1
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Tan Q, Zhang X, Luo Q, Xu YC, Zhang J, Liang WQ. The RING Domain of Rice HEI10 is Essential for Male, But Not Female Fertility. RICE (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2024; 17:3. [PMID: 38180592 PMCID: PMC10769960 DOI: 10.1186/s12284-023-00681-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
HEI10 is a conserved E3 ubiquitin ligase involved in crossover formation during meiosis, and is thus essential for both male and female gamete development. Here, we have discovered a novel allele of HEI10 in rice that produces a truncated HEI10 protein missing its N-terminal RING domain, namely sh1 (shorter hei10 1). Unlike previously reported hei10 null alleles that are completely sterile, sh1 exhibits complete male sterility but retains partial female fertility. The causative sh1 mutation is a 76 kb inversion between OsFYVE4 and HEI10, which breaks the integrity of both genes. Allelic tests and complementation assays revealed that the gamete developmental defects of sh1 were caused by disruption of HEI10. Further studies demonstrated that short HEI10 can correctly localise to the nucleus, where it could interact with other proteins that direct meiosis; expressing short HEI10 in hei10 null lines partially restores female fertility. Our data reveal an intriguing mutant allele of HEI10 with differential effects on male and female fertility, providing a new tool to explore similarities and differences between male and female meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Tan
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xu Zhang
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qian Luo
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi-Chun Xu
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wan-Qi Liang
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
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2
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Abstract
The raison d'être of meiosis is shuffling of genetic information via Mendelian segregation and, within individual chromosomes, by DNA crossing-over. These outcomes are enabled by a complex cellular program in which interactions between homologous chromosomes play a central role. We first provide a background regarding the basic principles of this program. We then summarize the current understanding of the DNA events of recombination and of three processes that involve whole chromosomes: homolog pairing, crossover interference, and chiasma maturation. All of these processes are implemented by direct physical interaction of recombination complexes with underlying chromosome structures. Finally, we present convergent lines of evidence that the meiotic program may have evolved by coupling of this interaction to late-stage mitotic chromosome morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise Zickler
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Nancy Kleckner
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA;
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3
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Valero-Regalón FJ, Solé M, López-Jiménez P, Valerio-de Arana M, Martín-Ruiz M, de la Fuente R, Marín-Gual L, Renfree MB, Shaw G, Berríos S, Fernández-Donoso R, Waters PD, Ruiz-Herrera A, Gómez R, Page J. Divergent patterns of meiotic double strand breaks and synapsis initiation dynamics suggest an evolutionary shift in the meiosis program between American and Australian marsupials. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1147610. [PMID: 37181752 PMCID: PMC10166821 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1147610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
In eutherian mammals, hundreds of programmed DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are generated at the onset of meiosis. The DNA damage response is then triggered. Although the dynamics of this response is well studied in eutherian mammals, recent findings have revealed different patterns of DNA damage signaling and repair in marsupial mammals. To better characterize these differences, here we analyzed synapsis and the chromosomal distribution of meiotic DSBs markers in three different marsupial species (Thylamys elegans, Dromiciops gliorides, and Macropus eugenii) that represent South American and Australian Orders. Our results revealed inter-specific differences in the chromosomal distribution of DNA damage and repair proteins, which were associated with differing synapsis patterns. In the American species T. elegans and D. gliroides, chromosomal ends were conspicuously polarized in a bouquet configuration and synapsis progressed exclusively from the telomeres towards interstitial