Chris H. Franklin, James D. Higgins
Summary: The study on the function of the synaptonemal complex in Arabidopsis indicates that it limits the formation of Class I crossover interference and disrupts the progressive alignment of chromosome axes in plants.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Jing Wang, Wen Wang, Jihong Li, Yirui Zhang, Kaikun Luo, Linmei Han, Caixia Xiang, Mingli Chai, Ziye Luo, Rurong Zhao, Shaojun Liu
Summary: Research shows that in the hybrid clone line of red crucian carp and common carp, there is a failure in chromosome pairing in the fertilized eggs, leading to sterility. However, after a long period of inhibition, the chromosome number doubles and successfully forms paired chromosomes and synaptonemal complex. This study further reveals the mechanisms of meiosis in hybrids.
FRONTIERS IN GENETICS
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Rosario Ortiz, Silvia Juarez Chavero, Olga M. Echeverria, Abrahan Hernandez-Hernandez
Summary: The study utilized an ultrastructural DNA staining technique on mouse testis to observe the organization of DNA in the SC. Bubble-like staining patterns were observed in certain regions, indicating that the specific organization of DNA is determined by chromosome synapsis, regardless of homology or partial SC formation.
EXPERIMENTAL CELL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Yukiko Imai, Kenji Saito, Kazumasa Takemoto, Fabien Velilla, Toshihiro Kawasaki, Kei-ichiro Ishiguro, Noriyoshi Sakai
Summary: The mutation in the zebrafish gene encoding the transverse filament protein Sycp1 leads to incomplete pairing of homologs in zebrafish meiosis, while not affecting double-strand break formation near telomeres.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Laia Capilla-Perez, Stephanie Durand, Aurelie Hurel, Qichao Lian, Aurelie Chambon, Christelle Taochy, Victor Solier, Mathilde Grelon, Raphael Mercier
Summary: The spatial organization of transverse filaments is essential for CO formation during meiosis, with the absence of ZYP1 leading to an unexpected increase in CO formation. The tripartite synaptonemal complex plays a key role in regulating the number and distribution of COs, affecting CO interference and heterochiasmy.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Karen Voelkel-Meiman, Ashwini Oke, Arden Feil, Alexander Shames, Jennifer Fung, Amy J. MacQueen
Summary: The study reveals that while the SC proteins are not essential for recombination itself, they promote efficient mismatch repair at interhomolog recombination sites. Failure to repair mismatches leads to the formation of genotypically sectored colonies, with an increased frequency of unrepaired mismatches in cells lacking specific proteins.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Wan-Chen Li, Chia-Yi Lee, Wei-Hsuan Lan, Tai-Ting Woo, Hou-Cheng Liu, Hsin-Yi Yeh, Hao-Yen Chang, Yu-Chien Chuang, Chiung-Ya Chen, Chi-Ning Chuang, Chia-Ling Chen, Yi-Ping Hsueh, Hung-Wen Li, Peter Chi, Ting-Fang Wang
Summary: Most eukaryotes possess two RecA-like recombinases for interhomolog recombination during meiosis, but some have lost Dmc1. TrRad51 in Trichoderma reesei plays a crucial role in interhomolog recombination and has better mismatch tolerance than ScRad51, evolving ScDmc1-like properties through structural variations.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
Yukiko Imai, Ivan Olaya, Noriyoshi Sakai, Sean M. Burgess
Summary: Recent studies in zebrafish have provided insights on key features of meiotic chromosome dynamics, such as telomere clustering and homolog alignment. This review discusses the temporal progression of these events and the roles of proteins associated with homologous recombination.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Corinne Grey, Bernard de Massy
Summary: The study highlights the central role of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae ZMM protein Zip4 in the formation of crossovers and synapsis initiation.
