Positive regulation of meiotic DNA double-strand break formation by activation of the DNA damage checkpoint kinase Mec1(ATR)

Meiotic prophase length modulates Tel1-dependent DNA double-strand break interference

During meiosis, genetic recombination is initiated by the formation of many DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) catalysed by the evolutionarily conserved topoisomerase-like enzyme, Spo11, in preferred genomic sites known as hotspots. DSB formation activates the Tel1/ATM DNA damage responsive (DDR) kinase, locally inhibiting Spo11 activity in adjacent hotspots via a process known as DSB interference. Intriguingly, in S. cerevisiae, over short genomic distances (<15 kb), Spo11 activity displays characteristics of concerted activity or clustering, wherein the frequency of DSB formation in adjacent hotspots is greater than expected by chance. We have proposed that clustering is caused by a limited number of sub-chromosomal domains becoming primed for DSB formation. Here, we provide evidence that DSB clustering is abolished when meiotic prophase timing is extended via deletion of the NDT80 transcription factor. We propose that extension of meiotic prophase enables most cells, and therefore most chromosomal domains within them, to reach an equilibrium state of similar Spo11-DSB potential, reducing the impact that priming has on estimates of coincident DSB formation. Consistent with this view, when Tel1 is absent but Ndt80 is present and thus cells are able to rapidly exit meiotic prophase, genome-wide maps of Spo11-DSB formation are skewed towards pericentromeric regions and regions that load pro-DSB factors early-revealing regions of preferential priming-but this effect is abolished when NDT80 is deleted. Our work highlights how the stochastic nature of Spo11-DSB formation in individual cells within the limited temporal window of meiotic prophase can cause localised DSB clustering-a phenomenon that is exacerbated in tel1Δ cells due to the dual roles that Tel1 has in DSB interference and meiotic prophase checkpoint control.

Recombinase-independent chromosomal rearrangements between dispersed inverted repeats in Saccharomyces cerevisiae meiosis

DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair by homologous recombination (HR) uses a DNA template with similar sequence to restore genetic identity. Allelic DNA repair templates can be found on the sister chromatid or homologous chromosome. During meiotic recombination, DSBs preferentially repair from the homologous chromosome, with a proportion of HR events generating crossovers. Nevertheless, regions of similar DNA sequence exist throughout the genome, providing potential DNA repair templates. When DSB repair occurs at these non-allelic loci (termed ectopic recombination), chromosomal duplications, deletions and rearrangements can arise. Here, we characterize in detail ectopic recombination arising between a dispersed pair of inverted repeats in wild-type Saccharomyces cerevisiae at both a local and a chromosomal scale-the latter identified via gross chromosomal acentric and dicentric chromosome rearrangements. Mutation of the DNA damage checkpoint clamp loader Rad24 and the RecQ helicase Sgs1 causes an increase in ectopic recombination. Unexpectedly, additional mutation of the RecA orthologues Rad51 and Dmc1 alters-but does not abolish-the type of ectopic recombinants generated, revealing a novel class of inverted chromosomal rearrangement driven by the single-strand annealing pathway. These data provide important insights into the role of key DNA repair proteins in regulating DNA repair pathway and template choice during meiosis.

Meiotic DNA double-strand break-independent role of protein phosphatase 4 in Hop1 assembly to promote meiotic chromosome axis formation in budding yeast

Dynamic changes in chromosomal structure that occur during meiotic prophase play an important role in the progression of meiosis. Among them, meiosis-specific chromosomal axis-loop structures are important as a scaffold for integrated control between the meiotic recombination reaction and the associated checkpoint system to ensure accurate chromosome segregation. However, the molecular mechanism of the initial step of chromosome axis-loop construction is not well understood. Here, we showed that, in budding yeast, protein phosphatase 4 (PP4) that primarily counteracts Mec1/Tel1 phosphorylation is required to promote the assembly of a chromosomal axis component Hop1 and Red1 onto meiotic chromatin via interaction with Hop1. PP4, on the other hand, less affects Rec8 assembly. Notably, unlike the previously known function of PP4, this PP4 function in Hop1/Red1 assembly was independent of meiotic DSB-dependent Tel1/Mec1 kinase activities. The defect in Hop1/Red1 assembly in the absence of PP4 function was not suppressed by dysfunction of Pch2, which removes Hop1 protein from the chromosome axis, suggesting that PP4 is required for the initial step of chromatin loading of Hop1 rather than stabilization of Hop1 on axes. These results indicate phosphorylation/dephosphorylation-mediated regulation of Hop1 recruitment onto chromatin during chromosome axis construction before meiotic double-strand break formation.

Dynamic regulatory phosphorylation of mouse CDK2 occurs during meiotic prophase I

During prophase I of meiosis, DNA double-strand breaks form throughout the genome, with a subset repairing as crossover events, enabling the accurate segregation of homologous chromosomes during the first meiotic division. The mechanism by which DSBs become selected to repair as crossovers is unknown, although the crossover positioning and levels in each cell indicate it is a highly regulated process. One of the proteins that localises to crossover sites is the serine/threonine cyclin-dependent kinase CDK2. Regulation of CDK2 occurs via phosphorylation at tyrosine 15 (Y15) and threonine 160 (T160) inhibiting and activating the kinase, respectively. In this study we use a combination of immunofluorescence staining on spread spermatocytes and fixed testis sections, and STA-PUT gravitational sedimentation to isolate cells at different developmental stages to further investigate the temporal phospho regulation of CDK2 during prophase I. Western blotting reveals differential levels of the two CDK2 isoforms (CDK233kDa and CDK239kDa) throughout prophase I, with inhibitory phosphorylation of CDK2 at Y15 occurring early in prophase I, localising to telomeres and diminishing as cells enter pachynema. Conversely, the activatory phosphorylation on T160 occurs later, specifically the CDK233kDa isoform, and T160 signal is detected in spermatogonia and pachytene spermatocytes, where it co-localises with the Class I crossover protein MLH3. Taken together, our data reveals intricate control of CDK2 both with regards to levels of the two CDK2 isoforms, and differential regulation via inhibitory and activatory phosphorylation.