regions. This was accompanied by sparse H2AX phosphorylation, mainly accumulating at chromosomal ends. Accordingly, RAD51 and RPA were mainly localized at chromosomal ends throughout prophase I in both American marsupials, likely resulting in reduced recombination rates at interstitial positions. In sharp contrast, synapsis initiated at both interstitial and distal chromosomal regions in the Australian representative M. eugenii, the bouquet polarization was incomplete and ephemeral, γH2AX had a broad nuclear distribution, and RAD51 and RPA foci displayed an even chromosomal distribution. Given the basal evolutionary position of T. elegans, it is likely that the meiotic features reported in this species represent an ancestral pattern in marsupials and that a shift in the meiotic program occurred after the split of D. gliroides and the Australian marsupial clade. Our results open intriguing questions about the regulation and homeostasis of meiotic DSBs in marsupials. The low recombination rates observed at the interstitial chromosomal regions in American marsupials can result in the formation of large linkage groups, thus having an impact in the evolution of their genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mireia Solé
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Genetics of Male Fertility Group, Unitat de Biologia Cel·lular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pablo López-Jiménez
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Valerio-de Arana
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Martín-Ruiz
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Roberto de la Fuente
- Department of Experimental Embryology, Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology of The Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzębiec, Poland
| | - Laia Marín-Gual
- Departament de Biologia Cel·lular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Genome Integrity and Instability Group, Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marilyn B. Renfree
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Geoff Shaw
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Soledad Berríos
- Programa de Genética Humana, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Raúl Fernández-Donoso
- Programa de Genética Humana, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Paul D. Waters
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Science, Faculty of Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Aurora Ruiz-Herrera
- Departament de Biologia Cel·lular, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Genome Integrity and Instability Group, Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rocío Gómez
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús Page
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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4
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Mouse oocytes carrying metacentric Robertsonian chromosomes have fewer crossover sites and higher aneuploidy rates than oocytes carrying acrocentric chromosomes alone. Sci Rep 2022; 12:12028. [PMID: 35835815 PMCID: PMC9283534 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-16175-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Meiotic homologous recombination during fetal development dictates proper chromosome segregation in adult mammalian oocytes. Successful homologous synapsis and recombination during Meiotic Prophase I (MPI) depends on telomere-led chromosome movement along the nuclear envelope. In mice, all chromosomes are acrocentric, while other mammalian species carry a mixture of acrocentric and metacentric chromosomes. Such differences in telomeric structures may explain the exceptionally low aneuploidy rates in mice. Here, we tested whether the presence of metacentric chromosomes carrying Robertsonian translocations (RbT) affects the rate of homologous recombination or aneuploidy. We found a delay in MPI progression in RbT-carrier vs. wild-type (WT) fetal ovaries. Furthermore, resolution of distal telomere clusters, associated with synapsis initiation, was delayed and centromeric telomere clusters persisted until later MPI substages in RbT-carrier oocytes compared to WT oocytes. When chromosomes fully synapsed, higher percentages of RbT-carrier oocytes harbored at least one chromosome pair lacking MLH1 foci, which indicate crossover sites, compared to WT oocytes. Aneuploidy rates in ovulated eggs were also higher in RbT-carrier females than in WT females. In conclusion, the presence of metacentric chromosomes among acrocentric chromosomes in mouse oocytes delays MPI progression and reduces the efficiency of homologous crossover, resulting in a higher frequency of aneuploidy.
