1
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Kameyama S, Niwa T, Kikuchi M, Tanaka M. Medaka Terb1 Mutant Displays Defects of Synaptonemal Complex Formation and Sexual Difference in Gametogenesis. Zoolog Sci 2024; 41:314-322. [PMID: 38809870 DOI: 10.2108/zs230108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Formation of the synaptonemal complex (SC) is a prerequisite for proper recombination and chromosomal segregation during meiotic prophase I. One mechanism that ensures SC formation is chromosomal movement, which is driven by the force derived from cytoskeletal motors. Here, we report the phenotype of medaka mutants lacking the telomere repeat binding bouquet formation protein 1 (TERB1), which, in combination with the SUN/KASH protein, mediates chromosomal movement by connecting telomeres and cytoskeletal motors. Mutations in the terb1 gene exhibit defects in SC formation in medaka. Although SC formation was initiated, as seen by the punctate lateral elements and fragmented transverse filaments, it was not completed in the terb1 mutant meiocytes. The mutant phenotype further revealed that the introduction of double strand breaks was independent of synapsis completion. In association with these phenotypes, meiocytes in both the ovaries and testes exhibited an aberrant arrangement of homologous chromosomes. Interestingly, although oogenesis halted at the zygotene-like stage in terb1 mutant, testes continued to produce sperm-like cells with aberrant DNA content. This indicates that the mechanism of meiotic checkpoint is sexually different in medaka, similar to the mammalian checkpoint in which oogenesis proceeds while spermatogenesis is arrested. Moreover, our results suggest that spermatogenesis is mechanistically dissociable from meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyu Kameyama
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan
| | - Taiki Niwa
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan
| | - Mariko Kikuchi
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan
| | - Minoru Tanaka
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan,
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2
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Wu X, Tian Y, Yu Y, He X, Tang X, Li S, Shu J, Guo X. Novel MEI1 mutations cause chromosomal and DNA methylation abnormalities leading to embryonic arrest and implantation failure. Mol Genet Genomics 2024; 299:18. [PMID: 38416203 DOI: 10.1007/s00438-024-02113-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
This study presents a case of a female infertile patient suffering from embryonic arrest and recurrent implantation failure. The primary objective was to assess the copy number variations (CNVs) and DNA methylation of her embryos. Genetic diagnosis was conducted by whole-exome sequencing and validated through Sanger sequencing. CNV evaluation of two cleavage stage embryos was performed using whole-genome sequencing, while DNA methylation and CNV assessment of two blastocysts were carried out using whole-genome bisulfite sequencing. We identified two novel pathogenic frameshift variants in the MEI1 gene (NM_152513.3, c.3002delC, c.2264_2268 + 11delGTGAGGTATGGACCAC) in the proband. These two variants were inherited from her heterozygous parents, consistent with autosomal recessive genetic transmission. Notably, two Day 3 embryos and two Day 6 blastocysts were all aneuploid, with numerous monosomy and trisomy events. Moreover, global methylation levels greatly deviated from the optimized window of 0.25-0.27, measuring 0.344 and 0.168 for the respective blastocysts. This study expands the mutational spectrum of MEI1 and is the first to document both aneuploidy and abnormal methylation levels in embryos from a MEI1-affected female patient presenting with embryonic arrest. Given that females affected by MEI1 mutations might experience either embryonic arrest or monospermic androgenetic hydatidiform moles due to the extrusion of all maternal chromosomes, the genetic makeup of the arrested embryos of MEI1 patients provides important clues for understanding the different disease mechanisms of the two phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangli Wu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yuqing Tian
- Department of Postgraduate Education, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, China
| | - Yiqi Yu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xujun He
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaohua Tang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shishi Li
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jing Shu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyan Guo
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital (Affiliated People's Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
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3
