Nucleosomal organization of replication origins and meiotic recombination hotspots in fission yeast

Molecular mechanisms for environmentally induced and evolutionarily rapid redistribution (plasticity) of meiotic recombination

It has long been known (circa 1917) that environmental conditions, as well as speciation, can affect dramatically the frequency distribution of Spo11/Rec12-dependent meiotic recombination. Here, by analyzing DNA sequence-dependent meiotic recombination hotspots in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, we reveal a molecular basis for these phenomena. The impacts of changing environmental conditions (temperature, nutrients, and osmolarity) on local rates of recombination are mediated directly by DNA site-dependent hotspots (M26, CCAAT, and Oligo-C). This control is exerted through environmental condition-responsive signal transduction networks (involving Atf1, Pcr1, Php2, Php3, Php5, and Rst2). Strikingly, individual hotspots modulate rates of recombination over a very broad dynamic range in response to changing conditions. They can range from being quiescent to being highly proficient at promoting activity of the basal recombination machinery (Spo11/Rec12 complex). Moreover, each different class of hotspot functions as an independently controlled rheostat; a condition that increases the activity of one class can decrease the activity of another class. Together, the independent modulation of recombination rates by each different class of DNA site-dependent hotspots (of which there are many) provides a molecular mechanism for highly dynamic, large-scale changes in the global frequency distribution of meiotic recombination. Because hotspot-activating DNA sites discovered in fission yeast are conserved functionally in other species, this process can also explain the previously enigmatic, Prdm9-independent, evolutionarily rapid changes in hotspot usage between closely related species, subspecies, and isolated populations of the same species.

Redirecting meiotic DNA break hotspot determinant proteins alters localized spatial control of DNA break formation and repair

During meiosis, DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are formed at high frequency at special chromosomal sites, called DSB hotspots, to generate crossovers that aid proper chromosome segregation. Multiple chromosomal features affect hotspot formation. In the fission yeast S. pombe the linear element proteins Rec25, Rec27 and Mug20 are hotspot determinants - they bind hotspots with high specificity and are necessary for nearly all DSBs at hotspots. To assess whether they are also sufficient for hotspot determination, we localized each linear element protein to a novel chromosomal site (ade6 with lacO substitutions) by fusion to the Escherichia coli LacI repressor. The Mug20-LacI plus lacO combination, but not the two separate lac elements, produced a strong ade6 DSB hotspot, comparable to strong endogenous DSB hotspots. This hotspot had unexpectedly low ade6 recombinant frequency and negligible DSB hotspot competition, although like endogenous hotspots it manifested DSB interference. We infer that linear element proteins must be properly placed by endogenous functions to impose hotspot competition and proper partner choice for DSB repair. Our results support and expand our previously proposed DSB hotspot-clustering model for local control of meiotic recombination.

Epigenetic Marks and Variation of Sequence-Based Information Along Genomic Regions Are Predictive of Recombination Hot/Cold Spots in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Characterization and identification of recombination hotspots provide important insights into the mechanism of recombination and genome evolution. In contrast with existing sequence-based models for predicting recombination hotspots which were defined in a ORF-based manner, here, we first defined recombination hot/cold spots based on public high-resolution Spo11-oligo-seq data, then characterized them in terms of DNA sequence and epigenetic marks, and finally presented classifiers to identify hotspots. We found that, in addition to some previously discovered DNA-based features like GC-skew, recombination hotspots in yeast can also be characterized by some remarkable features associated with DNA physical properties and shape. More importantly, by using DNA-based features and several epigenetic marks, we built several classifiers to discriminate hotspots from coldspots, and found that SVM classifier performs the best with an accuracy of ∼92%, which is also the highest among the models in comparison. Feature importance analysis combined with prediction results show that epigenetic marks and variation of sequence-based features along the hotspots contribute dominantly to hotspot identification. By using incremental feature selection method, an optimal feature subset that consists of much less features was obtained without sacrificing prediction accuracy.

An Avirulence Gene Cluster in the Wheat Stripe Rust Pathogen (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici) Identified through Genetic Mapping and Whole-Genome Sequencing of a Sexual Population

Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, the causal agent of wheat stripe (yellow) rust, is an obligate, biotrophic fungus. It was difficult to study the genetics of the pathogen due to the lack of sexual reproduction. The recent discovery of alternate hosts for P. striiformis f. sp. tritici makes it possible to study inheritance and map genes involved in its interaction with plant hosts. To identify avirulence (Avr) genes in P. striiformis f. sp. tritici, we developed a segregating population by selfing isolate 12-368 on barberry (Berberis vulgaris) plants under controlled conditions. The dikaryotic sexual population segregated for avirulent/virulent phenotypes on nine Yr single-gene lines. The parental and progeny isolates were whole-genome sequenced at >30× coverage using Illumina HiSeq PE150 technology. A total of 2,637 high-quality markers were discovered by mapping the whole-genome sequencing (WGS) reads to the reference genome of strain 93-210 and used to construct a genetic map, consisting of 41 linkage groups, spanning 7,715.0 centimorgans (cM) and covering 68 Mb of the reference genome. The recombination rate was estimated to be 1.81 ± 2.32 cM/10 kb. Quantitative trait locus analysis mapped six Avr gene loci to the genetic map, including an Avr cluster harboring four Avr genes, AvYr7, AvYr43, AvYr44, and AvYrExp2 Aligning the genetic map to the reference genome identified Avr candidates and narrowed them to a small genomic region (<200 kb). The discovery of the Avr gene cluster is useful for understanding pathogen evolution, and the identification of candidate genes is an important step toward cloning Avr genes for studying molecular mechanisms of pathogen-host interactions.IMPORTANCE Stripe rust is a destructive disease of wheat worldwide. Growing resistant cultivars is the most effective, easy-to-use, economical, and environmentally friendly strategy for the control of the disease. However, P. striiformis f. sp. tritici can produce new virulent races that may circumvent race-specific resistance. Therefore, understanding the genetic basis of the interactions between wheat genes for resistance and P. striiformis f. sp. tritici genes for avirulence is useful for improving cultivar resistance for more effective control of the disease. This study developed a high-quality map that facilitates genomic and genetic studies of important traits related to pathogen pathogenicity and adaptation to different environments and crop cultivars carrying different resistance genes. The information on avirulence/virulence genes identified in this study can be used for guiding breeding programs to select combinations of genes for developing new cultivars with effective resistance to mitigate this devastating disease.