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5
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Imai Y, Olaya I, Sakai N, Burgess SM. Meiotic Chromosome Dynamics in Zebrafish. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:757445. [PMID: 34692709 PMCID: PMC8531508 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.757445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies in zebrafish have revealed key features of meiotic chromosome dynamics, including clustering of telomeres in the bouquet configuration, biogenesis of chromosome axis structures, and the assembly and disassembly of the synaptonemal complex that aligns homologs end-to-end. The telomere bouquet stage is especially pronounced in zebrafish meiosis and sub-telomeric regions play key roles in mediating pairing and homologous recombination. In this review, we discuss the temporal progression of these events in meiosis prophase I and highlight the roles of proteins associated with meiotic chromosome architecture in homologous recombination. Finally, we discuss the interplay between meiotic mutants and gonadal sex differentiation and future research directions to study meiosis in living cells, including cell culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukiko Imai
- Department of Gene Function and Phenomics, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
| | - Ivan Olaya
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States.,Integrative Genetics and Genomics Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Noriyoshi Sakai
- Department of Gene Function and Phenomics, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan.,Department of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Mishima, Japan
| | - Sean M Burgess
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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6
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Cooney CR, Mank JE, Wright AE. Constraint and divergence in the evolution of male and female recombination rates in fishes. Evolution 2021; 75:2857-2866. [PMID: 34533208 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Recombination is a fundamental feature of sexual reproduction across eukaryotes, yet recombination rates are highly variable both within and between species. In particular, sex differences in recombination rate between males and females (heterochiasmy) are more often the rule than the exception, but despite the prevalence of heterochiasmy the ultimate causes of global patterns of heterochiasmy remain unclear. Here, we assemble a comprehensive dataset of sex-specific recombination rate estimates for 61 fish species, and combine this with information on sex determination, fertilization mode, and sexual dimorphism to test competing theories for the causes and evolution of heterochiasmy. We find that sex differences in recombination rate are evolutionary labile, with frequent shifts in the direction and magnitude of heterochiasmy. This rapid turnover does not appear to be driven by simple neutral processes and is inconsistent with nonadaptive explanations for heterochiasmy, including biological sex differences in meiosis. Although patterns of heterochiasmy across the phylogeny indicate a potential role for adaptive processes, we are unable to directly link variation in heterochiasmy with proxies for sexual selection or sexual conflict across species, indicating that these effects-if present-are either subtle or complex. Finally, we show evidence for correlated rates of recombination rate evolution between males and females, indicating the potential for genetic constraints and sexual conflict over the recombination landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher R Cooney
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, United Kingdom
| | - Judith E Mank
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.,Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.,Biosciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, TR10 9FE, United Kingdom
| | - Alison E Wright
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, United Kingdom
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7
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Imai Y, Saito K, Takemoto K, Velilla F, Kawasaki T, Ishiguro KI, Sakai N. Sycp1 Is Not Required for Subtelomeric DNA Double-Strand Breaks but Is Required for Homologous Alignment in Zebrafish Spermatocytes. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:664377. [PMID: 33842489 PMCID: PMC8033029 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.664377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
