1
|
de Almeida BRR, Noronha RCR, Cardoso AL, Martins C, Martins JG, Procópio REDL, Nagamachi CY, Pieczarka JC. Kinetic Activity of Chromosomes and Expression of Recombination Genes in Achiasmatic Meiosis of Tityus (Archaeotityus) Scorpions. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23169179. [PMID: 36012447 PMCID: PMC9408970 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Several species of Tityus (Scorpiones, Buthidae) present multi-chromosomal meiotic associations and failures in the synaptic process, originated from reciprocal translocations. Holocentric chromosomes and achiasmatic meiosis in males are present in all members of this genus. In the present study, we investigated synapse dynamics, transcriptional silencing by γH2AX, and meiotic microtubule association in bivalents and a quadrivalent of the scorpion Tityus maranhensis. Additionally, we performed RT-PCR to verify the expression of mismatch repair enzymes involved in crossing-over formation in Tityus silvestris gonads. The quadrivalent association in T. maranhensis showed delay in the synaptic process and long asynaptic regions during pachytene. In this species, γH2AX was recorded only at the chromosome ends during early stages of prophase I; in metaphase I, bivalents and quadrivalents of T. maranhensis exhibited binding to microtubules along their entire length, while in metaphase II/anaphase II transition, spindle fibers interacted only with telomeric regions. Regarding T. silvestris, genes involved in the recombination process were transcribed in ovaries, testes and embryos, without significant difference between these tissues. The expression of these genes during T. silvestris achiasmatic meiosis is discussed in the present study. The absence of meiotic inactivation by γH2AX and holo/telokinetic behavior of the chromosomes are important factors for the maintenance of the quadrivalent in T. maranhensis and the normal continuation of the meiotic cycle in this species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Rafael Ribeiro de Almeida
- Laboratório de Citogenética, Centro de Estudos Avançados da Biodiversidade, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Avenida Perimetral da Ciência, km 01, Guamá, Belem 66075-750, PA, Brazil
- Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Itaituba, R. Universitário, s/n, Maria Magdalena, Itaituba 68183-300, PA, Brazil
| | - Renata Coelho Rodrigues Noronha
- Laboratório de Citogenética, Centro de Estudos Avançados da Biodiversidade, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Avenida Perimetral da Ciência, km 01, Guamá, Belem 66075-750, PA, Brazil
| | - Adauto Lima Cardoso
- Laboratório Genômica Integrativa, Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Distrito de Rubião Júnior, s/n, Rubião Júnior, Botucatu 18618970, SP, Brazil
| | - Cesar Martins
- Laboratório Genômica Integrativa, Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Distrito de Rubião Júnior, s/n, Rubião Júnior, Botucatu 18618970, SP, Brazil
| | - Jonas Gama Martins
- Pós-Graduação em Genética, Conservação e Biologia Evolutiva, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Avenida André Araújo, 2936-Petrópolis, Manaus 69067-375, AM, Brazil
| | - Rudi Emerson de Lima Procópio
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia e Recursos Naturais da Amazônia, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas (UEA), Avenida Carvalho Leal, 1777-Cachoeirinha, Manaus 69065-170, AM, Brazil
| | - Cleusa Yoshiko Nagamachi
- Laboratório de Citogenética, Centro de Estudos Avançados da Biodiversidade, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Avenida Perimetral da Ciência, km 01, Guamá, Belem 66075-750, PA, Brazil
| | - Julio Cesar Pieczarka
- Laboratório de Citogenética, Centro de Estudos Avançados da Biodiversidade, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Avenida Perimetral da Ciência, km 01, Guamá, Belem 66075-750, PA, Brazil
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Matveevsky S, Grishaeva T. Heterogeneity in conservation of multifunctional partner enzymes with meiotic importance, CDK2 kinase and BRCA1 ubiquitin ligase. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12231. [PMID: 34692254 PMCID: PMC8483008 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolution of proteins can be accompanied by changes not only to their amino acid sequences, but also their structural and spatial molecular organization. Comparison of the protein conservation within different taxonomic groups (multifunctional, or highly specific) allows to clarify their specificity and the direction of evolution. Two multifunctional enzymes, cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) and BRCA1 ubiquitin ligase, that are partners in some mitotic and meiotic processes were investigated in the present work. Two research methods, bioinformatics and immunocytochemical, were combined to examine the conservation levels of the two enzymes. It