DNA double-strand break genetic variants in patients with premature ovarian insufficiency

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a clinically heterogeneous disease that may seriously affect the physical and mental health of women of reproductive age. POI primarily manifests as ovarian function decline and endocrine disorders in women prior to age 40 and is an established cause of female infertility. It is crucial to elucidate the causative factors of POI, not only to expand the understanding of ovarian physiology, but also to provide genetic counselling and fertility guidance to affected patients. Factors leading to POI are multifaceted with genetic factors accounting for 7% to 30%. In recent years, an increasing number of DNA damage-repair-related genes have been linked with the occurrence of POI. Among them, DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), one of the most damaging to DNA, and its main repair methods including homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) are of particular interest. Numerous genes are known to be involved in the regulation of programmed DSB formation and damage repair. The abnormal expression of several genes have been shown to trigger defects in the overall repair pathway and induce POI and other diseases. This review summarises the DSB-related genes that may contribute to the development of POI and their potential regulatory mechanisms, which will help to further establish role of DSB in the pathogenesis of POI and provide theoretical guidance for the study of the pathogenesis and clinical treatment of this disease.

The Msh5 complex shows homeostatic localization in response to DNA double-strand breaks in yeast meiosis

Meiotic crossing over is essential for the segregation of homologous chromosomes. The formation and distribution of meiotic crossovers (COs), which are initiated by the formation of double-strand break (DSB), are tightly regulated to ensure at least one CO per bivalent. One type of CO control, CO homeostasis, maintains a consistent level of COs despite fluctuations in DSB numbers. Here, we analyzed the localization of proteins involved in meiotic recombination in budding yeast xrs2 hypomorphic mutants which show different levels of DSBs. The number of cytological foci with recombinases, Rad51 and Dmc1, which mark single-stranded DNAs at DSB sites is proportional to the DSB numbers. Among the pro-CO factor, ZMM/SIC proteins, the focus number of Zip3, Mer3, or Spo22/Zip4, was linearly proportional to reduced DSBs in the xrs2 mutant. In contrast, foci of Msh5, a component of the MutSγ complex, showed a non-linear response to reduced DSBs. We also confirmed the homeostatic response of COs by genetic analysis of meiotic recombination in the xrs2 mutants and found a chromosome-specific homeostatic response of COs. Our study suggests that the homeostatic response of the Msh5 assembly to reduced DSBs was genetically distinct from that of the Zip3 assembly for CO control.

Checkpoint control in meiotic prophase: Idiosyncratic demands require unique characteristics

Chromosomal transactions such as replication, recombination and segregation are monitored by cell cycle checkpoint cascades. These checkpoints ensure the proper execution of processes that are needed for faithful genome inheritance from one cell to the next, and across generations. In meiotic prophase, a specialized checkpoint monitors defining events of meiosis: programmed DNA break formation, followed by dedicated repair through recombination based on interhomolog (IH) crossovers. This checkpoint shares molecular characteristics with canonical DNA damage checkpoints active during somatic cell cycles. However, idiosyncratic requirements of meiotic prophase have introduced unique features in this signaling cascade. In this review, we discuss the unique features of the meiotic prophase checkpoint. While being related to canonical DNA damage checkpoint cascades, the meiotic prophase checkpoint also shows similarities with the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) that guards chromosome segregation. We highlight these emerging similarities in the signaling logic of the checkpoints that govern meiotic prophase and chromosome segregation, and how thinking of these similarities can help us better understand meiotic prophase control. We also discuss work showing that, when aberrantly expressed, components of the meiotic prophase checkpoint might alter DNA repair fidelity and chromosome segregation in cancer cells. Considering checkpoint function in light of demands imposed by the special characteristics of meiotic prophase helps us understand checkpoint integration into the meiotic cell cycle machinery.

Post-translational modification of factors involved in homologous recombination

DNA is the molecule that stores the chemical instructions necessary for life and its stability is therefore of the utmost importance. Despite this, DNA is damaged by both exogenous and endogenous factors at an alarming frequency. The most severe type of DNA damage is a double-strand break (DSB), in which a scission occurs in both strands of the double helix, effectively dividing a single normal chromosome into two pathological chromosomes. Homologous recombination (HR) is a universal DSB repair mechanism that solves this problem by identifying another region of the genome that shares high sequence similarity with the DSB site and using it as a template for repair. Rad51 possess the enzymatic activity that is essential for this repair but several auxiliary factors are required for Rad51 to fulfil its function. It is becoming increasingly clear that many HR factors are subjected to post-translational modification. Here, we review what is known about how these modifications affect HR. We first focus on cases where there is experimental evidence to support a function for the modification, then discuss speculative cases where a function can be inferred. Finally, we contemplate why such modifications might be necessary.