In meiotic prophase I, homologous chromosomes are bound together by the synaptonemal complex, in which two axial elements are connected by transverse filaments and central element proteins. In human and zebrafish spermatocytes, homologous recombination and assembly of the synaptonemal complex initiate predominantly near telomeres. In mice, synapsis is not required for meiotic double-strand breaks (DSBs) and homolog alignment but is required for DSB repair; however, the interplay of these meiotic events in the context of peritelomeric bias remains unclear. In this study, we identified a premature stop mutation in the zebrafish gene encoding the transverse filament protein Sycp1. In sycp1 mutant zebrafish spermatocytes, axial elements were formed and paired at chromosome ends between homologs during early to mid-zygonema. However, they did not synapse, and their associations were mostly lost in late zygotene- or pachytene-like stages. In sycp1 mutant spermatocytes, γH2AX signals were observed, and Dmc1/Rad51 and RPA signals appeared predominantly near telomeres, resembling wild-type phenotypes. We observed persistent localization of Hormad1 along the axis in sycp1 mutant spermatocytes, while the majority of Iho1 signals appeared and disappeared with kinetics similar to those in wild-type spermatocytes. Notably, persistent Iho1 foci were observed in spo11 mutant spermatocytes, suggesting that Iho1 dissociation from axes occurs in a DSB-dependent manner. Our results demonstrated that Sycp1 is not required for peritelomeric DSB formation but is necessary for complete pairing of homologs in zebrafish meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukiko Imai
- Department of Gene Function and Phenomics, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
| | - Kenji Saito
- Department of Gene Function and Phenomics, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
| | - Kazumasa Takemoto
- Department of Gene Function and Phenomics, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
| | - Fabien Velilla
- Department of Gene Function and Phenomics, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
| | - Toshihiro Kawasaki
- Department of Gene Function and Phenomics, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan.,Department of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Mishima, Japan
| | - Kei-Ichiro Ishiguro
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Noriyoshi Sakai
- Department of Gene Function and Phenomics, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan.,Department of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Mishima, Japan
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8
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Hassold TJ, Hunt PA. Missed connections: recombination and human aneuploidy. Prenat Diagn 2021; 41:584-590. [PMID: 33484483 DOI: 10.1002/pd.5910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The physical exchange of DNA between homologs, crossing-over, is essential to orchestrate the unique, reductional first meiotic division (MI). In females, the events of meiotic recombination that serve to tether homologs and facilitate their disjunction at MI occur during fetal development, preceding the MI division by several decades in our species. Data from studies in humans and mice demonstrate that placement of recombination sites during fetal development influences the likelihood of an MI nondisjunction event that results in the production of an aneuploid egg. Here we briefly summarize what we know about the relationship between aneuploidy and meiotic recombination and important considerations for the future of human assisted reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terry J Hassold
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, USA
| | - Patricia A Hunt
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, USA
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9
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Kazemi P, Taketo T. Two telomeric ends of acrocentric chromosome play distinct roles in homologous chromosome synapsis in the fetal mouse oocyte. Chromosoma 2021; 130:41-52. [PMID: 33492414 DOI: 10.1007/s00412-021-00752-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
In mammalian oocytes, proper chromosome segregation at the first meiotic division is dictated by the presence and site of homologous chromosome recombination, which takes place in fetal life. Our current understanding of how homologous chromosomes find each other and initiate synapsis, which is prerequisite for homologous recombination, is limited. It is known that chromosome telomeres are anchored into the nuclear envelope (NE) at the early meiotic prophase I (MPI) and move along NE to facilitate homologous chromosome search and pairing. However, the mouse (Mus musculus) carries all acrocentric chromosomes with one telomeric end close to the centromere (subcentromeric telomere; C-telomere) and the other far away from the centromere (distal telomere; D-telomere), and how C- and D-telomeres participate in chromosome pairing and synapsis during the MPI progression is not well understood. Here, we found in the mouse oocyte that C- and D-telomeres transiently clustered in one area, but D-telomeres soon separated together from C-telomeres and then dispersed to preferentially initiate synapsis, while C-telomeres remained in clusters and synapsed at the last. In the Spo11 null oocyte, which is deficient in SPO11-dependent DSBs formation and homologous synapsis, the pattern of C- and D-telomere clustering and resolution was not affected, but synapsis was more frequently initiated at C-telomeres. These results suggest that SPO11 suppresses the early synapsis between C-telomeres in clusters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parinaz Kazemi
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 1B1, Canada
| | - Teruko Taketo
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 1B1, Canada. .,Department of Surgery, McGill University, RI-MUHC, Montreal, QC, H4A 3J1, Canada. .,Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, McGill University, RI-MUHC, Montreal, QC, H4A 3J1, Canada.