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Cahoon CK, Richter CM, Dayton AE, Libuda DE. Sexual dimorphic regulation of recombination by the synaptonemal complex in C. elegans. eLife 2023; 12:e84538. [PMID: 37796106 PMCID: PMC10611432 DOI: 10.7554/elife.84538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In sexually reproducing organisms, germ cells faithfully transmit the genome to the next generation by forming haploid gametes, such as eggs and sperm. Although most meiotic proteins are conserved between eggs and sperm, many aspects of meiosis are sexually dimorphic, including the regulation of recombination. The synaptonemal complex (SC), a large ladder-like structure that forms between homologous chromosomes, is essential for regulating meiotic chromosome organization and promoting recombination. To assess whether sex-specific differences in the SC underpin sexually dimorphic aspects of meiosis, we examined Caenorhabditis elegans SC central region proteins (known as SYP proteins) in oogenesis and spermatogenesis and uncovered sex-specific roles for the SYPs in regulating meiotic recombination. We find that SC composition, specifically SYP-2, SYP-3, SYP-5, and SYP-6, is regulated by sex-specific mechanisms throughout meiotic prophase I. During pachytene, both oocytes and spermatocytes differentially regulate the stability of SYP-2 and SYP-3 within an assembled SC. Further, we uncover that the relative amount of SYP-2 and SYP-3 within the SC is independently regulated in both a sex-specific and a recombination-dependent manner. Specifically, we find that SYP-2 regulates the early steps of recombination in both sexes, while SYP-3 controls the timing and positioning of crossover recombination events across the genomic landscape in only oocytes. Finally, we find that SYP-2 and SYP-3 dosage can influence the composition of the other SYPs in the SC via sex-specific mechanisms during pachytene. Taken together, we demonstrate dosage-dependent regulation of individual SC components with sex-specific functions in recombination. These sexual dimorphic features of the SC provide insights into how spermatogenesis and oogenesis adapted similar chromosome structures to differentially regulate and execute recombination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cori K Cahoon
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, University of OregonEugeneUnited States
| | - Colette M Richter
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, University of OregonEugeneUnited States
| | - Amelia E Dayton
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, University of OregonEugeneUnited States
| | - Diana E Libuda
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, University of OregonEugeneUnited States
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4
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Cahoon CK, Uebel CJ, Villeneuve AM, Libuda DE. Epitope tag-specific differences in the detection of COSA-1 marked crossover sites in C. elegans spermatocytes. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2023; 2023:10.17912/micropub.biology.000724. [PMID: 36660421 PMCID: PMC9844261 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Nascent crossover sites in C. elegans meiocytes can be cytologically detected using epitope-tagged versions of the pro-crossover protein COSA-1. In spermatocytes, differences exist between cytologically-detected and genetically-detected double crossover rates. Here, we examine nascent crossovers using both GFP- and OLLAS-tagged COSA-1. Similar to previous work, we find that most late pachytene spermatocytes display 5 COSA-1 foci, indicating one crossover per autosome bivalent. However, we detected more nuclei with >5 COSA-1 foci using OLLAS::COSA-1, reflecting some bivalents having 2 COSA-1 foci. These results demonstrate tag-specific differences in the detection of COSA-1 marked nascent crossovers in spermatocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cori K. Cahoon
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | - Celja J. Uebel
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Departments of Developmental Biology and Genetics, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Anne M. Villeneuve
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Departments of Developmental Biology and Genetics, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Diana E. Libuda
- Institute of Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
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5
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Rubin T, Macaisne N, Vallés AM, Guilleman C, Gaugué I, Dal Toe L, Huynh JR. Premeiotic pairing of homologous chromosomes during Drosophila male meiosis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2207660119. [PMID: 36375065 PMCID: PMC9704699 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2207660119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In the early stages of meiosis, maternal and paternal chromosomes pair with their homologous partner and recombine to ensure exchange of genetic information and proper segregation. These events can vary drastically between species and between males and females of the same species. In Drosophila, in contrast to females, males do not form synaptonemal complexes (SCs), do not recombine, and have no crossing over; yet, males are able to segregate their chromosomes properly. Here, we investigated the early steps of homolog pairing in Drosophila males. We found that homolog centromeres are not paired in germline stem cells (GSCs) and become paired in the mitotic region before meiotic entry, similarly to females. Surprisingly, male germline cells express SC proteins, which localize to centromeres and promote pairing. We further found that the SUN/KASH (LINC) complex and microtubules are required for homolog pairing as in females. Chromosome movements in males, however, are much slower than in females and we demonstrate that this slow dynamic is compensated in males by having longer cell cycles. In agreement, slowing down cell cycles was sufficient to rescue pairing-defective mutants in female meiosis. Our results demonstrate that although meiosis differs significantly between males and females, sex-specific cell cycle kinetics integrate similar molecular mechanisms to achieve proper centromere pairing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Rubin