Diverse DNA Sequence Motifs Activate Meiotic Recombination Hotspots Through a Common Chromatin Remodeling Pathway

In meiosis, multiple different DNA sequence motifs help to position homologous recombination at hotspots in the genome. How do the seemingly disparate cis-acting regulatory modules each promote locally the activity of the basal recombination machinery? We defined molecular mechanisms of action for five different hotspot-activating DNA motifs (M26, CCAAT, Oligo-C, 4095, 4156) located independently at the same site within the ade6 locus of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe Each motif promoted meiotic recombination (i.e., is active) within this context, and this activity required the respective binding proteins (transcription factors Atf1, Pcr1, Php2, Php3, Php5, Rst2). High-resolution analyses of chromatin structure by nucleosome scanning assays revealed that each motif triggers the displacement of nucleosomes surrounding the hotspot motif in meiosis. This chromatin remodeling required the respective sequence-specific binding proteins, was constitutive for two motifs, and was enhanced meiotically for three others. Hotspot activity of each motif strongly required the ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling enzyme Snf22 (Snf2/Swi2), with lesser dependence on Gcn5, Mst2, and Hrp3. These findings support a model in which most meiotic recombination hotspots are positioned by the binding of transcription factors to their respective DNA sites. The functional redundancy of multiple, sequence-specific protein-DNA complexes converges upon shared chromatin remodeling pathways that help provide the basal recombination machinery (Spo11/Rec12 complex) access to its DNA substrates within chromatin.

The histone variant H2A.Z promotes initiation of meiotic recombination in fission yeast

Meiotic recombination is initiated by programmed formation of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs), which are mainly formed at recombination hotspots. Meiotic DSBs require multiple proteins including the conserved protein Spo11 and its cofactors, and are influenced by chromatin structure. For example, local chromatin around hotspots directly impacts DSB formation. Moreover, DSB is proposed to occur in a higher-order chromatin architecture termed 'axis-loop', in which many loops protrude from cohesin-enriched axis. However, still much remains unknown about how meiotic DSBs are generated in chromatin. Here, we show that the conserved histone H2A variant H2A.Z promotes meiotic DSB formation in fission yeast. Detailed investigation revealed that H2A.Z is neither enriched around hotspots nor axis sites, and that transcript levels of DSB-promoting factors were maintained without H2A.Z. Moreover, H2A.Z appeared to be dispensable for chromatin binding of meiotic cohesin. Instead, in H2A.Z-lacking mutants, multiple proteins involved in DSB formation, such as the fission yeast Spo11 homolog and its regulators, were less associated with chromatin. Remarkably, nuclei were more compact in the absence of H2A.Z. Based on these, we propose that fission yeast H2A.Z promotes meiotic DSB formation partly through modulating chromosome architecture to enhance interaction between DSB-related proteins and cohesin-loaded chromatin.

Chromatin-mediated regulators of meiotic recombination revealed by proteomics of a recombination hotspot

Background

Meiotic recombination hotspots control the frequency and distribution of Spo11 (Rec12)-initiated recombination in the genome. Recombination occurs within and is regulated in part by chromatin structure, but relatively few of the many chromatin remodeling factors and histone posttranslational modifications (PTMs) have been interrogated for a role in the process.

Results

We developed a chromatin affinity purification and mass spectrometry-based approach to identify proteins and histone PTMs that regulate recombination hotspots. Small (4.2 kbp) minichromosomes (MiniCs) bearing the fission yeast ade6-M26 hotspot or a basal recombination control were purified approximately 100,000-fold under native conditions from meiosis; then, associated proteins and histone PTMs were identified by mass spectrometry. Proteins and PTMs enriched at the hotspot included known regulators (Atf1, Pcr1, Mst2, Snf22, H3K14ac), validating the approach. The abundance of individual histones varied dynamically during meiotic progression in hotspot versus basal control MiniCs, as did a subset of 34 different histone PTMs, implicating these as potential regulators. Measurements of basal and hotspot recombination in null mutants confirmed that additional, hotspot-enriched proteins are bona fide regulators of hotspot activation within the genome. These chromatin-mediated regulators include histone H2A-H2B and H3-H4 chaperones (Nap1, Hip1/Hir1), subunits of the Ino80 complex (Arp5, Arp8), a DNA helicase/E3 ubiquitin ligase (Rrp2), components of a Swi2/Snf2 family remodeling complex (Swr1, Swc2), and a nucleosome evictor (Fft3/Fun30).

Conclusions

Overall, our findings indicate that a remarkably diverse collection of chromatin remodeling factors and histone PTMs participate in designating where meiotic recombination occurs in the genome, and they provide new insight into molecular mechanisms of the process.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13072-018-0233-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Fine-Scale Recombination Maps of Fungal Plant Pathogens Reveal Dynamic Recombination Landscapes and Intragenic Hotspots

Meiotic recombination is an important driver of evolution. Variability in the intensity of recombination across chromosomes can affect sequence composition, nucleotide variation, and rates of adaptation. In many organisms, recombination events are concentrated within short segments termed recombination hotspots. The variation in recombination rate and positions of recombination hotspot can be studied using population genomics data and statistical methods. In this study, we conducted population genomics analyses to address the evolution of recombination in two closely related fungal plant pathogens: the prominent wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici and a sister species infecting wild grasses Z. ardabiliae We specifically addressed whether recombination landscapes, including hotspot positions, are conserved in the two recently diverged species and if recombination contributes to rapid evolution of pathogenicity traits. We conducted a detailed simulation analysis to assess the performance of methods of recombination rate estimation based on patterns of linkage disequilibrium, in particular in the context of high nucleotide diversity. Our analyses reveal overall high recombination rates, a lack of suppressed recombination in centromeres, and significantly lower recombination rates on chromosomes that are known to be accessory. The comparison of the recombination landscapes of the two species reveals a strong correlation of recombination rate at the megabase scale, but little correlation at smaller scales. The recombination landscapes in both pathogen species are dominated by frequent recombination hotspots across the genome including coding regions, suggesting a strong impact of recombination on gene evolution. A significant but small fraction of these hotspots colocalize between the two species, suggesting that hotspot dynamics contribute to the overall pattern of fast evolving recombination in these species.