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10
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Bell AD, Mello CJ, Nemesh J, Brumbaugh SA, Wysoker A, McCarroll SA. Insights into variation in meiosis from 31,228 human sperm genomes. Nature 2020; 583:259-264. [PMID: 32494014 PMCID: PMC7351608 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2347-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Meiosis, although essential for reproduction, is also variable and error-prone: rates of chromosome crossover vary among gametes, between the sexes, and among humans of the same sex, and chromosome missegregation leads to abnormal chromosome numbers (aneuploidy)1-8. To study diverse meiotic outcomes and how they covary across chromosomes, gametes and humans, we developed Sperm-seq, a way of simultaneously analysing the genomes of thousands of individual sperm. Here we analyse the genomes of 31,228 human gametes from 20 sperm donors, identifying 813,122 crossovers and 787 aneuploid chromosomes. Sperm donors had aneuploidy rates ranging from 0.01 to 0.05 aneuploidies per gamete; crossovers partially protected chromosomes from nondisjunction at the meiosis I cell division. Some chromosomes and donors underwent more-frequent nondisjunction during meiosis I, and others showed more meiosis II segregation failures. Sperm genomes also manifested many genomic anomalies that could not be explained by simple nondisjunction. Diverse recombination phenotypes-from crossover rates to crossover location and separation, a measure of crossover interference-covaried strongly across individuals and cells. Our results can be incorporated with earlier observations into a unified model in which a core mechanism, the variable physical compaction of meiotic chromosomes, generates interindividual and cell-to-cell variation in diverse meiotic phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avery Davis Bell
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Curtis J Mello
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - James Nemesh
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sara A Brumbaugh
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Alec Wysoker
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Steven A McCarroll
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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11
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Abstract
Sex differences in overall recombination rates are well known, but little theoretical or empirical attention has been given to how and why sexes differ in their recombination landscapes: the patterns of recombination along chromosomes. In the first scientific review of this phenomenon, we find that recombination is biased toward telomeres in males and more uniformly distributed in females in most vertebrates and many other eukaryotes. Notable exceptions to this pattern exist, however. Fine-scale recombination patterns also frequently differ between males and females. The molecular mechanisms responsible for sex differences remain unclear, but chromatin landscapes play a role. Why these sex differences evolve also is unclear. Hypotheses suggest that they may result from sexually antagonistic selection acting on coding genes and their regulatory elements, meiotic drive in females, selection during the haploid phase of the life cycle, selection against aneuploidy, or mechanistic constraints. No single hypothesis, however, can adequately explain the evolution of sex differences in all cases. Sex-specific recombination landscapes have important consequences for population differentiation and sex chromosome evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason M. Sardell
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712
| | - Mark Kirkpatrick
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712
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12
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Hunt PA. WOMEN IN REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCE: Errors and insight: intentional and accidental studies of human chromosome abnormalities. Reproduction 2019; 158:F91-F99. [PMID: 30913534 PMCID: PMC9383270 DOI: 10.1530/rep-19-0013] [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: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Perhaps every career makes sense in retrospect. I have spent mine facing a series of accidental environmental exposures that derailed our studies but provided new insight. Although at times I have felt more catalyst than scientist, the journey has been extraordinary, and the problem I have spent my career studying - human aneuploidy - has taken on new significance with growing evidence of the sensitivity of the germline to the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia A Hunt
- Meyer Distinguished Professor, School of Molecular Biosciences and Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
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13
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Bolcun-Filas E, Handel MA. Meiosis: the chromosomal foundation of reproduction. Biol Reprod 2019; 99:112-126. [PMID: 29385397 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioy021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Meiosis is the chromosomal foundation of reproduction, with errors in this important process leading to aneuploidy and/or infertility. In this review celebrating the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Society for the Study of Reproduction, the important chromosomal structures and dynamics contributing to genomic integrity across generations are highlighted. Critical unsolved biological problems are identified, and the advances that will lead to their ultimate resolution are predicted.