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, CNRS UMR 7241, INSERM U1050, Collège de France and Paris Sciences & Lettres Research University, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France
| | | | - Ana Maria Vallés
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, CNRS UMR 7241, INSERM U1050, Collège de France and Paris Sciences & Lettres Research University, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France
| | - Clara Guilleman
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, CNRS UMR 7241, INSERM U1050, Collège de France and Paris Sciences & Lettres Research University, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France
| | - Isabelle Gaugué
- Department of Genetics and Developmental Biology, CNRS UMR 3215, INSERM U934, Institut Curie, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Laurine Dal Toe
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, CNRS UMR 7241, INSERM U1050, Collège de France and Paris Sciences & Lettres Research University, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France
| | - Jean-René Huynh
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, CNRS UMR 7241, INSERM U1050, Collège de France and Paris Sciences & Lettres Research University, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France
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6
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Kikuchi M, Tanaka M. Functional Modules in Gametogenesis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:914570. [PMID: 35693939 PMCID: PMC9178102 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.914570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Gametogenesis, the production of eggs and sperm, is a fundamental process in sexually reproducing animals. Following gametogenesis commitment and sexual fate decision, germ cells undergo several developmental processes to halve their genomic size and acquire sex-specific characteristics of gametes, including cellular size, motility, and cell polarity. However, it remains unclear how different gametogenesis processes are initially integrated. With the advantages of the teleost fish medaka (Oryzias latipes), in which germline stem cells continuously produce eggs and sperm in mature gonads and a sexual switch gene in germ cells is identified, we found that distinct pathways initiate gametogenesis cooperatively after commitment to gametogenesis. This evokes the concept of functional modules, in which functionally interlocked genes are grouped to yield distinct gamete characteristics. The various combinations of modules may allow us to explain the evolution of diverse reproductive systems, such as parthenogenesis and hermaphroditism.
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7
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Ishiguro KI. Sexually Dimorphic Properties in Meiotic Chromosome. Sex Dev 2022; 16:423-434. [PMID: 35130542 DOI: 10.1159/000520682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Meiosis is a crucial process for germ cell development. It consists of 1 round of DNA replication followed by 2 rounds of chromosome segregation, producing haploid gametes from diploid cells. During meiotic prophase, chromosomes are organized into axis-loop structures, which underlie meiosis-specific events such as meiotic recombination and homolog synapsis. Meiosis-specific cohesin plays a pivotal role in establishing higher-order chromosome architecture and regulating chromosome dynamics. SUMMARY Notably, sexually dimorphic properties of chromosome architecture are prominent during meiotic prophase, despite the same axial proteins being conserved between male and female. The difference in chromosome structure between the sexes gives sexual differences in the regulation of meiotic recombination and crossover distribution. KEY MESSAGES This review mainly focuses on the sexual differences of meiosis from the viewpoint of chromosome structure in mammals, elucidating the differences in meiotic recombination and homolog synapsis between the sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kei-Ichiro Ishiguro
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics (IMEG), Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
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8