Sequence requirement of the ade6-4095 meiotic recombination hotspot in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Homologous recombination occurs at a greatly elevated frequency in meiosis compared to mitosis and is initiated by programmed double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs). DSBs do not occur at uniform frequency throughout the genome in most organisms, but occur preferentially at a limited number of sites referred to as hotspots. The location of hotspots have been determined at nucleotide-level resolution in both the budding and fission yeasts, and while several patterns have emerged regarding preferred locations for DSB hotspots, it remains unclear why particular sites experience DSBs at much higher frequency than other sites with seemingly similar properties. Short sequence motifs, which are often sites for binding of transcription factors, are known to be responsible for a number of hotspots. In this study we identified the minimum sequence required for activity of one of such motif identified in a screen of random sequences capable of producing recombination hotspots. The experimentally determined sequence, GGTCTRGACC, closely matches the previously inferred sequence. Full hotspot activity requires an effective sequence length of 9.5 bp, whereas moderate activity requires an effective sequence length of approximately 8.2 bp and shows significant association with DSB hotspots. In combination with our previous work, this result is consistent with a large number of different sequence motifs capable of producing recombination hotspots, and supports a model in which hotspots can be rapidly regenerated by mutation as they are lost through recombination.

Nucleosomal organization and DNA base composition patterns

Nucleosomes are the basic units of chromatin. They compact the genome inside the nucleus and regulate the access of proteins to DNA. In the yeast genome, most nucleosomes occupy well-defined positions, which are maintained under many different physiological situations and genetic backgrounds. Although several short sequence elements have been described that favor or reduce the affinity between histones and DNA, the extent to which the DNA sequence affects nucleosome positioning in the genomic context remains unclear. Recent analyses indicate that the base composition pattern of mononucleosomal DNA differs among species, and that the same sequence elements have a different impact on nucleosome positioning in different genomes despite the high level of phylogenetic conservation of histones. These studies have also shown that the DNA sequence contributes to nucleosome positioning to the point that it is possible to design synthetic DNA molecules capable of generating regular and species-specific nucleosomal patterns in vivo.

Correlation of Meiotic DSB Formation and Transcription Initiation Around Fission Yeast Recombination Hotspots

Meiotic homologous recombination, a critical event for ensuring faithful chromosome segregation and creating genetic diversity, is initiated by programmed DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) formed at recombination hotspots. Meiotic DSB formation is likely to be influenced by other DNA-templated processes including transcription, but how DSB formation and transcription interact with each other has not been understood well. In this study, we used fission yeast to investigate a possible interplay of these two events. A group of hotspots in fission yeast are associated with sequences similar to the cyclic AMP response element and activated by the ATF/CREB family transcription factor dimer Atf1-Pcr1. We first focused on one of those hotspots, ade6-3049, and Atf1. Our results showed that multiple transcripts, shorter than the ade6 full-length messenger RNA, emanate from a region surrounding the ade6-3049 hotspot. Interestingly, we found that the previously known recombination-activation region of Atf1 is also a transactivation domain, whose deletion affected DSB formation and short transcript production at ade6-3049 These results point to a possibility that the two events may be related to each other at ade6-3049 In fact, comparison of published maps of meiotic transcripts and hotspots suggested that hotspots are very often located close to meiotically transcribed regions. These observations therefore propose that meiotic DSB formation in fission yeast may be connected to transcription of surrounding regions.

Nucleosomal signatures impose nucleosome positioning in coding and noncoding sequences in the genome

In the yeast genome, a large proportion of nucleosomes occupy well-defined and stable positions. While the contribution of chromatin remodelers and DNA binding proteins to maintain this organization is well established, the relevance of the DNA sequence to nucleosome positioning in the genome remains controversial. Through quantitative analysis of nucleosome positioning, we show that sequence changes distort the nucleosomal pattern at the level of individual nucleosomes in three species of Schizosaccharomyces and in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This effect is equally detected in transcribed and nontranscribed regions, suggesting the existence of sequence elements that contribute to positioning. To identify such elements, we incorporated information from nucleosomal signatures into artificial synthetic DNA molecules and found that they generated regular nucleosomal arrays indistinguishable from those of endogenous sequences. Strikingly, this information is species-specific and can be combined with coding information through the use of synonymous codons such that genes from one species can be engineered to adopt the nucleosomal organization of another. These findings open the possibility of designing coding and noncoding DNA molecules capable of directing their own nucleosomal organization.

Predictive Models of Recombination Rate Variation across the Drosophila melanogaster Genome

In all eukaryotic species examined, meiotic recombination, and crossovers in particular, occur non‐randomly along chromosomes. The cause for this non-random distribution remains poorly understood but some specific DNA sequence motifs have been shown to be enriched near crossover hotspots in a number of species. We present analyses using machine learning algorithms to investigate whether DNA motif distribution across the genome can be used to predict crossover variation in Drosophila melanogaster, a species without hotspots. Our study exposes a combinatorial non-linear influence of motif presence able to account for a significant fraction of the genome-wide variation in crossover rates at all genomic scales investigated, from 20% at 5-kb to almost 70% at 2,500-kb scale. The models are particularly predictive for regions with the highest and lowest crossover rates and remain highly informative after removing sub-telomeric and -centromeric regions known to have strongly reduced crossover rates. Transcriptional activity during early meiosis and differences in motif use between autosomes and the X chromosome add to the predictive power of the models. Moreover, we show that population-specific differences in crossover rates can be partly explained by differences in motif presence. Our results suggest that crossover distribution in Drosophila is influenced by both meiosis-specific chromatin dynamics and very local constitutive open chromatin associated with DNA motifs that prevent nucleosome stabilization. These findings provide new information on the genetic factors influencing variation in recombination rates and a baseline to study epigenetic mechanisms responsible for plastic recombination as response to different biotic and abiotic conditions and stresses.