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14
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Hinch AG, Zhang G, Becker PW, Moralli D, Hinch R, Davies B, Bowden R, Donnelly P. Factors influencing meiotic recombination revealed by whole-genome sequencing of single sperm. Science 2019; 363:eaau8861. [PMID: 30898902 PMCID: PMC6445350 DOI: 10.1126/science.aau8861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Recombination is critical to meiosis and evolution, yet many aspects of the physical exchange of DNA via crossovers remain poorly understood. We report an approach for single-cell whole-genome DNA sequencing by which we sequenced 217 individual hybrid mouse sperm, providing a kilobase-resolution genome-wide map of crossovers. Combining this map with molecular assays measuring stages of recombination, we identified factors that affect crossover probability, including PRDM9 binding on the non-initiating template homolog and telomere proximity. These factors also influence the time for sites of recombination-initiating DNA double-strand breaks to find and engage their homologs, with rapidly engaging sites more likely to form crossovers. We show that chromatin environment on the template homolog affects positioning of crossover breakpoints. Our results also offer insights into recombination in the pseudoautosomal region.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gang Zhang
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Philipp W Becker
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Daniela Moralli
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Robert Hinch
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Big Data Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Benjamin Davies
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Rory Bowden
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Peter Donnelly
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Department of Statistics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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15
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A hypothesis: Could telomere length and/or epigenetic alterations contribute to infertility in females with Turner syndrome? AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS PART C-SEMINARS IN MEDICAL GENETICS 2019; 181:108-116. [DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.c.31684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Revised: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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16
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Dapper AL, Payseur BA. Connecting theory and data to understand recombination rate evolution. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 372:rstb.2016.0469. [PMID: 29109228 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/07/2017] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Meiotic recombination is necessary for successful gametogenesis in most sexually reproducing organisms and is a fundamental genomic parameter, influencing the efficacy of selection and the fate of new mutations. The molecular and evolutionary functions of recombination should impose strong selective constraints on the range of recombination rates. Yet, variation in recombination rate is observed on a variety of genomic and evolutionary scales. In the past decade, empirical studies have described variation in recombination rate within genomes, between individuals, between sexes, between populations and between species. At the same time, theoretical work has provided an increasingly detailed picture of the evolutionary advantages to recombination. Perhaps surprisingly, the causes of natural variation in recombination rate remain poorly understood. We argue that empirical and theoretical approaches to understand the evolution of recombination have proceeded largely independently of each other. Most models that address the evolution of recombination rate were created to explain the evolutionary advantage of recombination rather than quantitative differences in rate among individuals. Conversely, most empirical studies aim to describe variation in recombination rate, rather than to test evolutionary hypotheses. In this Perspective, we argue that efforts to integrate the rich bodies of empirical and theoretical work on recombination rate are crucial to moving this field forward. We provide new directions for the development of theory and the production of data that will jointly close this gap.This article is part of the themed issue 'Evolutionary causes and consequences of recombination rate variation in sexual organisms'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy L Dapper
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Bret A Payseur
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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Lenormand T, Engelstädter J, Johnston SE, Wijnker E, Haag CR. Evolutionary mysteries in meiosis. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2017; 371:rstb.2016.0001. [PMID: 27619705 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Meiosis is a key event of sexual life cycles in eukaryotes. Its mechanistic details have been uncovered in several model organisms, and most of its essential features have received various and often contradictory evolutionary interpretations. In this perspective, we present an overview of these often 'weird' features. We discuss the origin of meiosis (origin of ploidy reduction and recombination, two-step meiosis), its secondary modifications (in polyploids or asexuals, inverted meiosis), its importance in punctuating life cycles (meiotic arrests, epigenetic resetting, meiotic asymmetry, meiotic fairness) and features associated with recombination (disjunction constraints, heterochiasmy, crossover interference and hotspots). We present the various evolutionary scenarios and selective pressures that have been proposed to account for these features, and we highlight that their evolutionary significance often remains largely mysterious. Resolving these mysteries will likely provide decisive steps towards understanding why sex and recombination are found in the majority of eukaryotes.This article is part of the themed issue 'Weird sex: the underappreciated diversity of sexual reproduction'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Lenormand
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE)-Unité Mixte de Recherche 5175, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Montpellier-Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier-Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes (EPHE), 1919 Route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | - Jan Engelstädter
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Susan E Johnston
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Charlotte Auerbach Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Erik Wijnker
- Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Christoph R Haag
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE)-Unité Mixte de Recherche 5175, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Montpellier-Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier-Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes (EPHE), 1919 Route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
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18
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Cheng JM, Liu YX. Age-Related Loss of Cohesion: Causes and Effects. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:E1578. [PMID: 28737671 PMCID: PMC5536066 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18071578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2017] [Revised: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 07/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Aneuploidy is a leading genetic cause of birth defects and lower implantation rates in humans. Most errors in chromosome number originate from oocytes. Aneuploidy in oocytes increases with advanced maternal age. Recent studies support the hypothesis that cohesion deterioration with advanced maternal age represents a leading cause of age-related aneuploidy. Cohesin generates cohesion, and is established only during the premeiotic S phase of fetal development without any replenishment throughout a female's period of fertility. Cohesion holds sister chromatids together until meiosis resumes at puberty, and then chromosome segregation requires the release of sister chromatid cohesion from chromosome arms and centromeres at anaphase I and anaphase II, respectively. The time of cohesion cleavage plays an important role in correct chromosome segregation. This review focuses specifically on the causes and effects of age-related cohesion deterioration in female meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Mei Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
- Institute of Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China.
