1
|
Johnston SE. Understanding the Genetic Basis of Variation in Meiotic Recombination: Past, Present, and Future. Mol Biol Evol 2024; 41:msae112. [PMID: 38959451 PMCID: PMC11221659 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msae112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Meiotic recombination is a fundamental feature of sexually reproducing species. It is often required for proper chromosome segregation and plays important role in adaptation and the maintenance of genetic diversity. The molecular mechanisms of recombination are remarkably conserved across eukaryotes, yet meiotic genes and proteins show substantial variation in their sequence and function, even between closely related species. Furthermore, the rate and distribution of recombination shows a huge diversity within and between chromosomes, individuals, sexes, populations, and species. This variation has implications for many molecular and evolutionary processes, yet how and why this diversity has evolved is not well understood. A key step in understanding trait evolution is to determine its genetic basis-that is, the number, effect sizes, and distribution of loci underpinning variation. In this perspective, I discuss past and current knowledge on the genetic basis of variation in recombination rate and distribution, explore its evolutionary implications, and present open questions for future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Susan E Johnston
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Soriano J, Belmonte-Tebar A, de la Casa-Esperon E. Synaptonemal & CO analyzer: A tool for synaptonemal complex and crossover analysis in immunofluorescence images. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1005145. [PMID: 36743415 PMCID: PMC9894712 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1005145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
During the formation of ova and sperm, homologous chromosomes get physically attached through the synaptonemal complex and exchange DNA at crossover sites by a process known as meiotic recombination. Chromosomes that do not recombine or have anomalous crossover distributions often separate poorly during the subsequent cell division and end up in abnormal numbers in ova or sperm, which can lead to miscarriage or developmental defects. Crossover numbers and distribution along the synaptonemal complex can be visualized by immunofluorescent microscopy. However, manual analysis of large numbers of cells is very time-consuming and a major bottleneck for recombination studies. Some image analysis tools have been created to overcome this situation, but they are not readily available, do not provide synaptonemal complex data, or do not tackle common experimental difficulties, such as overlapping chromosomes. To overcome these limitations, we have created and validated an open-source ImageJ macro routine that facilitates and speeds up the crossover and synaptonemal complex analyses in mouse chromosome spreads, as well as in other vertebrate species. It is free, easy to use and fulfills the recommendations for enhancing rigor and reproducibility in biomedical studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joaquim Soriano
- Centro Regional de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CRIB), Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
| | - Angela Belmonte-Tebar
- Centro Regional de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CRIB), Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
| | - Elena de la Casa-Esperon
- Centro Regional de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CRIB), Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain,Biology of Cell Growth, Differentiation and Activation Group, Department of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Pharmacy, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain,*Correspondence: Elena de la Casa-Esperon,
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Samuk K, Noor MAF. Gene flow biases population genetic inference of recombination rate. G3 GENES|GENOMES|GENETICS 2022; 12:6698695. [PMID: 36103705 PMCID: PMC9635666 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkac236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Accurate estimates of the rate of recombination are key to understanding a host of evolutionary processes as well as the evolution of the recombination rate itself. Model-based population genetic methods that infer recombination rates from patterns of linkage disequilibrium in the genome have become a popular method to estimate rates of recombination. However, these linkage disequilibrium-based methods make a variety of simplifying assumptions about the populations of interest that are often not met in natural populations. One such assumption is the absence of gene flow from other populations. Here, we use forward-time population genetic simulations of isolation-with-migration scenarios to explore how gene flow affects the accuracy of linkage disequilibrium-based estimators of recombination rate. We find that moderate levels of gene flow can result in either the overestimation or underestimation of recombination rates by up to 20–50% depending on the timing of divergence. We also find that these biases can affect the detection of interpopulation differences in recombination rate, causing both false positives and false negatives depending on the scenario. We discuss future possibilities for mitigating these biases and recommend that investigators exercise caution and confirm that their study populations meet assumptions before deploying these methods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kieran Samuk
- Department of Biology, Duke University , Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The University of California, Riverside ,Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Tigano A, Khan R, Omer AD, Weisz D, Dudchenko O, Multani AS, Pathak S, Behringer RR, Aiden EL, Fisher H, MacManes MD. Chromosome size affects sequence divergence between species through the interplay of recombination and selection. Evolution 2022; 76:782-798. [PMID: 35271737 PMCID: PMC9314927 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The structure of the genome shapes the distribution of genetic diversity and sequence divergence. To investigate how the relationship between chromosome size and recombination rate affects sequence divergence between species, we combined empirical analyses and evolutionary simulations. We estimated pairwise sequence divergence among 15 species from three different mammalian clades-Peromyscus rodents, Mus mice, and great apes-from chromosome-level genome assemblies. We found a strong significant negative correlation between chromosome size and sequence divergence in all species comparisons within the Peromyscus and great apes clades but not the Mus clade, suggesting that the dramatic chromosomal rearrangements among Mus species may have masked the ancestral genomic landscape of divergence in many comparisons. Our evolutionary simulations showed that the main factor determining differences in divergence among chromosomes of different sizes is the interplay of recombination rate and selection, with greater variation in larger populations than in smaller ones. In ancestral populations, shorter chromosomes harbor greater nucleotide diversity. As ancestral populations diverge, diversity present at the onset of the split contributes to greater sequence divergence in shorter chromosomes among daughter species. The combination of empirical data and evolutionary simulations revealed that chromosomal rearrangements, demography, and divergence times may also affect the relationship between chromosome size and divergence, thus deepening our understanding of the role of genome structure in the evolution of species divergence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Tigano