has been established that CDK2 is a highly conserved protein in different taxonomic lineages of the eukaryotic tree. Immunocytochemically, a conserved CDK2 pattern was revealed in the meiotic autosomes of five rodent species and partially in domestic turkey and clawed frog. Nevertheless, variable CDK2 distribution was detected at the unsynapsed segments of the rodent X chromosomes. BRCA1 was shown to be highly conserved only within certain mammalian taxa. It was also noted that in those rodent nuclei, where BRCA1 specifically binds to antigens, asynaptic regions of sex chromosomes were positive. BRCA1 staining was not always accompanied by specific binding, and a high nonspecificity in the nucleoplasm was observed. Thus, the studies revealed different conservation of the two enzymes at the level of protein structure as well as at the level of chromosome behavior. This suggests variable rates of evolution due to both size and configuration of the protein molecules and their multifunctionality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sergey Matveevsky
- Laboratory of Cytogenetics, Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Tatiana Grishaeva
- Laboratory of Cytogenetics, Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Fan X, Moustakas I, Torrens-Juaneda V, Lei Q, Hamer G, Louwe LA, Pilgram GSK, Szuhai K, Matorras R, Eguizabal C, van der Westerlaken L, Mei H, Chuva de Sousa Lopes SM. Transcriptional progression during meiotic prophase I reveals sex-specific features and X chromosome dynamics in human fetal female germline. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009773. [PMID: 34499650 PMCID: PMC8428764 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
During gametogenesis in mammals, meiosis ensures the production of haploid gametes. The timing and length of meiosis to produce female and male gametes differ considerably. In contrast to males, meiotic prophase I in females initiates during development. Hence, the knowledge regarding progression through meiotic prophase I is mainly focused on human male spermatogenesis and female oocyte maturation during adulthood. Therefore, it remains unclear how the different stages of meiotic prophase I between human oogenesis and spermatogenesis compare. Analysis of single-cell transcriptomics data from human fetal germ cells (FGC) allowed us to identify the molecular signatures of female meiotic prophase I stages leptotene, zygotene, pachytene and diplotene. We have compared those between male and female germ cells in similar stages of meiotic prophase I and revealed conserved and specific features between sexes. We identified not only key players involved in the process of meiosis, but also highlighted the molecular components that could be responsible for changes in cellular morphology that occur during this developmental period, when the female FGC acquire their typical (sex-specific) oocyte shape as well as sex-differences in the regulation of DNA methylation. Analysis of X-linked expression between sexes during meiotic prophase I suggested a transient X-linked enrichment during female pachytene, that contrasts with the meiotic sex chromosome inactivation in males. Our study of the events that take place during meiotic prophase I provide a better understanding not only of female meiosis during development, but also highlights biomarkers that can be used to study infertility and offers insights in germline sex dimorphism in humans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xueying Fan
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ioannis Moustakas
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Sequencing Analysis Support Core, Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Vanessa Torrens-Juaneda
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Qijing Lei
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Research Institute, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location AMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Geert Hamer
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Research Institute, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location AMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Leoni A. Louwe
- Department of Gynaecology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Gonneke S. K. Pilgram
- Department of Gynaecology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Karoly Szuhai
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Roberto Matorras
- IVIRMA, IVI Bilbao, Bilbao, Spain; Human Reproduction Unit, Cruces University Hospital, Bilbao, Spain; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Basque Country University, Spain; Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Cristina Eguizabal
- Cell Therapy, Stem Cells and Tissues Group, Basque Centre for Blood Transfusion and Human Tissues, Galdakao, Spain
- Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Cell Therapy, Stem Cells and Tissues Group, Barakaldo, Spain
