Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Janardan N. Gavade, Chris M. Puccia, S. Grace Herod, Jonathan C. Trinidad, Luke E. Berchowitz, Soni Lacefield
Summary: This study discovered six new regulators of meiotic commitment in budding yeast and revealed their multiple functions and mechanisms in the process of meiosis. The results demonstrate that the 14-3-3 proteins and Polo kinase play important regulatory roles in maintaining meiotic commitment.
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Abhimannyu Rimal, Edward Winter
Summary: The commitment to meiosis in yeast is controlled by self-activating transcription factors, but additional signaling interactions also promote the committed state.
Review
Cell Biology
Funda M. Kar, Andreas Hochwagen
Summary: Germ cells rely on a complex network of surveillance mechanisms to ensure the production of euploid gametes during meiosis. Dynamic protein phosphorylation, controlled by kinases and phosphatases, plays a crucial role in regulating chromosomal and cellular behavior throughout meiotic prophase. This review discusses common principles and detailed examples of how phosphorylation events are utilized to ensure faithful passage of chromosomes from one generation to the next.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Sara Gonzalez-Arranz, Isabel Acosta, Jesus A. Carballo, Beatriz Santos, Pedro A. San-Segundo
Summary: This study reveals the mechanism of polo-like kinase Cdc5 during meiotic prophase I to meiosis I transition, showing that its overexpression partially relieves the meiotic delay induced by the checkpoint. However, a mutant version lacking the N-terminal region fails to alleviate the delay. In addition, the double mutant exhibits an exacerbated meiotic block compared to the single mutant.
Article
Cell Biology
Takehiko Usui, Akira Shinohara
Summary: This study reveals that meiotic cells activate Rad53 in response to exogenous DSBs, dependent on histone H3K79 methylation, but Rad9 is insensitive to meiotic programmed DSBs due to its inability to bind to DSBs. Artifical tethering of Rad9 to meiotic DSBs activates Rad53, leading to decreased repair of meiotic DSBs.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Esther Herruzo, Estefania Sanchez-Diaz, Sara Gonzalez-Arranz, Beatriz Santos, Jesus A. Carballo, Pedro A. San-Segundo
Summary: In this study, we uncover the mechanism that Pch2 uses to travel from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, and identify a nuclear export signal in the non-catalytic domain of Pch2 required for its nucleocytoplasmic trafficking and proper checkpoint activity.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Dipesh Kumar Singh, Qichao Lian, Stephanie Durand, Joiselle Blanche Fernandes, Aurelie Chambon, Aurelie Hurel, Birgit Walkemeier, Victor Solier, Rajeev Kumar, Raphael Mercier
Summary: Crossovers (CO) play an important role in the segregation of homologous chromosomal pairs during meiosis. In this study, we identify and investigate the function of the Arabidopsis thaliana HEIP1 homolog in meiotic crossover formation, and find that HEIP1 is highly conserved in eukaryotes. Our results demonstrate that HEIP1 is involved in the class I CO pathway, acting both before crossover designation and during the maturation step of crossover formation.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Stephanie Durand, Qichao Lian, Juli Jing, Marcel Ernst, Mathilde Grelon, David Zwicker, Raphael Mercier
Summary: This study proposes a model for crossover patterning, suggesting that the diffusion of HEI10 along the synaptonemal complex leads to a coarsening process that creates well-spaced crossover-promoting foci. The findings support this model and provide insight into the mechanistic basis of crossover control during meiosis.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Letter
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Benjamin Davies, Anjali Gupta Hinch, Alberto Cebrian-Serrano, Samy Alghadban, Philipp W. Becker, Daniel Biggs, Polinka Hernandez-Pliego, Chris Preece, Daniela Moralli, Gang Zhang, Simon Myers, Peter Donnelly
Summary: Male hybrid offspring often exhibit sterility or subfertility, primarily due to improper chromosome pairing during male meiosis. In subspecies of the house mouse, the histone methyltransferase PRDM9 plays a crucial role in improving the likelihood of successful chromosome synapsis. Genetic manipulation altering PRDM9 binding can rescue chromosome pairing defects and restore fertility in hybrids between Mus musculus and Mus spretus, highlighting additional mechanisms that contribute to reproductive isolation between species.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Chao Yang, Kostika Sofroni, Yuki Hamamura, Bingyan Hu, Hasibe Tuncay Elbasi, Martina Balboni, Lei Chu, Dagmar Stang, Maren Heese, Arp Schnittger
Summary: The ASY1 remodeling complex is assembled differently in terms of timing and location. PCH2 and COMET interact in the cytoplasm during early meiosis, but PCH2 is recruited by ZYP1 and brought to the ASY1-bound COMET to ensure the timely removal of ASY1 during chromosome synapsis.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2022)
Editorial Material
Genetics & Heredity
Charles Addo Nyarko, Annaliese S. Mason
Summary: Polyploids need to segregate homologous chromosomes correctly, which is not only determined by sequence similarity but also under strong genetic control that may vary between lineages. Factors such as partner availability and genome structure may also influence the level of sequence similarity required for crossover formation.
TRENDS IN GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Andrew P. Weitz, Marinela Dukic, Leo Zeitler, Kirsten Bomblies
Summary: By studying the variation in recombination rate and its correlation with temperature fluctuations in wild plant populations, we found a plastic response of recombination rate to temperature extremes, potentially leading to meiotic aberrations in nature. Our results suggest that insights from studies conducted in laboratory settings are applicable to understanding natural processes.
Review
Cell Biology
Yan Huang, Ignasi Roig
Summary: Meiosis is a highly specialized cell division process that is crucial for sexual reproduction by generating haploid gametes. It involves complex chromosomal dynamics and meiotic recombination, which ensure accurate homolog segregation and genetic diversity in offspring. Surveillance mechanisms monitor these events to prevent errors that could lead to aneuploidy and infertility. Research in mouse models and genomic technologies has enhanced our understanding of meiotic control and its implications for mammalian infertility. This review summarizes the genetic regulations of meiosis and the potential diagnostic value for human infertility based on studies in mice.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Dorota Rousova, Vaishnavi Nivsarkar, Veronika Altmannova, Vivek B. Raina, Saskia K. Funk, David Liedtke, Petra Janning, Franziska Mueller, Heidi Reichle, Gerben Vader, John R. Weir
Summary: This study focuses on the foundational DSB factor Mer2 and reveals its interaction with nucleosomes and a chromosomal axis factor, as well as its crucial role in DSB activity. By bridging key protein complexes involved in the initiation of meiotic recombination, Mer2 is established as a keystone of the DSB machinery.
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)