Meiosis and beyond - understanding the mechanistic and evolutionary processes shaping the germline genome

The separation of germ cell populations from the soma is part of the evolutionary transition to multicellularity. Only genetic information present in the germ cells will be inherited by future generations, and any molecular processes affecting the germline genome are therefore likely to be passed on. Despite its prevalence across taxonomic kingdoms, we are only starting to understand details of the underlying micro-evolutionary processes occurring at the germline genome level. These include segregation, recombination, mutation and selection and can occur at any stage during germline differentiation and mitotic germline proliferation to meiosis and post-meiotic gamete maturation. Selection acting on germ cells at any stage from the diploid germ cell to the haploid gametes may cause significant deviations from Mendelian inheritance and may be more widespread than previously assumed. The mechanisms that affect and potentially alter the genomic sequence and allele frequencies in the germline are pivotal to our understanding of heritability. With the rise of new sequencing technologies, we are now able to address some of these unanswered questions. In this review, we comment on the most recent developments in this field and identify current gaps in our knowledge.

Phospho-Regulation of Meiotic Prophase

Germ cells undergoing meiosis rely on an intricate network of surveillance mechanisms that govern the production of euploid gametes for successful sexual reproduction. These surveillance mechanisms are particularly crucial during meiotic prophase, when cells execute a highly orchestrated program of chromosome morphogenesis and recombination, which must be integrated with the meiotic cell division machinery to ensure the safe execution of meiosis. Dynamic protein phosphorylation, controlled by kinases and phosphatases, has emerged as one of the main signaling routes for providing readout and regulation of chromosomal and cellular behavior throughout meiotic prophase. In this review, we discuss common principles and provide detailed examples of how these phosphorylation events are employed to ensure faithful passage of chromosomes from one generation to the next.

Mechanism and Control of Meiotic DNA Double-Strand Break Formation in S. cerevisiae

Developmentally programmed formation of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) by Spo11 initiates a recombination mechanism that promotes synapsis and the subsequent segregation of homologous chromosomes during meiosis. Although DSBs are induced to high levels in meiosis, their formation and repair are tightly regulated to minimize potentially dangerous consequences for genomic integrity. In S. cerevisiae, nine proteins participate with Spo11 in DSB formation, but their molecular functions have been challenging to define. Here, we describe our current view of the mechanism of meiotic DSB formation based on recent advances in the characterization of the structure and function of DSB proteins and discuss regulatory pathways in the light of recent models.

Super-resolution imaging of RAD51 and DMC1 in DNA repair foci reveals dynamic distribution patterns in meiotic prophase

The recombinase RAD51, and its meiosis-specific paralog DMC1 localize at DNA double-strand break (DSB) sites in meiotic prophase. While both proteins are required during meiotic prophase, their spatial organization during meiotic DSB repair is not fully understood. Using super-resolution microscopy on mouse spermatocyte nuclei, we aimed to define their relative position at DSB foci, and how these vary in time. We show that a large fraction of meiotic DSB repair foci (38%) consisted of a single RAD51 nanofocus and a single DMC1 nanofocus (D1R1 configuration) that were partially overlapping with each other (average center-center distance around 70 nm). The vast majority of the rest of the foci had a similar large RAD51 and DMC1 nanofocus, but in combination with additional smaller nanofoci (D2R1, D1R2, D2R2, or DxRy configuration) at an average distance of around 250 nm. As prophase progressed, less D1R1 and more D2R1 foci were observed, where the large RAD51 nanofocus in the D2R1 foci elongated and gradually oriented towards the distant small DMC1 nanofocus. D1R2 foci frequency was relatively constant, and the single DMC1 nanofocus did not elongate, but was frequently observed between the two RAD51 nanofoci in early stages. D2R2 foci were rare (<10%) and nearest neighbour analyses also did not reveal cofoci formation between D1R1 foci. However, overall, foci localized nonrandomly along the SC, and the frequency of the distance distributions peaked at 800 nm, indicating interference and/or a preferred distance between two ends of a DSB. DMC1 nanofoci where somewhat further away from the axial or lateral elements of the synaptonemal complex (SC, connecting the chromosomal axes of homologs) compared to RAD51 nanofoci. In the absence of the transverse filament of the SC, early configurations were more prominent, and RAD51 nanofocus elongation occurred only transiently. This in-depth analysis of single cell landscapes of RAD51 and DMC1 accumulation patterns at DSB repair sites at super-resolution revealed the variability of foci composition, and defined functional consensus configurations that change over time.

Multilayered mechanisms ensure that short chromosomes recombine in meiosis

In most species, homologous chromosomes must recombine in order to segregate accurately during meiosis1. Because small chromosomes would be at risk of missegregation if recombination were randomly distributed, the double-strand breaks (DSBs) that initiate recombination are not located arbitrarily2. How the nonrandomness of DSB distributions is controlled is not understood, although several pathways are known to regulate the timing, location and number of DSBs. Meiotic DSBs are generated by Spo11 and accessory DSB proteins, including Rec114 and Mer2, which assemble on chromosomes3-7 and are nearly universal in eukaryotes8-11. Here we demonstrate how Saccharomyces cerevisiae integrates multiple temporally distinct pathways to regulate the binding of Rec114 and Mer2 to chromosomes, thereby controlling the duration of a DSB-competent state. The engagement of homologous chromosomes with each other regulates the dissociation of Rec114 and Mer2 later in prophase I, whereas the timing of replication and the proximity to centromeres or telomeres influence the accumulation of Rec114 and Mer2 early in prophase I. Another early mechanism enhances the binding of Rec114 and Mer2 specifically on the shortest chromosomes, and is subject to selection pressure to maintain the hyperrecombinogenic properties of these chromosomes. Thus, the karyotype of an organism and its risk of meiotic missegregation influence the shape and evolution of its recombination landscape. Our results provide a cohesive view of a multifaceted and evolutionarily constrained system that allocates DSBs to all pairs of homologous chromosomes.