| | | | - Hailiang Mei
- Sequencing Analysis Support Core, Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Susana M. Chuva de Sousa Lopes
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Fan X, Zhu Y, Wang N, Zhang B, Zhang C, Wang Y. Therapeutic Dose of Hydroxyurea-Induced Synaptic Abnormalities on the Mouse Spermatocyte. Front Physiol 2021; 12:666339. [PMID: 34305635 PMCID: PMC8299468 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.666339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Hydroxyurea (HU) is a widely used pharmacological therapy for sickle cell disease (SCD). However, replication stress caused by HU has been shown to inhibit premeiotic S-phase DNA, leading to reproductive toxicity in germ cells. In this study, we administered the therapeutic doses of HU (i.e., 25 and 50 mg/kg) to male mice to explore whether replication stress by HU affects pachytene spermatocytes and causes the abnormalities of homologous chromosomes pairing and recombination during prophase I of meiosis. In comparison with the control group, the proportions of spermatocyte gaps were significantly different in the experimental groups injected with 25 mg/kg (p < 0.05) and 50 mg/kg of HU (p < 0.05). Moreover, the proportions of unrepaired double-stranded breaks (DSBs) observed by γH2AX staining also corresponded to a higher HU dose with a greater number of breaks. Additionally, a reduction in the counts of recombination foci on the autosomal SCs was observed in the pachytene spermatocytes. Our results reveal that HU has some effects on synaptonemal complex (SC) formation and DSB repair which suggest possible problems in fertility. Therefore, this study provides new evidence of the mechanisms underlying HU reproductive toxicity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobo Fan
- Laboratory of Molecular Cytogenetics, School of Bioengineering, Xuzhou University of Technology, Xuzhou, China
| | - Yunxia Zhu
- The Center of Reproductive Medicine, Xuzhou Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Xuzhou, China
| | - Naixin Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Cytogenetics, School of Bioengineering, Xuzhou University of Technology, Xuzhou, China
| | - Bing Zhang
- Laboratory of Molecular Cytogenetics, School of Bioengineering, Xuzhou University of Technology, Xuzhou, China
| | - Cui Zhang
- Laboratory of Molecular Cytogenetics, School of Bioengineering, Xuzhou University of Technology, Xuzhou, China
| | - Yanan Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Cytogenetics, School of Bioengineering, Xuzhou University of Technology, Xuzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Choudhuri S, Kaur T, Jain S, Sharma C, Asthana S. A review on genotoxicity in connection to infertility and cancer. Chem Biol Interact 2021; 345:109531. [PMID: 34058178 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2021.109531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Genotoxicity has been identified as the main cause of infertility and a variety of cancers. The mechanisms affect the structure, quality of the information or the segregation of DNA and are not inherently correlated with mutagenicity. The concept of genotoxicity, the chemical classes that cause genetic damage and the associated mechanisms of action are discussed here. Hazardous effects of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, agrochemicals, industrial compounds, food additives, natural toxins and nanomaterials are, in large part, identified by genotoxicity and mutagenicity tests. These are critical and early steps in industrial and regulatory health assessment. Though several in vitro experiments are commonly used and approval by regulatory agencies for commercial licensing of drugs, their accuracy in human predictions for genotoxic and mutagenic effects is frequently questioned. Treatment of real and functional genetic toxicity problems depends in detail on the knowledge of mechanisms of DNA damage in the molecular, subcellular, cellular and tissue or organ system levels. Current strategies for risk assessment of human health need revisions to achieve robust and reliable results for optimizing their effectiveness. Additionally, computerized methods, neo-biomarkers leveraging '-omics' approaches, all of which can provide a convincing genotoxicity evaluation to reduce infertility and cancer risk.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sharmistha Choudhuri
- Department of Biochemistry, R. G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Taruneet Kaur
- Animal Biochemistry Division, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, India
| | - Sapna Jain
- Multidisciplinary Clinical Translational Research, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, Faridabad, Haryana, India
| | - Chandresh Sharma
- Multidisciplinary Clinical Translational Research, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, Faridabad, Haryana, India.