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Cahoon CK, Libuda DE. Conditional immobilization for live imaging Caenorhabditis elegans using auxin-dependent protein depletion. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2021; 11:6362942. [PMID: 34534266 PMCID: PMC8527506 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkab310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The visualization of biological processes using fluorescent proteins and dyes in living organisms has enabled numerous scientific discoveries. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a widely used model organism for live imaging studies since the transparent nature of the worm enables imaging of nearly all tissues within a whole, intact animal. While current techniques are optimized to enable the immobilization of hermaphrodite worms for live imaging, many of these approaches fail to successfully restrain the smaller male worms. To enable live imaging of worms of both sexes, we developed a new genetic, conditional immobilization tool that uses the auxin-inducible degron (AID) system to immobilize both adult and larval hermaphrodite and male worms for live imaging. Based on chromosome location, mutant phenotype, and predicted germline consequence, we identified and AID-tagged three candidate genes (unc-18, unc-104, and unc-52). Strains with these AID-tagged genes were placed on auxin and tested for mobility and germline defects. Among the candidate genes, auxin-mediated depletion of UNC-18 caused significant immobilization of both hermaphrodite and male worms that was also partially reversible upon removal from auxin. Notably, we found that male worms require a higher concentration of auxin for a similar amount of immobilization as hermaphrodites, thereby suggesting a potential sex-specific difference in auxin absorption and/or processing. In both males and hermaphrodites, depletion of UNC-18 did not largely alter fertility, germline progression, nor meiotic recombination. Finally, we demonstrate that this new genetic tool can successfully immobilize both sexes enabling live imaging studies of sexually dimorphic features in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cori K Cahoon
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-1229, USA
| | - Diana E Libuda
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-1229, USA
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9
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Peterson AL, Payseur BA. Sex-specific variation in the genome-wide recombination rate. Genetics 2021; 217:1-11. [PMID: 33683358 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyaa019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
In most species that reproduce sexually, successful gametogenesis requires recombination during meiosis. The number and placement of crossovers (COs) vary among individuals, with females and males often presenting the most striking contrasts. Despite the recognition that the sexes recombine at different rates (heterochiasmy), existing data fail to answer the question of whether patterns of genetic variation in recombination rate are similar in the two sexes. To fill this gap, we measured the genome-wide recombination rate in both sexes from a panel of wild-derived inbred strains from multiple subspecies of house mice (Mus musculus) and from a few additional species of Mus. To directly compare recombination rates in females and males from the same genetic backgrounds, we applied established methods based on immunolocalization of recombination proteins to inbred strains. Our results reveal discordant patterns of genetic variation in the two sexes. Whereas male genome-wide recombination rates vary substantially among strains, female recombination rates measured in the same strains are more static. The direction of heterochiasmy varies within two subspecies, Mus musculus molossinus and Mus musculus musculus. The direction of sex differences in the length of the synaptonemal complex and CO positions is consistent across strains and does not track sex differences in genome-wide recombination rate. In males, contrasts between strains with high recombination rate and strains with low recombination rate suggest more recombination is associated with stronger CO interference and more double-strand breaks. The sex-specific patterns of genetic variation we report underscore the importance of incorporating sex differences into recombination research.
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Affiliation(s)
- April L Peterson
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Bret A Payseur
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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10
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Kurzbauer MT, Janisiw MP, Paulin LF, Prusén Mota I, Tomanov K, Krsicka O, von Haeseler A, Schubert V, Schlögelhofer P. ATM controls meiotic DNA double-strand break formation and recombination and affects synaptonemal complex organization in plants. THE PLANT CELL 2021; 33:1633-1656. [PMID: 33659989 PMCID: PMC8254504 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koab045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Meiosis is a specialized cell division that gives rise to genetically distinct gametic cells. Meiosis relies on the tightly controlled formation of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and their repair via homologous recombination for correct chromosome segregation. Like all forms of DNA damage, meiotic DSBs are potentially harmful and their formation activates an elaborate response to inhibit excessive DNA break formation and ensure successful repair. Previous studies established the protein kinase ATM as a DSB sensor and meiotic regulator in several organisms. Here we show that Arabidopsis ATM acts at multiple steps during DSB formation and processing, as well as crossover (CO) formation and synaptonemal complex (SC) organization, all vital for the successful completion of meiosis. We developed a single-molecule approach to quantify meiotic breaks and determined that ATM is essential to limit the number of meiotic DSBs. Local and genome-wide recombination screens showed that ATM restricts the number of interference-insensitive COs, while super-resolution STED nanoscopy of meiotic chromosomes revealed that the kinase affects chromatin loop size and SC length and width. Our study extends our understanding of how ATM functions during plant meiosis and establishes it as an integral factor of the meiotic program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Therese Kurzbauer