A Meiotic Checkpoint Alters Repair Partner Bias to Permit Inter-sister Repair of Persistent DSBs

Accurate meiotic chromosome segregation critically depends on the formation of inter-homolog crossovers initiated by double-strand breaks (DSBs). Inaccuracies in this process can drive aneuploidy and developmental defects, but how meiotic cells are protected from unscheduled DNA breaks remains unexplored. Here we define a checkpoint response to persistent meiotic DSBs in C. elegans that phosphorylates the synaptonemal complex (SC) to switch repair partner from the homolog to the sister chromatid. A key target of this response is the core SC component SYP-1, which is phosphorylated in response to ionizing radiation (IR) or unrepaired meiotic DSBs. Failure to phosphorylate (syp-1^6A) or dephosphorylate (syp-1^6D) SYP-1 in response to DNA damage results in chromosome non-dysjunction, hyper-sensitivity to IR-induced DSBs, and synthetic lethality with loss of brc-1^BRCA1. Since BRC-1 is required for inter-sister repair, these observations reveal that checkpoint-dependent SYP-1 phosphorylation safeguards the germline against persistent meiotic DSBs by channelling repair to the sister chromatid.

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Meiotic DNA damage triggers phosphorylation of the synaptonemal complex (SC)

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ATM-ATR kinases phosphorylate the SC in response to excessive meiotic DSBs

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SC phosphorylation channels DNA repair to the sister chromatid

Advances Towards How Meiotic Recombination Is Initiated: A Comparative View and Perspectives for Plant Meiosis Research

Meiosis is an essential cell-division process for ensuring genetic diversity across generations. Meiotic recombination ensures the accuracy of genetic interchange between homolous chromosomes and segregation of parental alleles. Programmed DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), catalyzed by the evolutionarily conserved topoisomerase VIA (a subunit of the archaeal type II DNA topoisomerase)-like enzyme Spo11 and several other factors, is a distinctive feature of meiotic recombination initiation. The meiotic DSB formation and its regulatory mechanisms are similar among species, but certain aspects are distinct. In this review, we introduced the cumulative knowledge of the plant proteins crucial for meiotic DSB formation and technical advances in DSB detection. We also summarized the genome-wide DSB hotspot profiles for different model organisms. Moreover, we highlighted the classical views and recent advances in our knowledge of the regulatory mechanisms that ensure the fidelity of DSB formation, such as multifaceted kinase-mediated phosphorylation and the consequent high-dimensional changes in chromosome structure. We provided an overview of recent findings concerning DSB formation, distribution and regulation, all of which will help us to determine whether meiotic DSB formation is evolutionarily conserved or varies between plants and other organisms.

ATM and ATR Influence Meiotic Crossover Formation Through Antagonistic and Overlapping Functions in Caenorhabditis elegans

During meiosis, formation of double-strand breaks (DSBs) and repair by homologous recombination between homologs creates crossovers (COs) that facilitate chromosome segregation. CO formation is tightly regulated to ensure the integrity of this process. The DNA damage response kinases, Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and RAD3-related (ATR) have emerged as key regulators of CO formation in yeast, flies, and mice, influencing DSB formation, repair pathway choice, and cell cycle progression. The molecular networks that ATM and ATR influence during meiosis are still being resolved in other organisms. Here, we show that Caenorhabditis elegans ATM and ATR homologs, ATM-1 and ATL-1 respectively, act at multiple steps in CO formation to ultimately ensure that COs are formed on all chromosomes. We show a role for ATM-1 in regulating the choice of repair template, biasing use of the homologous chromosome instead of the sister chromatid. Our data suggest a model in which ATM-1 and ATL-1 have antagonistic roles in very early repair processing, but are redundantly required for accumulation of the RAD-51 recombinase at DSB sites. We propose that these features of ATM-1 and ATL-1 ensure both CO formation on all chromosomes and accurate repair of additional DSBs.

Persistent DNA-break potential near telomeres increases initiation of meiotic recombination on short chromosomes

Faithful meiotic chromosome inheritance and fertility rely on the stimulation of meiotic crossover recombination by potentially genotoxic DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). To avoid excessive damage, feedback mechanisms down-regulate DSBs, likely in response to initiation of crossover repair. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, this regulation requires the removal of the conserved DSB-promoting protein Hop1/HORMAD during chromosome synapsis. Here, we identify privileged end-adjacent regions (EARs) spanning roughly 100 kb near all telomeres that escape DSB down-regulation. These regions retain Hop1 and continue to break in pachynema despite normal synaptonemal complex deposition. Differential retention of Hop1 requires the disassemblase Pch2/TRIP13, which preferentially removes Hop1 from telomere-distant sequences, and is modulated by the histone deacetylase Sir2 and the nucleoporin Nup2. Importantly, the uniform size of EARs among chromosomes contributes to disproportionately high DSB and repair signals on short chromosomes in pachynema, suggesting that EARs partially underlie the curiously high recombination rate of short chromosomes.

The meiotic-specific Mek1 kinase in budding yeast regulates interhomolog recombination and coordinates meiotic progression with double-strand break repair

Recombination, along with sister chromatid cohesion, is used during meiosis to physically connect homologous chromosomes so that they can be segregated properly at the first meiotic division. Recombination is initiated by the introduction of programmed double strand breaks (DSBs) into the genome, a subset of which is processed into crossovers. In budding yeast, the regulation of meiotic DSB repair is controlled by a meiosis-specific kinase called Mek1. Mek1 kinase activity promotes recombination between homologs, rather than sister chromatids, as well as the processing of recombination intermediates along a pathway that results in synapsis of homologous chromosomes and the distribution of crossovers throughout the genome. In addition, Mek1 kinase activity provides a readout for the number of DSBs in the cell as part of the meiotic recombination checkpoint. This checkpoint delays entry into the first meiotic division until DSBs have been repaired by inhibiting the activity of the meiosis-specific transcription factor Ndt80, a site-specific DNA binding protein that activates transcription of over 300 target genes. Recent work has shown that Mek1 binds to Ndt80 and phosphorylates it on multiple sites, including the DNA binding domain, thereby preventing Ndt80 from activating transcription. As DSBs are repaired, Mek1 is removed from chromosomes and its activity decreases. Loss of the inhibitory Mek1 phosphates and phosphorylation of Ndt80 by the meiosis-specific kinase, Ime2, promote Ndt80 activity such that Ndt80 transcribes its own gene in a positive feedback loop, as well as genes required for the completion of recombination and entry into the meiotic divisions. Mek1 is therefore the key regulator of meiotic recombination in yeast.