A species-specific nucleosomal signature defines a periodic distribution of amino acids in proteins

Nucleosomes are the basic structural units of chromatin. Most of the yeast genome is organized in a pattern of positioned nucleosomes that is stably maintained under a wide range of physiological conditions. In this work, we have searched for sequence determinants associated with positioned nucleosomes in four species of fission and budding yeasts. We show that mononucleosomal DNA follows a highly structured base composition pattern, which differs among species despite the high degree of histone conservation. These nucleosomal signatures are present in transcribed and non-transcribed regions across the genome. In the case of open reading frames, they correctly predict the relative distribution of codons on mononucleosomal DNA, and they also determine a periodicity in the average distribution of amino acids along the proteins. These results establish a direct and species-specific connection between the position of each codon around the histone octamer and protein composition.

Arrested replication forks guide retrotransposon integration

Long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons are an abundant class of genomic parasites that replicate by insertion of new copies into the host genome. Fungal LTR retrotransposons prevent mutagenic insertions through diverse targeting mechanisms that avoid coding sequences, but conserved principles guiding their target site selection have not been established. Here, we show that insertion of the fission yeast LTR retrotransposon Tf1 is guided by the DNA binding protein Sap1 and that the efficiency and location of the targeting depend on the activity of Sap1 as a replication fork barrier. We propose that Sap1 and the fork arrest it causes guide insertion of Tf1 by tethering the integration complex to target sites.

Single-Nucleotide-Specific Targeting of the Tf1 Retrotransposon Promoted by the DNA-Binding Protein Sap1 of Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Transposable elements (TEs) constitute a substantial fraction of the eukaryotic genome and, as a result, have a complex relationship with their host that is both adversarial and dependent. To minimize damage to cellular genes, TEs possess mechanisms that target integration to sequences of low importance. However, the retrotransposon Tf1 of Schizosaccharomyces pombe integrates with a surprising bias for promoter sequences of stress-response genes. The clustering of integration in specific promoters suggests that Tf1 possesses a targeting mechanism that is important for evolutionary adaptation to changes in environment. We report here that Sap1, an essential DNA-binding protein, plays an important role in Tf1 integration. A mutation in Sap1 resulted in a 10-fold drop in Tf1 transposition, and measures of transposon intermediates support the argument that the defect occurred in the process of integration. Published ChIP-Seq data on Sap1 binding combined with high-density maps of Tf1 integration that measure independent insertions at single-nucleotide positions show that 73.4% of all integration occurs at genomic sequences bound by Sap1. This represents high selectivity because Sap1 binds just 6.8% of the genome. A genome-wide analysis of promoter sequences revealed that Sap1 binding and amounts of integration correlate strongly. More important, an alignment of the DNA-binding motif of Sap1 revealed integration clustered on both sides of the motif and showed high levels specifically at positions +19 and -9. These data indicate that Sap1 contributes to the efficiency and position of Tf1 integration.

Initiation of meiotic homologous recombination: flexibility, impact of histone modifications, and chromatin remodeling

Meiotic recombination is initiated by the formation of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) catalyzed by the evolutionary conserved Spo11 protein and accessory factors. DSBs are nonrandomly distributed along the chromosomes displaying a significant (~400-fold) variation of frequencies, which ultimately establishes local and long-range "hot" and "cold" domains for recombination initiation. This remarkable patterning is set up within the chromatin context, involving multiple layers of biochemical activity. Predisposed chromatin accessibility, but also a range of transcription factors, chromatin remodelers, and histone modifiers likely promote local recruitment of DSB proteins, as well as mobilization, sliding, and eviction of nucleosomes before and after the occurrence of meiotic DSBs. Here, we assess our understanding of meiotic DSB formation and methods to change its patterning. We also synthesize current heterogeneous knowledge on how histone modifications and chromatin remodeling may impact this decisive step in meiotic recombination.

Ubiquitous human 'master' origins of replication are encoded in the DNA sequence via a local enrichment in nucleosome excluding energy barriers

As the elementary building block of eukaryotic chromatin, the nucleosome is at the heart of the compromise between the necessity of compacting DNA in the cell nucleus and the required accessibility to regulatory proteins. The recent availability of genome-wide experimental maps of nucleosome positions for many different organisms and cell types has provided an unprecedented opportunity to elucidate to what extent the DNA sequence conditions the primary structure of chromatin and in turn participates in the chromatin-mediated regulation of nuclear functions, such as gene expression and DNA replication. In this study, we use in vivo and in vitro genome-wide nucleosome occupancy data together with the set of nucleosome-free regions (NFRs) predicted by a physical model of nucleosome formation based on sequence-dependent bending properties of the DNA double-helix, to investigate the role of intrinsic nucleosome occupancy in the regulation of the replication spatio-temporal programme in human. We focus our analysis on the so-called replication U/N-domains that were shown to cover about half of the human genome in the germline (skew-N domains) as well as in embryonic stem cells, somatic and HeLa cells (mean replication timing U-domains). The 'master' origins of replication (MaOris) that border these megabase-sized U/N-domains were found to be specified by a few hundred kb wide regions that are hyper-sensitive to DNase I cleavage, hypomethylated, and enriched in epigenetic marks involved in transcription regulation, the hallmarks of localized open chromatin structures. Here we show that replication U/N-domain borders that are conserved in all considered cell lines have an environment highly enriched in nucleosome-excluding-energy barriers, suggesting that these ubiquitous MaOris have been selected during evolution. In contrast, MaOris that are cell-type-specific are mainly regulated epigenetically and are no longer favoured by a local abundance of intrinsic NFRs encoded in the DNA sequence. At the smaller few hundred bp scale of gene promoters, CpG-rich promoters of housekeeping genes found nearby ubiquitous MaOris as well as CpG-poor promoters of tissue-specific genes found nearby cell-type-specific MaOris, both correspond to in vivo NFRs that are not coded as nucleosome-excluding-energy barriers. Whereas the former promoters are likely to correspond to high occupancy transcription factor binding regions, the latter are an illustration that gene regulation in human is typically cell-type-specific.