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Peter Janisiw
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Luis F Paulin
- Center for Integrative Bioinformatics Vienna (CIBIV), Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ignacio Prusén Mota
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Konstantin Tomanov
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ondrej Krsicka
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Arndt von Haeseler
- Center for Integrative Bioinformatics Vienna (CIBIV), Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Faculty of Computer Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Veit Schubert
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, 06466, Seeland, Germany
| | - Peter Schlögelhofer
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria
- Author for correspondence:
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11
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Li Q, Hariri S, Engebrecht J. Meiotic Double-Strand Break Processing and Crossover Patterning Are Regulated in a Sex-Specific Manner by BRCA1-BARD1 in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2020; 216:359-379. [PMID: 32796008 PMCID: PMC7536853 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.120.303292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Meiosis is regulated in a sex-specific manner to produce two distinct gametes, sperm and oocytes, for sexual reproduction. To determine how meiotic recombination is regulated in spermatogenesis, we analyzed the meiotic phenotypes of mutants in the tumor suppressor E3 ubiquitin ligase BRC-1-BRD-1 complex in Caenorhabditis elegans male meiosis. Unlike in mammals, this complex is not required for meiotic sex chromosome inactivation, the process whereby hemizygous sex chromosomes are transcriptionally silenced. Interestingly, brc-1 and brd-1 mutants show meiotic recombination phenotypes that are largely opposing to those previously reported for female meiosis. Fewer meiotic recombination intermediates marked by the recombinase RAD-51 were observed in brc-1 and brd-1 mutants, and the reduction in RAD-51 foci could be suppressed by mutation of nonhomologous-end-joining proteins. Analysis of GFP::RPA-1 revealed fewer foci in the brc-1brd-1 mutant and concentration of BRC-1-BRD-1 to sites of meiotic recombination was dependent on DNA end resection, suggesting that the complex regulates the processing of meiotic double-strand breaks to promote repair by homologous recombination. Further, BRC-1-BRD-1 is important to promote progeny viability when male meiosis is perturbed by mutations that block the pairing and synapsis of different chromosome pairs, although the complex is not required to stabilize the RAD-51 filament as in female meiosis under the same conditions. Analyses of crossover designation and formation revealed that BRC-1-BRD-1 inhibits supernumerary COs when meiosis is perturbed. Together, our findings suggest that BRC-1-BRD-1 regulates different aspects of meiotic recombination in male and female meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianyan Li
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, and Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, California 95616
| | - Sara Hariri
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, and Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, California 95616
| | - JoAnne Engebrecht
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, and Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, California 95616
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12
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Felipe-Medina N, Caburet S, Sánchez-Sáez F, Condezo YB, de Rooij DG, Gómez-H L, Garcia-Valiente R, Todeschini AL, Duque P, Sánchez-Martin MA, Shalev SA, Llano E, Veitia RA, Pendás AM. A missense in HSF2BP causing primary ovarian insufficiency affects meiotic recombination by its novel interactor C19ORF57/BRME1. eLife 2020; 9:e56996. [PMID: 32845237 PMCID: PMC7498267 DOI: 10.7554/elife.56996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (POI) is a major cause of infertility, but its etiology remains poorly understood. Using whole-exome sequencing in a family with three cases of POI, we identified the candidate missense variant S167L in HSF2BP, an essential meiotic gene. Functional analysis of the HSF2BP-S167L variant in mouse showed that it behaves as a hypomorphic allele compared to a new loss-of-function (knock-out) mouse model. Hsf2bpS167L/S167L females show reduced fertility with smaller litter sizes. To obtain mechanistic insights, we identified C19ORF57/BRME1 as a strong interactor and stabilizer of HSF2BP and showed that the BRME1/HSF2BP protein complex co-immunoprecipitates with BRCA2, RAD51, RPA and PALB2. Meiocytes bearing the HSF2BP-S167L variant showed a strongly decreased staining of both HSF2BP and BRME1 at the recombination nodules and a reduced number of the foci formed by the recombinases RAD51/DMC1, thus leading to a lower frequency of crossovers. Our results provide insights into the molecular mechanism of HSF2BP-S167L in human ovarian insufficiency and sub(in)fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Felipe-Medina