| | - Yi-Xun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
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Abstract
The impact of age on a woman's ability to produce normal eggs remains a great enigma of human biology. A new paper provides intriguing experimental evidence that age may cause a breakdown in the egg cell division machinery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Hunt
- School of Molecular Biosciences and Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA.
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20
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Song WY, Meng H, Wang XG, Jin HX, Yao GD, Shi SL, Wu L, Zhang XY, Sun YP. Reduced microRNA-188-3p expression contributes to apoptosis of spermatogenic cells in patients with azoospermia. Cell Prolif 2016; 50. [PMID: 27868267 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.12297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2016] [Accepted: 08/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Human mutL homologl (MLH1) works coordinately in sequential steps to initiate repair of DNA mismatches, and aberrant MLH1 expression is related to spermatogenetic malfunction. In the present study, MLH1 expression in patients with azoospermia was investigated, and moderating effects of miR-188-3p on MLH1 expression and spermatogenesis were identified. METHODS Testicular tissues from 16 patients with obstructive azoospermia (OA) and non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA), and tissues of eight healthy patients were collected. Real-time PCR, Western blotting and immunohistochemical staining were used to detect MLH1 expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay and luciferase reporter assay were performed to evaluate histone acetylation level of miR-188-3p and relationships between miR-188-3p and MLH1. RESULTS Testicular MLH1 expression at mRNA and protein levels was significantly increased, while miR-188-3p expression was lower in patients with OA and NOA than that in controls. Reduced histone acetylation level of miR-188-3p promoter was observed in patients with azoospermia. Overexpression/inhibition of HDAC1, but not HDAC2, contributed to the significant reduction/increase of miR-188-3p expression. miR-188-3p targeted 3' UTR of MLH1 and regulated MLH1 expression. miR-188-3p inhibitor led to elevation of apoptotic level of spermatogenic cells in mice, while this effect was reversed by si-MLH1. CONCLUSION Down-regulation of miR-188-3p by reducing histone acetylation up-regulated MLH1 expression and contributed to promotion of apoptosis in spermatogenic cells, in patients with azoospermia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Yan Song
- Reproductive Medicine Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Hui Meng
- Pathology Department, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xue-Gai Wang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Hai-Xia Jin
- Reproductive Medicine Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Gui-Dong Yao
- Reproductive Medicine Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Sen-Lin Shi
- Reproductive Medicine Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Liang Wu
- Reproductive Medicine Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiang-Yang Zhang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ying-Pu Sun
- Reproductive Medicine Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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Webster A, Schuh M. Mechanisms of Aneuploidy in Human Eggs. Trends Cell Biol 2016; 27:55-68. [PMID: 27773484 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2016.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2016] [Revised: 08/03/2016] [Accepted: 09/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Eggs and sperm develop through a specialized cell division called meiosis. During meiosis, the number of chromosomes is reduced by two sequential divisions in preparation for fertilization. In human female meiosis, chromosomes frequently segregate incorrectly, resulting in eggs with an abnormal number of chromosomes. When fertilized, these eggs give rise to aneuploid embryos that usually fail to develop. As women become older, errors in meiosis occur more frequently, resulting in increased risks of infertility, miscarriage, and congenital syndromes, such as Down's syndrome. Here, we review recent studies that identify the mechanisms causing aneuploidy in female meiosis, with a particular emphasis on studies in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Webster
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, D-37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Melina Schuh
- Department of Meiosis, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, D-37077, Göttingen, Germany.
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