Dynamic recognition and repair of DNA complex damage

Irradiation (IR) can be used to treat cancer by inducing complex and irreparable DNA damage in the cancer cells, which may lead to their apoptotic death. However, little is known about the molecular mechanism of this DNA damage. Here, the non-small-cell lung cancer cell line A549 was treated with either X-ray or carbon ion combined with bleomycin (BLM). The cell survival rate, frequency of double-strand breaks (DSBs), dynamic changes in γH2AX, and p53 binding protein 1 (53BP1), and protein expression of Ku70, Rad51, and XRCC1 were determined by the clone formation assay, agarose gel electrophoresis, immunofluorescence, and western blot analysis. The results showed that the most obvious complex DSBs occurred in the carbon IR + BLM group. The number of γH2AX and 53BP1 foci in the 0.5 hr X-ray IR + BLM group was the highest (p < 0.001) among all the groups. γH2AX foci were detected in the nucleus at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 hr, but were distributed throughout the cell at 6 hr after IR in the carbon ion IR + BLM group. The expression of Ku70 increased and XRCC1 decreased at 2 and 6 hr after IR. Our data indicate that a DNA damage frequency of 13.4/Mbp is caused by clustered DNA damage and further show a correlation between γH2AX, 53BP1, and XRCC1 levels and the extent of DNA damage. The results of this study provide insights into DNA damage recognition and a rationale for the clinical use of radiotherapy.

Mek1 coordinates meiotic progression with DNA break repair by directly phosphorylating and inhibiting the yeast pachytene exit regulator Ndt80

Meiotic recombination plays a critical role in sexual reproduction by creating crossovers between homologous chromosomes. These crossovers, along with sister chromatid cohesion, connect homologs to enable proper segregation at Meiosis I. Recombination is initiated by programmed double strand breaks (DSBs) at particular regions of the genome. The meiotic recombination checkpoint uses meiosis-specific modifications to the DSB-induced DNA damage response to provide time to convert these breaks into interhomolog crossovers by delaying entry into Meiosis I until the DSBs have been repaired. The meiosis-specific kinase, Mek1, is a key regulator of meiotic recombination pathway choice, as well as being required for the meiotic recombination checkpoint. The major target of this checkpoint is the meiosis-specific transcription factor, Ndt80, which is essential to express genes necessary for completion of recombination and meiotic progression. The molecular mechanism by which cells monitor meiotic DSB repair to allow entry into Meiosis I with unbroken chromosomes was unknown. Using genetic and biochemical approaches, this work demonstrates that in the presence of DSBs, activated Mek1 binds to Ndt80 and phosphorylates the transcription factor, thus inhibiting DNA binding and preventing Ndt80's function as a transcriptional activator. Repair of DSBs by recombination reduces Mek1 activity, resulting in removal of the inhibitory Mek1 phosphates. Phosphorylation of Ndt80 by the meiosis-specific kinase, Ime2, then results in fully activated Ndt80. Ndt80 upregulates transcription of its own gene, as well as target genes, resulting in prophase exit and progression through meiosis.

Regulatory control of DNA end resection by Sae2 phosphorylation

DNA end resection plays a critical function in DNA double-strand break repair pathway choice. Resected DNA ends are refractory to end-joining mechanisms and are instead channeled to homology-directed repair. Using biochemical, genetic, and imaging methods, we show that phosphorylation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Sae2 controls its capacity to promote the Mre11-Rad50-Xrs2 (MRX) nuclease to initiate resection of blocked DNA ends by at least two distinct mechanisms. First, DNA damage and cell cycle-dependent phosphorylation leads to Sae2 tetramerization. Second, and independently, phosphorylation of the conserved C-terminal domain of Sae2 is a prerequisite for its physical interaction with Rad50, which is also crucial to promote the MRX endonuclease. The lack of this interaction explains the phenotype of rad50S mutants defective in the processing of Spo11-bound DNA ends during meiotic recombination. Our results define how phosphorylation controls the initiation of DNA end resection and therefore the choice between the key DNA double-strand break repair mechanisms.

It has previously been established that DNA end resection in yeast and in humans is under CDK control. Here the authors explain how phosphorylation regulates the capacity of Sae2 — the yeast orthologue of human CtIP — to promote DNA end resection.

ATR is a multifunctional regulator of male mouse meiosis

Meiotic cells undergo genetic exchange between homologs through programmed DNA double-strand break (DSB) formation, recombination and synapsis. In mice, the DNA damage-regulated phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase-like kinase (PIKK) ATM regulates all of these processes. However, the meiotic functions of the PIKK ATR have remained elusive, because germline-specific depletion of this kinase is challenging. Here we uncover roles for ATR in male mouse prophase I progression. ATR deletion causes chromosome axis fragmentation and germ cell elimination at mid pachynema. This elimination cannot be rescued by deletion of ATM and the third DNA damage-regulated PIKK, PRKDC, consistent with the existence of a PIKK-independent surveillance mechanism in the mammalian germline. ATR is required for synapsis, in a manner genetically dissociable from DSB formation. ATR also regulates loading of recombinases RAD51 and DMC1 to DSBs and recombination focus dynamics on synapsed and asynapsed chromosomes. Our studies reveal ATR as a critical regulator of mouse meiosis.