- Molecular Mechanisms Program, Centro de Investigación del Cáncer and Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer (CSIC-Universidad de Salamanca)SalamancaSpain
| | - Sandrine Caburet
- Université de ParisParis CedexFrance
- Institut Jacques Monod, Université de ParisParisFrance
| | - Fernando Sánchez-Sáez
- Molecular Mechanisms Program, Centro de Investigación del Cáncer and Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer (CSIC-Universidad de Salamanca)SalamancaSpain
| | - Yazmine B Condezo
- Molecular Mechanisms Program, Centro de Investigación del Cáncer and Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer (CSIC-Universidad de Salamanca)SalamancaSpain
| | - Dirk G de Rooij
- Reproductive Biology Group, Division of Developmental Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtNetherlands
| | - Laura Gómez-H
- Molecular Mechanisms Program, Centro de Investigación del Cáncer and Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer (CSIC-Universidad de Salamanca)SalamancaSpain
| | - Rodrigo Garcia-Valiente
- Molecular Mechanisms Program, Centro de Investigación del Cáncer and Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer (CSIC-Universidad de Salamanca)SalamancaSpain
| | - Anne Laure Todeschini
- Université de ParisParis CedexFrance
- Institut Jacques Monod, Université de ParisParisFrance
| | - Paloma Duque
- Molecular Mechanisms Program, Centro de Investigación del Cáncer and Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer (CSIC-Universidad de Salamanca)SalamancaSpain
| | - Manuel Adolfo Sánchez-Martin
- Transgenic Facility, Nucleus platform, Universidad de SalamancaSalamancaSpain
- Departamento de Medicina, Universidad de SalamancaSalamancaSpain
| | - Stavit A Shalev
- The Genetic Institute, "Emek" Medical CenterAfulaIsrael
- Bruce and Ruth Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, TechnionHaifaIsrael
| | - Elena Llano
- Molecular Mechanisms Program, Centro de Investigación del Cáncer and Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer (CSIC-Universidad de Salamanca)SalamancaSpain
- Departamento de Fisiología y Farmacología, Universidad de SalamancaSalamancaSpain
| | - Reiner A Veitia
- Université de ParisParis CedexFrance
- Institut Jacques Monod, Université de ParisParisFrance
- Université Paris-Saclay, Institut de Biologie F. Jacob, Commissariat à l’Energie AtomiqueFontenay aux RosesFrance
| | - Alberto M Pendás
- Molecular Mechanisms Program, Centro de Investigación del Cáncer and Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer (CSIC-Universidad de Salamanca)SalamancaSpain
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Wells D, Bitoun E, Moralli D, Zhang G, Hinch A, Jankowska J, Donnelly P, Green C, Myers SR. ZCWPW1 is recruited to recombination hotspots by PRDM9 and is essential for meiotic double strand break repair. eLife 2020; 9:53392. [PMID: 32744506 PMCID: PMC7494361 DOI: 10.7554/elife.53392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
During meiosis, homologous chromosomes pair and recombine, enabling balanced segregation and generating genetic diversity. In many vertebrates, double-strand breaks (DSBs) initiate recombination within hotspots where PRDM9 binds, and deposits H3K4me3 and H3K36me3. However, no protein(s) recognising this unique combination of histone marks have been identified. We identified Zcwpw1, containing H3K4me3 and H3K36me3 recognition domains, as having highly correlated expression with Prdm9. Here, we show that ZCWPW1 has co-evolved with PRDM9 and, in human cells, is strongly and specifically recruited to PRDM9 binding sites, with higher affinity than sites possessing H3K4me3 alone. Surprisingly, ZCWPW1 also recognises CpG dinucleotides. Male Zcwpw1 knockout mice show completely normal DSB positioning, but persistent DMC1 foci, severe DSB repair and synapsis defects, and downstream sterility. Our findings suggest ZCWPW1 recognition of PRDM9-bound sites at DSB hotspots is critical for synapsis, and hence fertility. Sexual reproduction – that is, the combination of sex cells from two different individuals to produce an embryo – is one of the many mechanisms that have evolved to maintain genetic diversity. Most human cells contain 23 pairs of chromosomes, with each chromosome in a pair carrying either a paternal or maternal copy of the same gene. To form an embryo with the right number of chromosomes, each sex cell (the egg or sperm cell) must only contain one chromosome from each pair. Sex cells are produced from parent cells containing two sets of paternal and maternal chromosomes: these cells then divide twice to form four sex cells which contain only one chromosome from each pair. Before the parent cell divides, a process known as ‘recombination’ takes place, which allows chromosomes in a pair to exchange bits of genetic information. This reshuffling ensures that each chromosome in a sex cell is unique. A protein called PRDM9 helps control which sections of genetic information are recombined by modifying proteins attached to the