- Molecular, Cellular, and Biomedical Sciences DepartmentUniversity of New HampshireDurhamNH03824USA,Hubbard Center for Genome StudiesUniversity of New HampshireDurhamNH03824USA,Current address: Department of BiologyUniversity of British Columbia – Okanagan CampusKelownaBCV1 V 1V7Canada
| | - Ruqayya Khan
- The Center for Genome ArchitectureDepartment of Molecular and Human GeneticsBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTX77030USA
| | - Arina D. Omer
- The Center for Genome ArchitectureDepartment of Molecular and Human GeneticsBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTX77030USA
| | - David Weisz
- The Center for Genome ArchitectureDepartment of Molecular and Human GeneticsBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTX77030USA
| | - Olga Dudchenko
- The Center for Genome ArchitectureDepartment of Molecular and Human GeneticsBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTX77030USA,Department of Computer ScienceDepartment of Computational and Applied MathematicsRice UniversityHoustonTX77030USA
| | - Asha S. Multani
- Department of GeneticsM.D. Anderson Cancer CenterUniversity of TexasHoustonTX77030USA
| | - Sen Pathak
- Department of GeneticsM.D. Anderson Cancer CenterUniversity of TexasHoustonTX77030USA
| | - Richard R. Behringer
- Department of GeneticsM.D. Anderson Cancer CenterUniversity of TexasHoustonTX77030USA
| | - Erez L. Aiden
- The Center for Genome ArchitectureDepartment of Molecular and Human GeneticsBaylor College of MedicineHoustonTX77030USA,Department of Computer ScienceDepartment of Computational and Applied MathematicsRice UniversityHoustonTX77030USA,Center for Theoretical and Biological PhysicsRice UniversityHoustonTX77030USA,Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical StudiesShanghaiTech UniversityShanghai201210China,School of Agriculture and EnvironmentUniversity of Western AustraliaPerthWA6009Australia
| | - Heidi Fisher
- Department of BiologyUniversity of MarylandCollege ParkMD20742USA
| | - Matthew D. MacManes
- Molecular, Cellular, and Biomedical Sciences DepartmentUniversity of New HampshireDurhamNH03824USA,Hubbard Center for Genome StudiesUniversity of New HampshireDurhamNH03824USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Peterson AL, Payseur BA. Sex-specific variation in the genome-wide recombination rate. Genetics 2021; 217:1-11. [PMID: 33683358 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyaa019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
In most species that reproduce sexually, successful gametogenesis requires recombination during meiosis. The number and placement of crossovers (COs) vary among individuals, with females and males often presenting the most striking contrasts. Despite the recognition that the sexes recombine at different rates (heterochiasmy), existing data fail to answer the question of whether patterns of genetic variation in recombination rate are similar in the two sexes. To fill this gap, we measured the genome-wide recombination rate in both sexes from a panel of wild-derived inbred strains from multiple subspecies of house mice (Mus musculus) and from a few additional species of Mus. To directly compare recombination rates in females and males from the same genetic backgrounds, we applied established methods based on immunolocalization of recombination proteins to inbred strains. Our results reveal discordant patterns of genetic variation in the two sexes. Whereas male genome-wide recombination rates vary substantially among strains, female recombination rates measured in the same strains are more static. The direction of heterochiasmy varies within two subspecies, Mus musculus molossinus and Mus musculus musculus. The direction of sex differences in the length of the synaptonemal complex and CO positions is consistent across strains and does not track sex differences in genome-wide recombination rate. In males, contrasts between strains with high recombination rate and strains with low recombination rate suggest more recombination is associated with stronger CO interference and more double-strand breaks. The sex-specific patterns of genetic variation we report underscore the importance of incorporating sex differences into recombination research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- April L Peterson
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Bret A Payseur
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Zhang J, Kadri NK, Mullaart E, Spelman R, Fritz S, Boichard D, Charlier C, Georges M, Druet T. Genetic architecture of individual variation in recombination rate on the X chromosome in cattle. Heredity (Edinb) 2020; 125:304-316. [PMID: 32651548 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-020-0341-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Meiotic recombination is an essential biological process that ensures proper chromosome segregation and creates genetic diversity. Individual variation in global recombination rates has been shown to be heritable in several species, and variants significantly associated with this trait have been identified. Recombination on the sex chromosome has often been ignored in these studies although this trait may be particularly interesting as it may correspond to a biological process distinct from that on autosomes. For instance, recombination in males is restricted to the pseudo-autosomal region (PAR). We herein used a large cattle pedigree with more than 100,000 genotyped animals to improve the genetic map of the X chromosome and to study the genetic architecture of individual variation in recombination rate on the sex chromosome (XRR). The length of the genetic map was 46.4 and 121.2 cM in males and females, respectively, but the recombination rate in the PAR was six times higher in males. The heritability of CO counts on the X chromosome was comparable to that of autosomes in males (0.011) but larger than that of autosomes in females (0.024). XRR was highly correlated (0.76) with global recombination rate (GRR) in females, suggesting that both traits might be governed by shared variants. In agreement, a set of eleven previously identified variants associated with GRR had correlated effects on female XRR (0.86). In males, XRR and GRR appeared to be distinct traits, although more accurate CO counts on the PAR would be valuable to confirm these results.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Junjie Zhang
- Unit of Animal Genomics, GIGA-R and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Naveen Kumar Kadri
- Unit of Animal Genomics, GIGA-R and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.,Animal Genomics, Institute of Agricultural Science, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Sébastien Fritz
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, Jouy-en-Josas, France.,Allice, Paris, France
| | | | - Carole Charlier
- Unit of Animal Genomics, GIGA-R and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Michel Georges
- Unit of Animal Genomics, GIGA-R and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Tom Druet
- Unit of Animal Genomics, GIGA-R and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
| |
Collapse
|