ATR is required to complete meiotic recombination in mice

Precise execution of recombination during meiosis is essential for forming chromosomally-balanced gametes. Meiotic recombination initiates with the formation and resection of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). Cellular responses to meiotic DSBs are critical for efficient repair and quality control, but molecular features of these remain poorly understood, particularly in mammals. Here we report that the DNA damage response protein kinase ATR is crucial for meiotic recombination and completion of meiotic prophase in mice. Using a hypomorphic Atr mutation and pharmacological inhibition of ATR in vivo and in cultured spermatocytes, we show that ATR, through its effector kinase CHK1, promotes efficient RAD51 and DMC1 assembly at RPA-coated resected DSB sites and establishment of interhomolog connections during meiosis. Furthermore, our findings suggest that ATR promotes local accumulation of recombination markers on unsynapsed axes during meiotic prophase to favor homologous chromosome synapsis. These data reveal that ATR plays multiple roles in mammalian meiotic recombination.

A New Way to Treat Brain Tumors: Targeting Proteins Coded by Microcephaly Genes?: Brain tumors and microcephaly arise from opposing derangements regulating progenitor growth. Drivers of microcephaly could be attractive brain tumor targets

New targets for brain tumor therapies may be identified by mutations that cause hereditary microcephaly. Brain growth depends on the repeated proliferation of stem and progenitor cells. Microcephaly syndromes result from mutations that specifically impair the ability of brain progenitor or stem cells to proliferate, by inducing either premature differentiation or apoptosis. Brain tumors that derive from brain progenitor or stem cells may share many of the specific requirements of their cells of origin. These tumors may therefore be susceptible to disruptions of the protein products of genes that are mutated in microcephaly. The potential for the products of microcephaly genes to be therapeutic targets in brain tumors are highlighted hereby reviewing research on EG5, KIF14, ASPM, CDK6, and ATR. Treatments that disrupt these proteins may open new avenues for brain tumor therapy that have increased efficacy and decreased toxicity.

Methods for Controlled Protein Depletion to Study Protein Function during Meiosis

Proteins with potential roles in meiotic recombination often have essential or important functions during the mitotic cell cycle. In addition, proteins may have different functions at different times during meiosis. In such cases, it can be challenging to precisely determine protein function during meiosis using null or hypomorphic mutants. One example is the Sgs1-Top3-Rmi1 helicase-decatenase complex, which is required for normal vegetative growth and genome stability. In such cases, conditional loss-of-function mutants can be useful. In this chapter, we describe the construction of two types of conditional mutants, meiotic depletion alleles and auxin-induced degradation alleles, that allow protein depletion specifically during budding yeast meiosis, and illustrate their use with Sgs1. We also describe a modified method for the isolation of meiotic recombination intermediates that combines previous psoralen cross-linking and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide isolation methods.

Sequencing Spo11 Oligonucleotides for Mapping Meiotic DNA Double-Strand Breaks in Yeast

Meiosis is a specialized form of cell division resulting in reproductive cells with a reduced, usually haploid, genome complement. A key step after premeiotic DNA replication is the occurrence of homologous recombination at multiple places throughout the genome, initiated with the formation of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) catalyzed by the topoisomerase-like protein Spo11. DSBs are distributed non-randomly in genomes, and understanding the mechanisms that shape this distribution is important for understanding how meiotic recombination influences heredity and genome evolution. Several methods exist for mapping where Spo11 acts. Of these, sequencing of Spo11-associated oligonucleotides (Spo11 oligos) is the most precise, specifying the locations of DNA breaks to the base pair. In this chapter we detail the steps involved in Spo11-oligo mapping in the SK1 strain of budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, from harvesting cells of highly synchronous meiotic cultures, through preparation of sequencing libraries, to the mapping pipeline used for processing the data.

Exiting prophase I: no clear boundary

The meiotic cell cycle provides a unique model to study the relationship between recombinational DNA repair and the cell cycle, since homologous recombination, induced by programmed DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), is integrated as an essential step during meiosis. The pachytene checkpoint, which is situated towards the end of meiotic prophase I, coordinates homologous recombination and cell cycle progression, similar to the DNA damage checkpoint mechanisms operating in vegetative cells. However, there are a number of features unique to meiosis, making the system optimized for the purpose of meiosis. Our recent work highlights the involvement of three major cell cycle kinases, Dbf4-dependent Cdc7 kinase, Polo kinase and CDK, in coordinating homologous recombination and the meiotic cell cycle. In this review, we will discuss the unique interplay between meiotic cell cycle control and homologous recombination during meiosis I.

mlh3 mutations in baker's yeast alter meiotic recombination outcomes by increasing noncrossover events genome-wide