| | - Shailendra Asthana
- Non-Communicable Disease, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, Faridabad, Haryana, India.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Hunter N. Oocyte Quality Control: Causes, Mechanisms, and Consequences. COLD SPRING HARBOR SYMPOSIA ON QUANTITATIVE BIOLOGY 2018; 82:235-247. [PMID: 29743337 DOI: 10.1101/sqb.2017.82.035394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Oocyte quality and number are key determinants of reproductive life span and success. These variables are shaped in part by the elimination of oocytes that experience problems during the early stages of meiosis. Meiotic prophase-I marks an extended period of genome vulnerability in which epigenetic reprogramming unleashes retroelements and hundreds of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are inflicted to initiate the programmed recombination required for accurate chromosome segregation at the first meiotic division. Expression of LINE-1 retroelements perturbs several aspects of meiotic prophase and is associated with oocyte death during the early stages of meiotic prophase I. Defects in chromosome synapsis and recombination also trigger oocyte loss, but typically at a later stage, as cells transition into quiescence and form primordial follicles. Interrelated pathways that signal defects in DSB repair and chromosome synapsis mediate this late oocyte attrition. Here, I review our current understanding of early and late oocyte attrition based on studies in mouse and describe how these processes appear to be both distinct and overlapping and how they help balance the quality and size of oocyte reserves to maximize fecundity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Neil Hunter
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis, California 95616.,Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Davis, Davis, California 95616.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California 95616.,Department of Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, University of California, Davis, Davis, California 95616
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Progress on Molecular Mechanism of Phosphorylation/Dephosphorylation and Detection Technology of γH2AX. CHINESE JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/s1872-2040(16)60952-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
|
8
|
Cloutier JM, Mahadevaiah SK, ElInati E, Tóth A, Turner J. Mammalian meiotic silencing exhibits sexually dimorphic features. Chromosoma 2015; 125:215-26. [PMID: 26712235 PMCID: PMC4830877 DOI: 10.1007/s00412-015-0568-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2015] [Revised: 11/24/2015] [Accepted: 12/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
During mammalian meiotic prophase I, surveillance mechanisms exist to ensure that germ cells with defective synapsis or recombination are eliminated, thereby preventing the generation of aneuploid gametes and embryos. Meiosis in females is more error-prone than in males, and this is in part because the prophase I surveillance mechanisms are less efficient in females. A mechanistic understanding of this sexual dimorphism is currently lacking. In both sexes, asynapsed chromosomes are transcriptionally inactivated by ATR-dependent phosphorylation of histone H2AFX. This process, termed meiotic silencing, has been proposed to perform an important prophase I surveillance role. While the transcriptional effects of meiotic silencing at individual genes are well described in the male germ line, analogous studies in the female germ line have not been performed. Here we apply single- and multigene RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization (RNA FISH) to oocytes from chromosomally abnormal mouse models to uncover potential sex differences in the silencing response. Notably, we find that meiotic silencing in females is less efficient than in males. Within individual oocytes, genes located on the same asynapsed chromosome are silenced to differing extents, thereby generating mosaicism in gene expression profiles across oocyte populations. Analysis of sex-reversed XY female mice reveals that the sexual dimorphism in silencing is determined by gonadal sex rather than sex chromosome constitution. We propose that sex differences in meiotic silencing impact on the sexually dimorphic prophase I response to asynapsis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J M Cloutier
- The Francis Crick Institute, Mill Hill Laboratory, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London, NW7 1AA, UK
| | - S K Mahadevaiah
- The Francis Crick Institute, Mill Hill Laboratory, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London, NW7 1AA, UK
| | - E ElInati
- The Francis Crick Institute, Mill Hill Laboratory, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London, NW7 1AA, UK
| | - A Tóth
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, 01307, Germany
| | - James Turner
- The Francis Crick Institute, Mill Hill Laboratory, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London, NW7 1AA, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Subramanian VV, Hochwagen A. The meiotic checkpoint network: step-by-step through meiotic prophase. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2014; 6:a016675. [PMID: 25274702 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a016675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The generation of haploid gametes by meiosis is a highly conserved process for sexually reproducing organisms that, in almost all cases, involves the extensive breakage of chromosomes. These chromosome breaks occur during meiotic prophase and are essential for meiotic recombination as well as the subsequent segregation of homologous chromosomes. However, their formation and repair must be carefully monitored and choreographed with nuclear dynamics and the cell division program to avoid the creation of aberrant chromosomes and defective gametes. It is becoming increasingly clear that an intricate checkpoint-signaling network related to the canonical DNA damage response is deeply interwoven with the meiotic program and preserves order during meiotic prophase. This meiotic checkpoint network (MCN) creates a wide range of dependent relationships controlling chromosome movement, chromosome pairing, chromatin structure, and double-strand break (DSB) repair. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of the MCN. We discuss commonalities and differences in different experimental systems, with a particular emphasis on the emerging design principles that control and limit cross talk between signals to ultimately ensure the faithful inheritance of chromosomes by the next generation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Andreas Hochwagen