Nucleosome positioning in yeasts: methods, maps, and mechanisms

Eukaryotic nuclear DNA is packaged into nucleosomes. During the past decade, genome-wide nucleosome mapping across species revealed the high degree of order in nucleosome positioning. There is a conserved stereotypical nucleosome organization around transcription start sites (TSSs) with a nucleosome-depleted region (NDR) upstream of the TSS and a TSS-aligned regular array of evenly spaced nucleosomes downstream over the gene body. As nucleosomes largely impede access to DNA and thereby provide an important level of genome regulation, it is of general interest to understand the mechanisms generating nucleosome positioning and especially the stereotypical NDR-array pattern. We focus here on the most advanced models, unicellular yeasts, and review the progress in mapping nucleosomes and which nucleosome positioning mechanisms are discussed. There are four mechanistic aspects: How are NDRs generated? How are individual nucleosomes positioned, especially those flanking the NDRs? How are nucleosomes evenly spaced leading to regular arrays? How are regular arrays aligned at TSSs? The main candidates for nucleosome positioning determinants are intrinsic DNA binding preferences of the histone octamer, specific DNA binding factors, nucleosome remodeling enzymes, transcription, and statistical positioning. We summarize the state of the art in an integrative model where nucleosomes are positioned by a combination of all these candidate determinants. We highlight the predominance of active mechanisms involving nucleosome remodeling enzymes which may be recruited by DNA binding factors and the transcription machinery. While this mechanistic framework emerged clearly during recent years, the involved factors and their mechanisms are still poorly understood and require future efforts combining in vivo and in vitro approaches.

SPoRE: a mathematical model to predict double strand breaks and axis protein sites in meiosis

BACKGROUND

Meiotic recombination between homologous chromosomes provides natural combinations of genetic variations and is a main driving force of evolution. It is initiated via programmed DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) and involves a specific axial chromosomal structure. So far, recombination regions have been mainly determined by experiments, both expensive and time-consuming.

RESULTS

SPoRE is a mathematical model that describes the non-uniform localisation of DSB and axis proteins sites, and distinguishes high versus low protein density. It is based on a combination of genomic signals, based on what is known from wet-lab experiments, whose contribution is precisely quantified. It models axis proteins accumulation at gene 5'-ends with a discrete approximation of their diffusion and convection along genes. It models DSB accumulation at approximated gene promoter positions with intergenic region length and GC-content. SPoRE can be used for prediction and it is parameterised in an obvious way that makes it easy to understand from a biological viewpoint.

CONCLUSIONS

When compared to Saccharomyces cerevisiae experimental data, SPoRE predicts axis protein and DSB positions with high sensitivity and precision, axis protein density with an average local correlation r = 0.63 and DSB density with an average local correlation r = 0.62. SPoRE outbreaks previous DSB predictors, which are based on nucleotide patterning, and it reaches 85% of success rate in DSB prediction compared to 54% obtained by available tools on a benchmarked dataset.SPoRE is available at the address http://www.lcqb.upmc.fr/SPoRE/.

Mechanism and regulation of meiotic recombination initiation

Meiotic recombination involves the formation and repair of programmed DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) catalyzed by the conserved Spo11 protein. This review summarizes recent studies pertaining to the formation of meiotic DSBs, including the mechanism of DNA cleavage by Spo11, proteins required for break formation, and mechanisms that control the location, timing, and number of DSBs. Where appropriate, findings in different organisms are discussed to highlight evolutionary conservation or divergence.

Evolutionarily diverse determinants of meiotic DNA break and recombination landscapes across the genome

Fission yeast Rec12 (Spo11 homolog) initiates meiotic recombination by forming developmentally programmed DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). DSB distributions influence patterns of heredity and genome evolution, but the basis of the highly nonrandom choice of Rec12 cleavage sites is poorly understood, largely because available maps are of relatively low resolution and sensitivity. Here, we determined DSBs genome-wide at near-nucleotide resolution by sequencing the oligonucleotides attached to Rec12 following DNA cleavage. The single oligonucleotide size class allowed us to deeply sample all break events. We find strong evidence across the genome for differential DSB repair accounting for crossover invariance (constant cM/kb in spite of DSB hotspots). Surprisingly, about half of all crossovers occur in regions where DSBs occur at low frequency and are widely dispersed in location from cell to cell. These previously undetected, low-level DSBs thus play an outsized and crucial role in meiosis. We further find that the influence of underlying nucleotide sequence and chromosomal architecture differs in multiple ways from that in budding yeast. DSBs are not strongly restricted to nucleosome-depleted regions, as they are in budding yeast, but are nevertheless spatially influenced by chromatin structure. Our analyses demonstrate that evolutionarily fluid factors contribute to crossover initiation and regulation.

Initiation of meiotic recombination: how and where? Conservation and specificities among eukaryotes

Meiotic recombination is essential for fertility in most sexually reproducing species. This process also creates new combinations of alleles and has important consequences for genome evolution. Meiotic recombination is initiated by the formation of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), which are repaired by homologous recombination. DSBs are catalyzed by the evolutionarily conserved SPO11 protein, assisted by several other factors. Some of them are absolutely required, whereas others are needed only for full levels of DSB formation and may participate in the regulation of DSB timing and frequency as well as the coordination between DSB formation and repair. The sites where DSBs occur are not randomly distributed in the genome, and remarkably distinct strategies have emerged to control their localization in different species. Here, I review the recent advances in the components required for DSB formation and localization in the various model organisms in which these studies have been performed.

Clustered regulatory elements at nucleosome-depleted regions punctuate a constant nucleosomal landscape in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

BACKGROUND

Nucleosomes facilitate the packaging of the eukaryotic genome and modulate the access of regulators to DNA. A detailed description of the nucleosomal organization under different transcriptional programmes is essential to understand their contribution to genomic regulation.

RESULTS

To visualize the dynamics of individual nucleosomes under different transcriptional programmes we have generated high-resolution nucleosomal maps in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. We show that 98.5% of the genome remains almost invariable during mitosis and meiosis while remodelling is limited to approximately 1100 nucleosomes in the promoters of a subset of meiotic genes. These inducible nucleosome-depleted regions (NDR) and also those constitutively present in the genome overlap precisely with clusters of binding sites for transcription factors (TF) specific for meiosis and for different functional classes of genes, respectively. Deletion of two TFs affects only a small fraction of all the NDRs to which they bind in vivo, indicating that TFs collectively contribute to NDR maintenance.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results show that the nucleosomal profile in S. pombe is largely maintained under different physiological conditions and patterns of gene expression. This relatively constant landscape favours the concentration of regulators in constitutive and inducible NDRs. The combinatorial analysis of binding motifs in this discrete fraction of the genome will facilitate the definition of the transcriptional regulatory networks.