chromosomes, marking them as locations for exchange. The DNA at each of these sites is then broken and repaired using the genetic sequence of the chromosome it is paired with as a template, thus causing the two chromosomes to swap genes. In 2019, a group of researchers found a set of genes in the testis of mice that are expressed at the same time as the gene for PRDM9. This suggested that another protein called ZCWPW1 is likely involved in recombination, but the precise role of this protein was unclear. To answer this question, Wells, Bitoun et al. – including many of the researchers involved in the 2019 study – examined human cells grown in the laboratory to determine where ZCWPW1 binds to in the chromosome. This revealed that ZCWPW1 can be found at the same sites as PRDM9, which is responsible for bringing it there. Furthermore, cells from male mice lacking the gene for ZCWPW1 cannot complete the exchange of genetic information between chromosomes, meaning that the mice are infertile. As such, ZCWPW1 seems to connect location selection by PRDM9 to the DNA repair mechanisms needed for gene exchange between chromosomes. Infertility is a significant issue for humans affecting as many as one in every six couples. Fertility is complex and many of the biological mechanisms involved are not fully understood. This work suggests that both PRDM9 and ZCWPW1 are key to the production of sex cells and may be worth investigating as factors that affect fertility in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Wells
- The Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Roosevelt Drive, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.,Department of Statistics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Emmanuelle Bitoun
- The Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Roosevelt Drive, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.,Department of Statistics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Daniela Moralli
- The Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Roosevelt Drive, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Gang Zhang
- The Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Roosevelt Drive, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Anjali Hinch
- The Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Roosevelt Drive, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Julia Jankowska
- The Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Roosevelt Drive, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Donnelly
- The Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Roosevelt Drive, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.,Department of Statistics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Catherine Green
- The Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Roosevelt Drive, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Simon R Myers
- The Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Roosevelt Drive, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.,Department of Statistics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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14
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Special issue on "recent advances in meiosis from DNA replication to chromosome segregation". Chromosoma 2020; 128:177-180. [PMID: 31616989 DOI: 10.1007/s00412-019-00726-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Meiosis is the special division that produces haploid gametes, such as sperm and eggs. It involves a complex series of events that integrate large structural changes at the chromosome scale with fine regulation of recombination events in localized regions. To evaluate the complexity of these processes, the meiosis field covers a variety of disciplines and model organisms, making it an exciting and rapidly changing area of research. The field as a whole highlights both the conserved aspects of meiosis, as well as the marked diversity of the means taken to ensure that, ultimately, gametes will contain a balanced number of chromosomes and genetic diversity will have been produced. Studying meiosis is also critically important for the improvement of our human condition as errors of meiosis are a leading cause of infertility, miscarriage, and developmental disabilities. Finally, the complex chromosome behavior of meiosis is a genetically tractable paradigm, the study of which improves our understanding of many fundamental cellular processes including DNA repair, genome stability, cancer etiology, chromatin structure, and chromosome dynamics.This special issue on meiosis contains twenty-two papers, of which five are in-depth reviews that complement and put in context the experimental data presented in the seventeen original research articles. The content of this issue illustrates the diversity of topics covered by researchers in the field, ranging from the effects of environment and external factors on the success of meiosis, the cell cycle actors that control the meiotic divisions, the mechanism of chromosome segregation, and the mechanisms that ensure proper homologous chromosome pairing, recombination, and synapsis. Multiple organisms are covered. Also evident is the fact that more and more studies use multicellular organisms as a model system, in large part due to the increased availability of tools that were previously restricted to studies in budding and fission yeasts.