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, New York 10003
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Kim J, Skrzynia C, Mersereau JE. A pilot study of BRCA mutation carriers' knowledge about the clinical impact of prophylactic-oophorectomy and views on fertility consultation: a single-center pilot study. J Genet Couns 2014; 24:149-57. [PMID: 25120035 DOI: 10.1007/s10897-014-9747-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2014] [Accepted: 07/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BRCA mutation carriers will experience early surgically induced menopause following prophylactic bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (PBSO). This pilot study aimed to investigate their (1) knowledge about the clinical impact of PBSO; (2) views on fertility consultation (FC)/fertility preservation (FP) treatment; and (3) difficulties in conceiving compared to non-carriers. A cross-sectional, single institution web-survey was performed at a university-based IVF center. Women aged 18-50 years who were screened for BRCA gene mutations from 2005 to 2013 were recruited via mail. Forty-one BRCA-positive and 110 BRCA-negative women completed the survey (response rate: 50 %). The knowledge about the reproductive impact of PBSO was limited, with the majority of women in this highly educated sample only identifying the correct response 64 % of the time. Among BRCA mutation carriers, 24 (59 %) had positive views about FC/FP treatments. A larger proportion of women with no children at the time of BRCA testing, and those who were non-white tended to have positive views toward FP. Women with, versus without, BRCA mutations were more likely to have difficulty in conceiving (p = 0.08). This well-educated group had limited knowledge about the reproductive clinical impact of PBSO, or the benefit of a FP before PBSO. Most women with BRCA mutations were interested in FC/FP treatment if they had not completed childbearing at the time of screening. Targeted referrals for FC at the time of BRCA screening may help women improve knowledge and allow improved decision-making about reproductive options.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA,
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
Alpatov R, Lesch BJ, Nakamoto-Kinoshita M, Blanco A, Chen S, Stützer A, Armache KJ, Simon MD, Xu C, Ali M, Murn J, Prisic S, Kutateladze TG, Vakoc CR, Min J, Kingston RE, Fischle W, Warren ST, Page DC, Shi Y. A chromatin-dependent role of the fragile X mental retardation protein FMRP in the DNA damage response. Cell 2014; 157:869-81. [PMID: 24813610 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2014.03.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2013] [Revised: 02/04/2014] [Accepted: 03/20/2014] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Fragile X syndrome, a common form of inherited intellectual disability, is caused by loss of the fragile X mental retardation protein FMRP. FMRP is present predominantly in the cytoplasm, where it regulates translation of proteins that are important for synaptic function. We identify FMRP as a chromatin-binding protein that functions in the DNA damage response (DDR). Specifically, we show that FMRP binds chromatin through its tandem Tudor (Agenet) domain in vitro and associates with chromatin in vivo. We also demonstrate that FMRP participates in the DDR in a chromatin-binding-dependent manner. The DDR machinery is known to play important roles in developmental processes such as gametogenesis. We show that FMRP occupies meiotic chromosomes and regulates the dynamics of the DDR machinery during mouse spermatogenesis. These findings suggest that nuclear FMRP regulates genomic stability at the chromatin interface and may impact gametogenesis and some developmental aspects of fragile X syndrome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roman Alpatov
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Bluma J Lesch
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Whitehead Institute and Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Mika Nakamoto-Kinoshita
- Departments of Human Genetics, Biochemistry, and Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Andres Blanco
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Shuzhen Chen
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Alexandra Stützer
- Laboratory of Chromatin Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Karim J Armache
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Molecular Biology and Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Matthew D Simon
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Molecular Biology and Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Chao Xu
- Structural Genomics Consortium and Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto ON M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Muzaffar Ali
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Jernej Murn
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Sladjana Prisic