Mlh1-Mlh3 is an endonuclease hypothesized to act in meiosis to resolve double Holliday junctions into crossovers. It also plays a minor role in eukaryotic DNA mismatch repair (MMR). To understand how Mlh1-Mlh3 functions in both meiosis and MMR, we analyzed in baker’s yeast 60 new mlh3 alleles. Five alleles specifically disrupted MMR, whereas one (mlh3-32) specifically disrupted meiotic crossing over. Mlh1-mlh3 representatives for each class were purified and characterized. Both Mlh1-mlh3-32 (MMR⁺, crossover^-) and Mlh1-mlh3-45 (MMR^-, crossover⁺) displayed wild-type endonuclease activities in vitro. Msh2-Msh3, an MSH complex that acts with Mlh1-Mlh3 in MMR, stimulated the endonuclease activity of Mlh1-mlh3-32 but not Mlh1-mlh3-45, suggesting that Mlh1-mlh3-45 is defective in MSH interactions. Whole genome recombination maps were constructed for wild-type and MMR⁺ crossover^-, MMR^- crossover⁺, endonuclease defective and null mlh3 mutants in an S288c/YJM789 hybrid background. Compared to wild-type, all of the mlh3 mutants showed increases in the number of noncrossover events, consistent with recombination intermediates being resolved through alternative recombination pathways. Our observations provide a structure-function map for Mlh3 that reveals the importance of protein-protein interactions in regulating Mlh1-Mlh3’s enzymatic activity. They also illustrate how defective meiotic components can alter the fate of meiotic recombination intermediates, providing new insights for how meiotic recombination pathways are regulated.

During meiosis, diploid germ cells that become eggs or sperm undergo a single round of DNA replication followed by two consecutive chromosomal divisions. The segregation of chromosomes at the first meiotic division is dependent in most organisms on at least one genetic exchange, or crossover event, between chromosome homologs. Homologs that do not receive a crossover frequently undergo nondisjunction at the first meiotic division, yielding gametes that lack chromosomes or contain additional copies. Such events have been linked to human disease and infertility. Recent studies suggest that the Mlh1-Mlh3 complex is an endonuclease that resolves recombination intermediates into crossovers. Interestingly, this complex also acts as a matchmaker in DNA mismatch repair (MMR) to remove DNA replication errors. How does one complex act in two different processes? We investigated this question by performing a mutational analysis of the baker’s yeast Mlh3 protein. Five mutations were identified that disrupted MMR but not crossing over, and one mutation disrupted crossing over while maintaining MMR. Using a combination of biochemical and genetic analyses to further characterize these mutants we illustrate the importance of protein-protein interactions for Mlh1-Mlh3’s activity. Importantly, our data illustrate how defective meiotic components can alter the outcome of meiotic recombination events. They also provide new insights for the basis of infertility syndromes.

Fundamental cell cycle kinases collaborate to ensure timely destruction of the synaptonemal complex during meiosis

The synaptonemal complex (SC) is a proteinaceous macromolecular assembly that forms during meiotic prophase I and mediates adhesion of paired homologous chromosomes along their entire lengths. Although prompt disassembly of the SC during exit from prophase I is a landmark event of meiosis, the underlying mechanism regulating SC destruction has remained elusive. Here, we show that DDK (Dbf4-dependent Cdc7 kinase) is central to SC destruction. Upon exit from prophase I, Dbf4, the regulatory subunit of DDK, directly associates with and is phosphorylated by the Polo-like kinase Cdc5. In parallel, upregulated CDK1 activity also targets Dbf4. An enhanced Dbf4-Cdc5 interaction pronounced phosphorylation of Dbf4 and accelerated SC destruction, while reduced/abolished Dbf4 phosphorylation hampered destruction of SC proteins. SC destruction relieved meiotic inhibition of the ubiquitous recombinase Rad51, suggesting that the mitotic recombination machinery is reactivated following prophase I exit to repair any persisting meiotic DNA double-strand breaks. Taken together, we propose that the concerted action of DDK, Polo-like kinase, and CDK1 promotes efficient SC destruction at the end of prophase I to ensure faithful inheritance of the genome.

Meiosis

Sexual reproduction requires the production of haploid gametes (sperm and egg) with only one copy of each chromosome; fertilization then restores the diploid chromosome content in the next generation. This reduction in genetic content is accomplished during a specialized cell division called meiosis, in which two rounds of chromosome segregation follow a single round of DNA replication. In preparation for the first meiotic division, homologous chromosomes pair and synapse, creating a context that promotes formation of crossover recombination events. These crossovers, in conjunction with sister chromatid cohesion, serve to connect the two homologs and facilitate their segregation to opposite poles during the first meiotic division. During the second meiotic division, which is similar to mitosis, sister chromatids separate; the resultant products are haploid cells that become gametes. In Caenorhabditis elegans (and most other eukaryotes) homologous pairing and recombination are required for proper chromosome inheritance during meiosis; accordingly, the events of meiosis are tightly coordinated to ensure the proper execution of these events. In this chapter, we review the seminal events of meiosis: pairing of homologous chromosomes, the changes in chromosome structure that chromosomes undergo during meiosis, the events of meiotic recombination, the differentiation of homologous chromosome pairs into structures optimized for proper chromosome segregation at Meiosis I, and the ultimate segregation of chromosomes during the meiotic divisions. We also review the regulatory processes that ensure the coordinated execution of these meiotic events during prophase I.

Coordination of Double Strand Break Repair and Meiotic Progression in Yeast by a Mek1-Ndt80 Negative Feedback Loop

During meiosis, homologous chromosomes are physically connected by crossovers and sister chromatid cohesion. Interhomolog crossovers are generated by the highly regulated repair of programmed double strand breaks (DSBs). The meiosis-specific kinase Mek1 is critical for this regulation. Mek1 downregulates the mitotic recombinase Rad51, indirectly promoting interhomolog strand invasion by the meiosis-specific recombinase Dmc1. Mek1 also promotes the formation of crossovers that are distributed throughout the genome by interference and is the effector kinase for a meiosis-specific checkpoint that delays entry into Meiosis I until DSBs have been repaired. The target of this checkpoint is a meiosis-specific transcription factor, Ndt80, which is necessary to express the polo-like kinase CDC5 and the cyclin CLB1 thereby allowing completion of recombination and meiotic progression. This work shows that Mek1 and Ndt80 negatively feedback on each other such that when DSB levels are high, Ndt80 is inactive due to high levels of Mek1 activity. As DSBs are repaired, chromosomes synapse and Mek1 activity is reduced below a threshold that allows activation of Ndt80. Ndt80 transcription of CDC5 results in degradation of Red1, a meiosis-specific protein required for Mek1 activation, thereby abolishing Mek1 activity completely. Elimination of Mek1 kinase activity allows Rad51-mediated repair of any remaining DSBs. In this way, cells do not enter Meiosis I until recombination is complete and all DSBs are repaired.