GENES & DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Sarah N. Ur, Kevin D. Corbett
Summary: Meiotic cell division is a specialized process preparing for sexual reproduction, involving homologous chromosomes identifying each other and forming physical links through DNA recombination. The SMC family cohesin complexes and meiotic chromosome axis play crucial roles in organizing chromosomes and promoting recombination. The synaptonemal complex (SC) ensures high fidelity in meiotic recombination by assembling between homologs and providing feedback.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF GENETICS, VOL 55
(2021)
Review
Plant Sciences
Jason Sims, Fernando A. Rabanal, Christiane Elgert, Arndt Von Haeseler, Peter Schloegelhofer
Summary: Ribosomal RNA genes are organized in large domains of hundreds of rDNA units, with stable inheritance crucial for survival. During meiosis, rDNA loci are embedded within the nucleolus favoring non-homologous end joining as a repair mechanism, while rare homologous recombination events dynamically change rDNA unit numbers. The sequence heterogeneity and size stability of rDNA clusters in Arabidopsis thaliana show potential functional implications and drive further research into the mechanisms maintaining their metastable state.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Alexandra Pyatnitskaya, Jessica Andreani, Raphael Guerois, Arnaud De Muyt, Valerie Borde
Summary: This study uncovers the functional link between crossover formation and synaptonemal complex (SC) assembly during meiotic recombination and identifies the molecular mechanism involved.
GENES & DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Shuying Yang, Chao Zhang, Yiwei Cao, Guijie Du, Ding Tang, Yafei Li, Yi Shen, Hengxiu Yu, Zhukuan Cheng
Summary: FIGNL1 functions as an inhibitor for non-homologous chromosome interaction and crossover formation during rice meiosis.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Juston C. Weems, Brian D. Slaughter, Jay R. Unruh, Kyle J. Weaver, Brandon D. Miller, Kym M. Delventhal, Joan W. Conaway, Ronald C. Conaway
Summary: The CSB-Elongin ubiquitin ligase pathway not only plays a role in the response to DNA damage, but also has a significant impact on the activation of RNAPII-mediated transcription in various signaling pathways, such as endoplasmic reticulum stress, amino acid starvation, retinoic acid, glucocorticoids, and doxycycline. The pathway is involved in the rapid recruitment of CSB and the Elongin ubiquitin ligase to target genes during transcription, suggesting a direct role in gene regulation. Cells lacking the Elongin subunit Elongin A exhibit delays in RNAPII accumulation and dismissal from target genes following hormone treatments, indicating the importance of this pathway in transcription regulation.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Andrew J. Bestul, Zulin Yu, Jay R. Unruh, Sue L. Jaspersen
Summary: Proper mitotic progression in Schizosaccharomyces pombe requires partial nuclear envelope breakdown and insertion of the spindle pole body (SPB) to build the mitotic spindle. Centromere linkage to the SPB drives redistribution of Sad1 and activation of Polo kinase Plo1, facilitating NEBD and spindle formation.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Matthew Domnauer, Fan Zheng, Liying Li, Yanxiao Zhang, Catherine E. Chang, Jay R. Unruh, Juliana Conkright-Fincham, Scott McCroskey, Laurence Florens, Ying Zhang, Christopher Seidel, Benjamin Fong, Birgit Schilling, Rishi Sharma, Arvind Ramanathan, Kausik Si, Chuankai Zhou
Summary: The study shows that budding yeast responds to long-term high temperature challenge by switching from chaperone induction to reduction of temperature-sensitive proteins and re-localizing a portion of its proteome. Additionally, many proteins adopt an alternative conformation. These findings reveal mechanisms of adaptation to prolonged temperature change in organisms.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Soon-Keat Ooi, Shigeo Sato, Chieri Tomomori-Sato, Ying Zhang, Zhihui Wen, Charles A. S. Banks, Michael P. Washburn, Jay R. Unruh, Laurence Florens, Ronald C. Conaway, Joan W. Conaway
Summary: PARP1 has multiple functions in ALC1-dependent nucleosome remodeling beyond simply synthesizing PAR chains, as shown by investigation of separation-of-function mutants that activate ALC1 ATPase but do not support nucleosome remodeling by ALC1.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Xi He, Sarah E. Smith, Shiyuan Chen, Hua Li, Di Wu, Paloma Meneses-Giles, Yongfu Wang, Mark Hembree, Kexi Yi, Xia Zhao, Fengli Guo, Jay R. Unruh, Lucinda E. Maddera, Zulin Yu, Allison Scott, Anoja Perera, Yan Wang, Chongbei Zhao, KyeongMin Bae, Andrew Box, Jeffrey S. Haug, Fang Tao, Deqing Hu, Darrick M. Hansen, Pengxu Qian, Subhrajit Saha, Dan Dixon, Shrikant Anant, Da Zhang, Edward H. Lin, Weijing Sun, Leanne M. Wiedemann, Linheng Li