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Tatiana G Kutateladze
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | | | - Jinrong Min
- Structural Genomics Consortium and Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto ON M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Robert E Kingston
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Molecular Biology and Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Wolfgang Fischle
- Laboratory of Chromatin Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Stephen T Warren
- Departments of Human Genetics, Biochemistry, and Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - David C Page
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Whitehead Institute and Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Yang Shi
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Presence of an extra chromosome alters meiotic double-stranded break repair dynamics and MLH1 foci distribution in human oocytes. Chromosoma 2013; 122:93-102. [DOI: 10.1007/s00412-012-0394-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2011] [Revised: 12/03/2012] [Accepted: 12/10/2012] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
|
13
|
Guioli S, Lovell-Badge R, Turner JMA. Error-prone ZW pairing and no evidence for meiotic sex chromosome inactivation in the chicken germ line. PLoS Genet 2012; 8:e1002560. [PMID: 22412389 PMCID: PMC3297585 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1002560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2011] [Accepted: 01/12/2012] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In the male mouse the X and Y chromosomes pair and recombine within the small pseudoautosomal region. Genes located on the unsynapsed segments of the X and Y are transcriptionally silenced at pachytene by Meiotic Sex Chromosome Inactivation (MSCI). The degree to which MSCI is conserved in other vertebrates is currently unclear. In the female chicken the ZW bivalent is thought to undergo a transient phase of full synapsis at pachytene, starting from the homologous ends and spreading through the heterologous regions. It has been proposed that the repair of the ZW DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) is postponed until diplotene and that the ZW bivalent is subject to MSCI, which is independent of its synaptic status. Here we present a distinct model of meiotic pairing and silencing of the ZW pair during chicken oogenesis. We show that, in most oocytes, DNA DSB foci on the ZW are resolved by the end of pachytene and that the ZW desynapses in broad synchrony with the autosomes. We unexpectedly find that ZW pairing is highly error prone, with many oocytes failing to engage in ZW synapsis and crossover formation. Oocytes with unsynapsed Z and W chromosomes nevertheless progress to the diplotene stage, suggesting that a checkpoint does not operate during pachytene in the chicken germ line. Using a combination of epigenetic profiling and RNA-FISH analysis, we find no evidence for MSCI, associated with neither the asynaptic ZW, as described in mammals, nor the synaptic ZW. The lack of conservation of MSCI in the chicken reopens the debate about the evolution of MSCI and its driving forces.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Silvana Guioli
- Division of Stem Cell Biology and Developmental Genetics, Medical Research Council, National Institute for Medical Research, London, United Kingdom.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Heard E, Turner J. Function of the sex chromosomes in mammalian fertility. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2011; 3:a002675. [PMID: 21730045 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a002675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
The sex chromosomes play a highly specialized role in germ cell development in mammals, being enriched in genes expressed in the testis and ovary. Sex chromosome abnormalities (e.g., Klinefelter [XXY] and Turner [XO] syndrome) constitute the largest class of chromosome abnormalities and the commonest genetic cause of infertility in humans. Understanding how sex-gene expression is regulated is therefore critical to our understanding of human reproduction. Here, we describe how the expression of sex-linked genes varies during germ cell development; in females, the inactive X chromosome is reactivated before meiosis, whereas in males the X and Y chromosomes are inactivated at this stage. We discuss the epigenetics of sex chromosome inactivation and how this process has influenced the gene content of the mammalian X and Y chromosomes. We also present working models for how perturbations in sex chromosome inactivation or reactivation result in subfertility in the major classes of sex chromosome abnormalities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Edith Heard
- Mammalian Developmental Epigenetics Group, Institut Curie, CNRS UMR3215 INSERM U934, 75248 Paris Cedex 05, France.
| | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Oktay K, Kim JY, Barad D, Babayev SN. Association of BRCA1 mutations with occult primary ovarian insufficiency: a possible explanation for the link between infertility and breast/ovarian cancer risks. J Clin Oncol 2009; 28:240-4. [PMID: 19996028 DOI: 10.1200/jco.2009.24.2057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 272] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Germline mutations in BRCA genes are associated with breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility. Because infertility is associated with breast and ovarian cancer risks, we hypothesized that the mutations in the BRCA gene may be associated with low response to fertility treatments. METHODS We performed ovarian stimulation in 126 women with breast cancer by using letrozole and gonadotropins for the purpose of fertility preservation by embryo or oocyte cryopreservation. As surrogates of ovarian reserve, the oocyte