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15
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foxl3, a sexual switch in germ cells, initiates two independent molecular pathways for commitment to oogenesis in medaka. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:12174-12181. [PMID: 32409601 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1918556117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Germ cells have the ability to differentiate into eggs and sperm and must determine their sexual fate. In vertebrates, the mechanism of commitment to oogenesis following the sexual fate decision in germ cells remains unknown. Forkhead-box protein L3 (foxl3) is a switch gene involved in the germline sexual fate decision in the teleost fish medaka (Oryzias latipes). Here, we show that foxl3 organizes two independent pathways of oogenesis regulated by REC8 meiotic recombination protein a (rec8a), a cohesin component, and F-box protein (FBP) 47 (fbxo47), a subunit of E3 ubiquitin ligase. In mutants of either gene, germ cells failed to undergo oogenesis but developed normally into sperm in testes. Disruption of rec8a resulted in arrest at a meiotic pachytenelike stage specifically in females, revealing a sexual difference in meiotic progression. Analyses of fbxo47 mutants showed that this gene regulates transcription factors that facilitate folliculogenesis: LIM homeobox 8 (lhx8b), factor in the germline α (figla), and newborn ovary homeobox (nobox). Interestingly, we found that the fbxo47 pathway ensures that germ cells do not deviate from an oogenic pathway until they reach diplotene stage. The mutant phenotypes together with the timing of their expression imply that germline feminization is established during early meiotic prophase I.
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Cahoon CK, Helm JM, Libuda DE. Synaptonemal Complex Central Region Proteins Promote Localization of Pro-crossover Factors to Recombination Events During Caenorhabditis elegans Meiosis. Genetics 2019; 213:395-409. [PMID: 31431470 PMCID: PMC6781886 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.302625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Crossovers (COs) between homologous chromosomes are critical for meiotic chromosome segregation and form in the context of the synaptonemal complex (SC), a meiosis-specific structure that assembles between aligned homologs. During Caenorhabditis elegans meiosis, central region components of the SC (SYP proteins) are essential to repair double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs) as COs. Here, we investigate the relationships between the SYP proteins and conserved pro-CO factors by examining the immunolocalization of these proteins in meiotic mutants where SYP proteins are absent, reduced, or mislocalized. Although COs do not form in syp null mutants, pro-CO factors COSA-1, MSH-5, and ZHP-3 nevertheless colocalize at DSB-dependent sites during late prophase, reflecting an inherent affinity of these factors for DSB repair sites. In contrast, in mutants where SYP proteins are present but form aggregates or display abnormal synapsis, pro-CO factors consistently track with SYP-1 localization. Further, pro-CO factors usually localize to a single site per SYP-1 structure, even in SYP aggregates or in mutants where the SC forms between sister chromatids, suggesting that CO regulation occurs within these aberrant SC structures. Moreover, we find that the meiotic cohesin REC-8 is required to ensure that SC formation occurs between homologs and not sister chromatids. Taken together, our findings support a model in which SYP proteins promote CO formation by promoting the localization of pro-CO factors to recombination events within an SC compartment, thereby ensuring that pro-CO factors identify a recombination event within an SC structure and that CO maturation occurs only between properly aligned homologous chromosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cori K Cahoon
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403
| | - Jacquellyn M Helm
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403
| | - Diana E Libuda
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403
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