Summary: The study reveals a bidirectional crosstalk between treatment-resistant tumor-initiating stem cells (TrTSC) and the tumor microenvironment (TME), leading to a contexture that promotes tumor growth and immunosuppression.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Christopher W. Akey, Digvijay Singh, Christna Ouch, Ignacia Echeverria, Ilona Nudelman, Joseph M. Varberg, Zulin Yu, Fei Fang, Yi Shi, Junjie Wang, Daniel Salzberg, Kangkang Song, Chen Xu, James C. Gumbart, Sergey Suslov, Jay Unruh, Sue L. Jaspersen, Brian T. Chait, Andrej Sali, Javier Fernandez-Martinez, Steven J. Ludtke, Elizabeth Villa, Michael P. Rout
Summary: This study provides a structure of the isolated yeast NPC and reveals how flexible connectors tie together different structural and functional layers. It also suggests an evolutionary and mechanistic link between assembly and transport. Additionally, the study identifies three major NPC variants that may signify functional specializations at the nuclear periphery.
Article
Biology
Joseph M. Varberg, Jay R. Unruh, Andrew J. Bestul, Azqa A. Khan, Sue L. Jaspersen
Summary: The number and distribution of nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) in the nuclear envelope vary between cell types and change in cellular differentiation and disease. In this study, the researchers used structured illumination microscopy to analyze the NPC number and distribution in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. They found that NPC density is maintained across a wide range of nuclear sizes, and regions of reduced NPC density are observed over the nucleolus and surrounding the spindle pole body (SPB). They also discovered that Lem2-mediated tethering of the centromeres to the SPB is required to maintain NPC exclusion near SPB.
LIFE SCIENCE ALLIANCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Karla T. Falcon, Kristin E. N. Watt, Soma Dash, Ruonan Zhao, Daisuke Sakai, Emma L. Moore, Sharien Fitriasari, Melissa Childers, Mihaela E. Sardiu, Selene Swanson, Dai Tsuchiya, Jay Unruh, George Bugarinovic, Lin Li, Rita Shiang, Annita Achilleos, Jill Dixon, Michael J. Dixon, Paul A. Trainor
Summary: This study investigates the importance of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) transcription in craniofacial development and the implications of disruptions in this process. The researchers discovered that high expression of Pol I subunits in neuroepithelium and neural crest cells (NCCs) sustains elevated rRNA transcription, supporting the high levels of protein translation in these cells. However, disruptions in rRNA synthesis in NCCs can lead to p53 protein accumulation, NCC apoptosis, and craniofacial anomalies. Compound mutations in Pol I subunits further exacerbate these anomalies. Mechanistically, diminished rRNA synthesis causes an imbalance between rRNA and ribosomal proteins, affecting the binding of these proteins with Mdm2 and p53. This study highlights the critical role of rRNA transcription in craniofacial development and its specific sensitivities to disruptions in certain congenital craniofacial disorders.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Biology
Alejandro Rodriguez Gama, Tayla Miller, Jeffrey J. Lange, Jay R. Unruh, Randal Halfmann
Summary: This study investigates the molecular mechanism of immune cell activation and the assembly mechanism of the signalosome. The researchers discovered that the switch-like activation of immune cells is achieved through large protein assemblies known as signalosomes. They also found that the assembly of the signalosome involves a nucleation barrier and that the structure of the proteins in the signalosome is not critical for its activity.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Hsiao Ju Chiang, Daniel E. S. Koo, Masahiro Kitano, Sean Burkitt, Jay R. R. Unruh, Cristina Zavaleta, Le A. A. Trinh, Scott E. E. Fraser, Francesco Cutrale
Summary: Hybrid Unmixing enables enhanced imaging of multiplexed fluorescence labels by reducing illumination intensities. It can cleanly separate and distinguish multiple fluorescent labels from background autofluorescence, enabling dynamic imaging in complex systems. HyU permits high dynamic range imaging, allowing simultaneous imaging of bright exogenous labels and dim endogenous labels, providing more accurate insights into the complexity of biological systems.