yield and the incidence of low response were compared with ovarian stimulation according to BRCA mutation status. RESULTS Of the 82 women who met the inclusion criteria, 47 women (57%) had undergone BRCA testing, and 14 had a mutation in BRCA genes, of which two were of clinically undetermined significance. In BRCA mutation-positive patients, low ovarian response rate was significantly higher compared with BRCA mutation-negative patients (33.3 v 3.3%; P = .014) and with BRCA-untested women (2.9%; P = .012). All BRCA mutation-positive low responders had BRCA1 mutations, but low response was not encountered in women who were only BRCA2 mutation positive. Compared with controls, BRCA1 mutation- but not BRCA2 mutation-positive women produced lower numbers of eggs (7.4 [95% CI, 3.1 to 17.7] v 12.4 [95% CI, 10.8 to 14.2]; P = .025) and had as many as 38.3 times the odds ratio of low response (95% CI, 4.1 to 353.4; P = .001). CONCLUSION BRCA1 mutations are associated with occult primary ovarian insufficiency. This finding may, at least in part, explain the link between infertility and breast/ovarian cancer risks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kutluk Oktay
- Institute for Fertility Preservation, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York Medical College-Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Zheng P, Griswold MD, Hassold TJ, Hunt PA, Small CL, Ye P. Predicting meiotic pathways in human fetal oogenesis. Biol Reprod 2009; 82:543-51. [PMID: 19846598 DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.109.079590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene function prediction has proven valuable in formulating testable hypotheses. It is particularly useful for exploring biological processes that are experimentally intractable, such as meiotic initiation and progression in the human fetal ovary. In this study, we developed the first functional gene network for the human fetal ovary, HFOnet, by probabilistically integrating multiple genomic features using a naïve Bayesian model. We demonstrated that this network could accurately recapture known functional connections between genes, as well as predict new connections. Our findings suggest that known meiosis-specific genes (i.e., with functions only in meiotic processes in the germ cells) make either no or a few functional connections but are highly clustered with neighbor genes. In contrast, known nonspecific meiotic genes (i.e., with functions in both meiotic and nonmeiotic processes in the germ cells and somatic cells) exhibit numerous connections but low clustering coefficients, indicating their role as central modulators of diverse pathways, including those in meiosis. We also predicted novel genes that may be involved in meiotic initiation and DNA repair. This global functional network provides a much-needed framework for exploring gene functions and pathway components in early human female meiosis that are difficult to tackle by traditional in vivo mammalian genetics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ping Zheng
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
Manterola M, Page J, Vasco C, Berríos S, Parra MT, Viera A, Rufas JS, Zuccotti M, Garagna S, Fernández-Donoso R. A high incidence of meiotic silencing of unsynapsed chromatin is not associated with substantial pachytene loss in heterozygous male mice carrying multiple simple robertsonian translocations. PLoS Genet 2009; 5:e1000625. [PMID: 19714216 PMCID: PMC2726437 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1000625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2008] [Accepted: 07/31/2009] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Meiosis is a complex type of cell division that involves homologous chromosome pairing, synapsis, recombination, and segregation. When any of these processes is altered, cellular checkpoints arrest meiosis progression and induce cell elimination. Meiotic impairment is particularly frequent in organisms bearing chromosomal translocations. When chromosomal translocations appear in heterozygosis, the chromosomes involved may not correctly complete synapsis, recombination, and/or segregation, thus promoting the activation of checkpoints that lead to the death of the meiocytes. In mammals and other organisms, the unsynapsed chromosomal regions are subject to a process called meiotic silencing of unsynapsed chromatin (MSUC). Different degrees of asynapsis could contribute to disturb the normal loading of MSUC proteins, interfering with autosome and sex chromosome gene expression and triggering a massive pachytene cell death. We report that in mice that are heterozygous for eight multiple simple Robertsonian translocations, most pachytene spermatocytes bear trivalents with unsynapsed regions that incorporate, in a stage-dependent manner, proteins involved in MSUC (e.g., gammaH2AX, ATR, ubiquitinated-H2A, SUMO-1, and XMR). These spermatocytes have a correct MSUC response and are not eliminated during pachytene and most of them proceed into diplotene. However, we found a high incidence of apoptotic spermatocytes at the metaphase stage. These results suggest that in Robertsonian heterozygous mice synapsis defects on most pachytene cells do not trigger a prophase-I checkpoint. Instead, meiotic impairment seems to mainly rely on the action of a checkpoint acting at the metaphase stage. We propose that a low stringency of the pachytene checkpoint could help to increase the chances that spermatocytes with synaptic defects will complete meiotic divisions and differentiate into viable gametes. This scenario, despite a reduction of fertility, allows the spreading of Robertsonian translocations, explaining the multitude of natural Robertsonian populations described in the mouse.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marcia Manterola