Contrasted patterns of crossover and non-crossover at Arabidopsis thaliana meiotic recombination hotspots

The vast majority of meiotic recombination events (crossovers (COs) and non-crossovers (NCOs)) cluster in narrow hotspots surrounded by large regions devoid of recombinational activity. Here, using a new molecular approach in plants, called “pollen-typing”, we detected and characterized hundreds of CO and NCO molecules in two different hotspot regions in Arabidopsis thaliana. This analysis revealed that COs are concentrated in regions of a few kilobases where their rates reach up to 50 times the genome average. The hotspots themselves tend to cluster in regions less than 8 kilobases in size with overlapping CO distribution. Non-crossover (NCO) events also occurred in the two hotspots but at very different levels (local CO/NCO ratios of 1/1 and 30/1) and their track lengths were quite small (a few hundred base pairs). We also showed that the ZMM protein MSH4 plays a role in CO formation and somewhat unexpectedly we also found that it is involved in the generation of NCOs but with a different level of effect. Finally, factors acting in cis and in trans appear to shape the rate and distribution of COs at meiotic recombination hotspots.

During meiosis, genomes are reshuffled by recombination between homologous chromosomes. Reciprocal recombination events called crossovers are clustered in several kilobase-wide regions called hotspots, where their frequency is greatly enhanced compared to adjacent regions. Our understanding of hotspot organization is based on analyses performed in only a few species and rules differ between species. For the first time, hundreds of recombination events were analyzed in Arabidopsis thaliana revealing several new features: (i) crossovers are concentrated in hotspots where their rate reaches up to 50 times the genome average; (ii) non-crossovers events, (also called gene conversions not associated with crossovers) also occur in hotspots but at very different levels; and (iii) in the absence of the recombination protein MSH4, the crossover rate is dramatically reduced (70 times less than the wild-type level) and the crossover distribution within a hotspot is also largely modified; unexpectedly, the non-crossover rate was also altered (15% of the wild-type level at a hotspot). Finally we showed that factors acting in cis and in trans may influence the level and distribution of crossovers at and between hotspots.

Crossover heterogeneity in the absence of hotspots in Caenorhabditis elegans

Crossovers play mechanical roles in meiotic chromosome segregation, generate genetic diversity by producing new allelic combinations, and facilitate evolution by decoupling linked alleles. In almost every species studied to date, crossover distributions are dramatically nonuniform, differing among sexes and across genomes, with spatial variation in crossover rates on scales from whole chromosomes to subkilobase hotspots. To understand the regulatory forces dictating these heterogeneous distributions a crucial first step is the fine-scale characterization of crossover distributions. Here we define the wild-type distribution of crossovers along a region of the C. elegans chromosome II at unprecedented resolution, using recombinant chromosomes of 243 hermaphrodites and 226 males. We find that well-characterized large-scale domains, with little fine-scale rate heterogeneity, dominate this region's crossover landscape. Using the Gini coefficient as a summary statistic, we find that this region of the C. elegans genome has the least heterogeneous fine-scale crossover distribution yet observed among model organisms, and we show by simulation that the data are incompatible with a mammalian-type hotspot-rich landscape. The large-scale structural domains-the low-recombination center and the high-recombination arm-have a discrete boundary that we localize to a small region. This boundary coincides with the arm-center boundary defined both by nuclear-envelope attachment of DNA in somatic cells and GC content, consistent with proposals that these features of chromosome organization may be mechanical causes and evolutionary consequences of crossover recombination.

Specification of DNA replication origins and genomic base composition in fission yeasts

In the "Replicon Theory", Jacob, Brenner and Cuzin proposed the existence of replicators and initiators as the two major actors in DNA replication. Over the years, many protein components of initiators have been shown to be conserved in different organisms during evolution. By contrast, replicator DNA sequences (often referred to as replication origins) have diverged beyond possible comparison between eukaryotic genomes. Replication origins in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe are made up of A+T-rich sequences that do not share any consensus elements. The information encoded in these replicators is interpreted by the Orc4 subunit of the ORC (origin recognition complex), which is unique among eukaryotes in that it contains a large domain harboring nine AT-hook subdomains that target ORC to a great variety of A+T-rich sequences along the chromosomes. Recently, the genomes of other Schizosaccharomyces species have been sequenced and the regions encompassing their replication origins have been identified. DNA sequence analysis and comparison of the organization of their Orc4 proteins have revealed species-specific differences that contribute to our understanding of how the specification of replication origins has evolved during the phylogenetic divergence of fission yeasts.

High-resolution analysis of DNA synthesis start sites and nucleosome architecture at efficient mammalian replication origins

DNA replication origins are poorly characterized genomic regions that are essential to recruit and position the initiation complex to start DNA synthesis. Despite the lack of specific replicator sequences, initiation of replication does not occur at random sites in the mammalian genome. This has lead to the view that DNA accessibility could be a major determinant of mammalian origins. Here, we performed a high-resolution analysis of nucleosome architecture and initiation sites along several origins of different genomic location and firing efficiencies. We found that mammalian origins are highly variable in nucleosome conformation and initiation patterns. Strikingly, initiation sites at efficient CpG island-associated origins always occur at positions of high-nucleosome occupancy. Origin recognition complex (ORC) binding sites, however, occur at adjacent but distinct positions marked by labile nucleosomes. We also found that initiation profiles mirror nucleosome architecture, both at endogenous origins and at a transgene in a heterologous system. Our studies provide a unique insight into the relationship between chromatin structure and initiation sites in the mammalian genome that has direct implications for how the replication programme can be accommodated to diverse epigenetic scenarios.

Initiation of meiotic recombination in chromatin structure

Meiotic homologous recombination is markedly activated during meiotic prophase to play central roles in faithful chromosome segregation and conferring genetic diversity to gametes. It is initiated by programmed DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) by the conserved protein Spo11, and preferentially occurs at discrete sites called hotspots. Since the functions of Spo11 are influenced by both of local chromatin at hotspots and higher-order chromosome structures, formation of meiotic DSBs is under regulation of chromatin structure. Therefore, investigating features and roles of meiotic chromatin is crucial to elucidate the in vivo mechanism of meiotic recombination initiation. Recent progress in genome-wide chromatin analyses tremendously improved our understanding on this point, but many critical questions are left unaddressed. In this review, we summarize current knowledge in the field, and also discuss the future problems that must be solved to understand the role of chromatin structure in meiotic recombination.