Article
Developmental Biology
Zainab Afzal, Jeffrey J. Lange, Christof Nolte, Sean McKinney, Christopher Wood, Ariel Paulson, Bony De Kumar, Jay Unruh, Brian D. Slaughter, Robb Krumlauf
Summary: Signaling pathways regulate the patterns of Hox gene expression in axial identity specification. Little is known about the properties of cis-regulatory elements and transcriptional mechanisms that control Hox expression through graded signaling inputs. This study optimized a single molecule fluorescent in situ hybridization (smFISH) technique to evaluate the role of three retinoic acid response element (RARE)-dependent enhancers in regulating nascent transcription patterns of Hoxb genes. The results suggest that these enhancers have differential impacts on global and local patterns of transcription, and their competitive interactions are important for maintaining proper levels and patterns of Hoxb transcription.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Qingqing Liu, Benjamin Fong, Seungmin Yoo, Jay R. Unruh, Fengli Guo, Zulin Yu, Jingjing Chen, Kausik Si, Rong Li, Chuankai Zhou
Summary: Eukaryotic cells organize cellular contents into membrane-bound organelles and membrane-less condensates. However, the mechanism behind the spatially localized protein aggregates on organellar surfaces, like mitochondria, remains unknown. In this study, it was found that the mitochondrial import receptor Tom70 is involved in the localized condensation of protein aggregates in yeast and human cells. Misfolded cytosolic proteins are recruited to the condensation sites initiated by Tom70's substrates on the organellar membrane using multivalent hydrophobic interactions. Disruption of the mitochondrial association of aggregates impairs their asymmetric retention during mitosis and reduces the mitochondrial import of misfolded proteins, suggesting a proteostasis role of the organelle-condensate interactions.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Vivekanandan Ramalingam, Xinyang Yu, Brian D. Slaughter, Jay R. Unruh, Kaelan J. Brennan, Anastasiia Onyshchenko, Jeffrey J. Lange, Malini Natarajan, Michael Buck, Julia Zeitlinger
Summary: Lola-I, a Drosophila zinc finger transcription factor, can regulate the promoter state independently of gene activation. It makes the target promoters accessible and acquire paused RNA polymerase II throughout the embryo. This promoter transition is crucial for tissue-specific target gene activation. Lola-I mediates this function by depleting promoter nucleosomes.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biology
Juliana Conkright-Finchaml, Chieri Tomomori-Sato, Rich McGhee, Ella M. Leslie, Carolyn J. Beucherl, Lauren E. Weems, Shigeo Sato, William B. Redwine, Kyle J. Weaver, Brandon D. Miller, Kym M. Delventhal, John J. Kary, Andrew B. Koebbe, Alexander Deans, Jessica L. Witt, Laura M. Remy, Tani J. Parmely, Chongbei Zhao, Yan Wang, Joan W. Conaway, Jay R. Unruh
Summary: This article presents a protocol for a high-throughput colorimetric ELISA assay to detect IgG antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The assay reliably measures antibody levels quantitatively and improves sensitivity by controlling for non-specific binding and eliminating background contributions.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Shary N. Shelton, Sarah E. Smith, Jay R. Unruh, Sue L. Jaspersen
Summary: The INM proteome differs between gametes and mitotic cells, with gametes requiring a unique set of INM proteins for gamete formation, synthesized de novo. This suggests changes in the nuclear permeability barrier and inheritance pattern of INM components during gametogenesis.
G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS
(2021)