- Programa de Genética Humana, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Unidad de Biología Celular, Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús Page
- Unidad de Biología Celular, Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Chiara Vasco
- Dipartimento di Biologia Animale, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Soledad Berríos
- Programa de Genética Humana, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - María Teresa Parra
- Unidad de Biología Celular, Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto Viera
- Unidad de Biología Celular, Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Julio S. Rufas
- Unidad de Biología Celular, Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maurizio Zuccotti
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Sezione di Istologia ed Embriologia, Università degli Studi di Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Silvia Garagna
- Dipartimento di Biologia Animale, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Centro di Ricerca Interdipartimentale di Ingegneria Tissutale e Centro di Eccellenza in Biologia Applicata, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Raúl Fernández-Donoso
- Programa de Genética Humana, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Kouznetsova A, Wang H, Bellani M, Camerini-Otero RD, Jessberger R, Höög C. BRCA1-mediated chromatin silencing is limited to oocytes with a small number of asynapsed chromosomes. J Cell Sci 2009; 122:2446-52. [PMID: 19531582 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.049353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcriptional silencing of the sex chromosomes during male meiosis is regarded as a manifestation of a general mechanism active in both male and female germ cells, called meiotic silencing of unsynapsed chromatin (MSUC). MSUC is initiated by the recruitment of the tumor suppressor protein BRCA1 to the axes of unsynapsed chromosomes. We now show that Sycp3, a structural component of the chromosome axis, is required for localization of BRCA1 to unsynapsed pachytene chromosomes. Importantly, we find that oocytes carrying an excess of two to three pairs of asynapsed homologous chromosomes fail to recruit enough BRCA1 to the asynapsed axes to activate MSUC. Furthermore, loss of MSUC function only transiently rescues oocytes from elimination during early postnatal development. The fact that the BRCA1-dependent synapsis surveillance system cannot respond to higher degrees of asynapsis and is dispensable for removal of aberrant oocytes argues that MSUC has a limited input as a quality control mechanism in female germ cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kouznetsova
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology (CMB), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, S-171 77, Sweden
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
Garcia-Cruz R, Robles P, Steinberg ER, Camats N, Brieño MA, Garcia-Caldés M, Mudry MD. Pairing and recombination features during meiosis in Cebus paraguayanus (Primates: Platyrrhini). BMC Genet 2009; 10:25. [PMID: 19500368 PMCID: PMC2702343 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2156-10-25] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2008] [Accepted: 06/05/2009] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Among neotropical Primates, the Cai monkey Cebus paraguayanus (CPA) presents long, conserved chromosome syntenies with the human karyotype (HSA) as well as numerous C+ blocks in different chromosome pairs.In this study, immunofluorescence (IF) against two proteins of the Synaptonemal Complex (SC), namely REC8 and SYCP1, two recombination protein markers (RPA and MLH1), and one protein involved in the pachytene checkpoint machinery (BRCA1) was performed in CPA spermatocytes in order to analyze chromosome meiotic behavior in detail. RESULTS Although in the vast majority of pachytene cells all autosomes were paired and synapsed, in a small number of nuclei the heterochromatic C-positive terminal region of bivalent 11 remained unpaired. The analysis of 75 CPA cells at pachytene revealed a mean of 43.22 MLH1 foci per nucleus and 1.07 MLH1 foci in each CPA bivalent 11, always positioned in the region homologous to HSA chromosome 21. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that C blocks undergo delayed pairing and synapsis, although they do not interfere with the general progress of pairing and synapsis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Garcia-Cruz
- Unitat de Biologia Cellular i Genètica Mèdica, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pedro Robles
- Unitat de Biologia Cellular i Genètica Mèdica, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eliana R Steinberg
- Grupo de Investigación en Biología Evolutiva (GIBE), CONICET, Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, FCEyN, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Nuria Camats
- Unitat de Biologia Cellular i Genètica Mèdica, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Miguel A Brieño
- Unitat de Biologia Cellular i Genètica Mèdica, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Montserrat Garcia-Caldés
- Unitat de Biologia Cellular i Genètica Mèdica, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
- Grupo de Investigación en Biología Evolutiva (GIBE), Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, FCEyN, UBA, Cdad, Universitaria, Pabellón II, 4to Piso, Lab 46 (1428 EHA), Cdad, Autónoma de Bs As, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marta D Mudry
- Grupo de Investigación en Biología Evolutiva (GIBE), CONICET, Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, FCEyN, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Grupo de Investigación en Biología Evolutiva (GIBE), Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, FCEyN, UBA, Cdad, Universitaria, Pabellón II, 4to Piso, Lab 46 (1428 EHA), Cdad, Autónoma de Bs As, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|