Protein determinants of meiotic DNA break hot spots

Meiotic recombination, crucial for proper chromosome segregation and genome evolution, is initiated by programmed DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in yeasts and likely all sexually reproducing species. In fission yeast, DSBs occur up to hundreds of times more frequently at special sites, called hot spots, than in other regions of the genome. What distinguishes hot spots from cold regions is an unsolved problem, although transcription factors determine some hot spots. We report the discovery that three coiled-coil proteins-Rec25, Rec27, and Mug20-bind essentially all hot spots with great specificity even without DSB formation. These small proteins are components of linear elements, are related to synaptonemal complex proteins, and are essential for nearly all DSBs at most hot spots. Our results indicate these hot spot determinants activate or stabilize the DSB-forming protein Rec12 (Spo11 homolog) rather than promote its binding to hot spots. We propose a paradigm for hot spot determination and crossover control by linear element proteins.

Acetylated Histone H3K9 is associated with meiotic recombination hotspots, and plays a role in recombination redundantly with other factors including the H3K4 methylase Set1 in fission yeast

Histone modifications are associated with meiotic recombination hotspots, discrete sites with augmented recombination frequency. For example, trimethylation of histone H3 lysine4 (H3K4me3) marks most hotspots in budding yeast and mouse. Modified histones are known to regulate meiotic recombination partly by promoting DNA double-strand break (DSB) formation at hotspots, but the role and precise landscape of involved modifications remain unclear. Here, we studied hotspot-associated modifications in fission yeast and found general features: acetylation of H3 lysine9 (H3K9ac) is elevated, and H3K4me3 is not significantly enriched. Mutating H3K9 to non-acetylatable alanine mildly reduced levels of the DSB-inducing protein Rec12 (the fission yeast homologue of Spo11) and DSB at hotspots, indicating that H3K9ac may be involved in DSB formation by enhancing the interaction between Rec12 and hotspots. In addition, we found that the lack of the H3K4 methyltransferase Set1 generally increased Rec12 binding to chromatin but partially reduced DSB formation at some loci, suggesting that Set1 is also involved in DSB formation. These results suggest that meiotic DSB formation is redundantly regulated by multiple chromatin-related factors including H3K9ac and Set1 in fission yeast.

Fission yeast hotspot sequence motifs are also active in budding yeast

In most organisms, including humans, meiotic recombination occurs preferentially at a limited number of sites in the genome known as hotspots. There has been substantial progress recently in elucidating the factors determining the location of meiotic recombination hotspots, and it is becoming clear that simple sequence motifs play a significant role. In S. pombe, there are at least five unique sequence motifs that have been shown to produce hotspots of recombination, and it is likely that there are more. In S. cerevisiae, simple sequence motifs have also been shown to produce hotspots or show significant correlations with hotspots. Some of the hotspot motifs in both yeasts are known or suspected to bind transcription factors (TFs), which are required for the activity of those hotspots. Here we show that four of the five hotspot motifs identified in S. pombe also create hotspots in the distantly related budding yeast S. cerevisiae. For one of these hotspots, M26 (also called CRE), we identify TFs, Cst6 and Sko1, that activate and inhibit the hotspot, respectively. In addition, two of the hotspot motifs show significant correlations with naturally occurring hotspots. The conservation of these hotspots between the distantly related fission and budding yeasts suggests that these sequence motifs, and others yet to be discovered, may function widely as hotspots in many diverse organisms.

Analysis of stress-induced duplex destabilization (SIDD) properties of replication origins, genes and intergenes in the fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Background

Replication and transcription, the two key functions of DNA, require unwinding of the DNA double helix. It has been shown that replication origins in the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae contain an easily unwound stretch of DNA. We have used a recently developed method for determining the locations and degrees of stress-induced duplex destabilization (SIDD) for all the reported replication origins in the genome of the fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

Results

We have found that the origins are more susceptible to SIDD as compared to the non-origin intergenic regions (NOIRs) and genes. SIDD analysis of many known origins in other eukaryotes suggests that SIDD is a common property of replication origins. Interestingly, the previously shown deletion-dependent changes in the activities of the origins of the ura4 origin region on chromosome 3 are paralleled by changes in SIDD properties, suggesting SIDD’s role in origin activity. SIDD profiling following in silico deletions of some origins suggests that many of the closely spaced S. pombe origins could be clusters of two or three weak origins, similar to the ura4 origin region.

Conclusion

SIDD appears to be a highly conserved, functionally important property of replication origins in S. pombe and other organisms. The distinctly low SIDD scores of origins and the long range effects of genetic alterations on SIDD properties provide a unique predictive potential to the SIDD analysis. This could be used in exploring different aspects of structural and functional organization of origins including interactions between closely spaced origins.

New paradigms for conserved, multifactorial, cis-acting regulation of meiotic recombination

How do cells position the Spo11 (Rec12)-dependent initiation of meiotic recombination at hotspots? The mechanisms are poorly understood and a prevailing view is that they differ substantially between phylogenetic groups. However, recent work discovered that individual species have multiple different DNA sequence-specific, protein–DNA complexes that regulate (and are essential for the activation of) recombination hotspots. The cis-acting elements function combinatorially with documented examples of synergism, antagonism and redundancy. Furthermore, we provide evidence that all currently well-defined modules of this multifactorial, cis-acting regulation are conserved functionally between taxa whose latest common ancestor occurred more than 1 billion years ago. Functionally conserved components include the ATF/CREB-family heterodimer Atf1-Pcr1 and its CRE-like DNA site M26, the CCAAT-box-binding complex Php2-Php3-Php5 and the CCAAT-box, and the zinc-finger protein Rst2 and its Oligo-C motif. The newfound multiplicity, functional redundancy and conservation of cis-acting controls constitute a paradigm shift with broad implications. They provide compelling evidence that most meiotic recombination is, like transcription, regulated by sequence-specific protein–DNA complexes. And the new findings provide important mechanistic insight, such as a solution to the conundrum that Prdm9 is a ‘master regulator’ of—yet is dispensable for—hotspot activity in mammals.

Epigenetic remodeling of meiotic crossover frequency in Arabidopsis thaliana DNA methyltransferase mutants

Meiosis is a specialized eukaryotic cell division that generates haploid gametes required for sexual reproduction. During meiosis, homologous chromosomes pair and undergo reciprocal genetic exchange, termed crossover (CO). Meiotic CO frequency varies along the physical length of chromosomes and is determined by hierarchical mechanisms, including epigenetic organization, for example methylation of the DNA and histones. Here we investigate the role of DNA methylation in determining patterns of CO frequency along Arabidopsis thaliana chromosomes. In A. thaliana the pericentromeric regions are repetitive, densely DNA methylated, and suppressed for both RNA polymerase-II transcription and CO frequency. DNA hypomethylated methyltransferase1 (met1) mutants show transcriptional reactivation of repetitive sequences in the pericentromeres, which we demonstrate is coupled to extensive remodeling of CO frequency. We observe elevated centromere-proximal COs in met1, coincident with pericentromeric decreases and distal increases. Importantly, total numbers of CO events are similar between wild type and met1, suggesting a role for interference and homeostasis in CO remodeling. To understand recombination distributions at a finer scale we generated CO frequency maps close to the telomere of chromosome 3 in wild type and demonstrate an elevated recombination topology in met1. Using a pollen-typing strategy we have identified an intergenic nucleosome-free CO hotspot 3a, and we demonstrate that it undergoes increased recombination activity in met1. We hypothesize that modulation of 3a activity is caused by CO remodeling driven by elevated centromeric COs. These data demonstrate how regional epigenetic organization can pattern recombination frequency along eukaryotic chromosomes.

Chromatin architectures at fission yeast transcriptional promoters and replication origins

We have used micrococcal nuclease (MNase) digestion followed by deep sequencing in order to obtain a higher resolution map than previously available of nucleosome positions in the fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Our data confirm an unusually short average nucleosome repeat length, ∼152 bp, in fission yeast and that transcriptional start sites (TSSs) are associated with nucleosome-depleted regions (NDRs), ordered nucleosome arrays downstream and less regularly spaced upstream nucleosomes. In addition, we found enrichments for associated function in four of eight groups of genes clustered according to chromatin configurations near TSSs. At replication origins, our data revealed asymmetric localization of pre-replication complex (pre-RC) proteins within large NDRs—a feature that is conserved in fission and budding yeast and is therefore likely to be conserved in other eukaryotic organisms.

Genome-wide analysis of histone H3.1 and H3.3 variants in Arabidopsis thaliana

Nucleosomes package eukaryotic DNA and are composed of four different histone proteins, designated H3, H4, H2A, and H2B. Histone H3 has two main variants, H3.1 and H3.3, which show different genomic localization patterns in animals. We profiled H3.1 and H3.3 variants in the genome of the plant Arabidopsis thaliana and found that the localization of these variants shows broad similarity in plants and animals, along with some unique features. H3.1 was enriched in silent areas of the genome, including regions containing the repressive chromatin modifications H3 lysine 27 methylation, H3 lysine 9 methylation, and DNA methylation. In contrast, H3.3 was enriched in actively transcribed genes, especially peaking at the 3' end of genes, and correlated with histone modifications associated with gene activation, such as histone H3 lysine 4 methylation and H2B ubiquitylation, as well as RNA Pol II occupancy. Surprisingly, both H3.1 and H3.3 were enriched on defined origins of replication, as was overall nucleosome density, suggesting a novel characteristic of plant origins. Our results are broadly consistent with the hypothesis that H3.1 acts as the canonical histone that is incorporated during DNA replication, whereas H3.3 acts as the replacement histone that can be incorporated outside of S-phase during chromatin-disrupting processes like transcription.

The chromatin backdrop of DNA replication: lessons from genetics and genome-scale analyses

The entire cellular genome must replicate during each cell cycle, but it is yet unclear how replication proceeds along with chromatin condensation and remodeling while ensuring the fidelity of the replicated genome. Mapping replication initiation sites can provide clues for the coordination of DNA replication and transcription on a whole-genome scale. Here we discuss recent insights obtained from genome-scale analyses of replication initiation sites and transcription in mammalian cells and ask how transcription and chromatin modifications affect the frequency of replication initiation events. We also discuss DNA sequences, such as insulators and replicators, which modulate replication and transcription of target genes, and use genome-wide maps of replication initiation sites to evaluate possible commonalities between replicators and chromatin insulators. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Chromatin in time and space.

Epigenetic remodeling of meiotic crossover frequency in Arabidopsis thaliana DNA methyltransferase mutants

Meiosis is a specialized eukaryotic cell division that generates haploid gametes required for sexual reproduction. During meiosis, homologous chromosomes pair and undergo reciprocal genetic exchange, termed crossover (CO). Meiotic CO frequency varies along the physical length of chromosomes and is determined by hierarchical mechanisms, including epigenetic organization, for example methylation of the DNA and histones. Here we investigate the role of DNA methylation in determining patterns of CO frequency along Arabidopsis thaliana chromosomes. In A. thaliana the pericentromeric regions are repetitive, densely DNA methylated, and suppressed for both RNA polymerase-II transcription and CO frequency. DNA hypomethylated methyltransferase1 (met1) mutants show transcriptional reactivation of repetitive sequences in the pericentromeres, which we demonstrate is coupled to extensive remodeling of CO frequency. We observe elevated centromere-proximal COs in met1, coincident with pericentromeric decreases and distal increases. Importantly, total numbers of CO events are similar between wild type and met1, suggesting a role for interference and homeostasis in CO remodeling. To understand recombination distributions at a finer scale we generated CO frequency maps close to the telomere of chromosome 3 in wild type and demonstrate an elevated recombination topology in met1. Using a pollen-typing strategy we have identified an intergenic nucleosome-free CO hotspot 3a, and we demonstrate that it undergoes increased recombination activity in met1. We hypothesize that modulation of 3a activity is caused by CO remodeling driven by elevated centromeric COs. These data demonstrate how regional epigenetic organization can pattern recombination frequency along eukaryotic chromosomes.