Control of Meiotic Crossovers: From Double-Strand Break Formation to Designation

Meiosis, the mechanism of creating haploid gametes, is a complex cellular process observed across sexually reproducing organisms. Fundamental to meiosis is the process of homologous recombination, whereby DNA double-strand breaks are introduced into the genome and are subsequently repaired to generate either noncrossovers or crossovers. Although homologous recombination is essential for chromosome pairing during prophase I, the resulting crossovers are critical for maintaining homolog interactions and enabling accurate segregation at the first meiotic division. Thus, the placement, timing, and frequency of crossover formation must be exquisitely controlled. In this review, we discuss the proteins involved in crossover formation, the process of their formation and designation, and the rules governing crossovers, all within the context of the important landmarks of prophase I. We draw together crossover designation data across organisms, analyze their evolutionary divergence, and propose a universal model for crossover regulation.

Meiotic DSB patterning: A multifaceted process

Meiosis is a specialized two-step cell division responsible for genome haploidization and the generation of genetic diversity during gametogenesis. An integral and distinctive feature of the meiotic program is the evolutionarily conserved initiation of homologous recombination (HR) by the developmentally programmed induction of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). The inherently dangerous but essential act of DSB formation is subject to multiple forms of stringent and self-corrective regulation that collectively ensure fruitful and appropriate levels of genetic exchange without risk to cellular survival. Within this article we focus upon an emerging element of this control--spatial regulation--detailing recent advances made in understanding how DSBs are evenly distributed across the genome, and present a unified view of the underlying patterning mechanisms employed.

The Double-Strand Break Landscape of Meiotic Chromosomes Is Shaped by the Paf1 Transcription Elongation Complex in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Histone modification is a critical determinant of the frequency and location of meiotic double-strand breaks (DSBs), and thus recombination. Set1-dependent histone H3K4 methylation and Dot1-dependent H3K79 methylation play important roles in this process in budding yeast. Given that the RNA polymerase II associated factor 1 complex, Paf1C, promotes both types of methylation, we addressed the role of the Paf1C component, Rtf1, in the regulation of meiotic DSB formation. Similar to a set1 mutation, disruption of RTF1 decreased the occurrence of DSBs in the genome. However, the rtf1 set1 double mutant exhibited a larger reduction in the levels of DSBs than either of the single mutants, indicating independent contributions of Rtf1 and Set1 to DSB formation. Importantly, the distribution of DSBs along chromosomes in the rtf1 mutant changed in a manner that was different from the distributions observed in both set1 and set1 dot1 mutants, including enhanced DSB formation at some DSB-cold regions that are occupied by nucleosomes in wild-type cells. These observations suggest that Rtf1, and by extension the Paf1C, modulate the genomic DSB landscape independently of H3K4 methylation.

Meiotic Recombination: The Essence of Heredity

The study of homologous recombination has its historical roots in meiosis. In this context, recombination occurs as a programmed event that culminates in the formation of crossovers, which are essential for accurate chromosome segregation and create new combinations of parental alleles. Thus, meiotic recombination underlies both the independent assortment of parental chromosomes and genetic linkage. This review highlights the features of meiotic recombination that distinguish it from recombinational repair in somatic cells, and how the molecular processes of meiotic recombination are embedded and interdependent with the chromosome structures that characterize meiotic prophase. A more in-depth review presents our understanding of how crossover and noncrossover pathways of meiotic recombination are differentiated and regulated. The final section of this review summarizes the studies that have defined defective recombination as a leading cause of pregnancy loss and congenital disease in humans.

A surge of late-occurring meiotic double-strand breaks rescues synapsis abnormalities in spermatocytes of mice with hypomorphic expression of SPO11

Meiosis is the biological process that, after a cycle of DNA replication, halves the cellular chromosome complement, leading to the formation of haploid gametes. Haploidization is achieved via two successive rounds of chromosome segregation, meiosis I and II. In mammals, during prophase of meiosis I, homologous chromosomes align and synapse through a recombination-mediated mechanism initiated by the introduction of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) by the SPO11 protein. In male mice, if SPO11 expression and DSB number are reduced below heterozygosity levels, chromosome synapsis is delayed, chromosome tangles form at pachynema, and defective cells are eliminated by apoptosis at epithelial stage IV at a spermatogenesis-specific endpoint. Whether DSB levels produced in Spo11^+/− spermatocytes represent, or approximate, the threshold level required to guarantee successful homologous chromosome pairing is unknown. Using a mouse model that expresses Spo11 from a bacterial artificial chromosome, within a Spo11^−/− background, we demonstrate that when SPO11 expression is reduced and DSBs at zygonema are decreased (approximately 40 % below wild-type level), meiotic chromosome pairing is normal. Conversely, DMC1 foci number is increased at pachynema, suggesting that under these experimental conditions, DSBs are likely made with delayed kinetics at zygonema. In addition, we provide evidences that when zygotene-like cells receive enough DSBs before chromosome tangles develop, chromosome synapsis can be completed in most cells, preventing their apoptotic elimination.

Reduced Crossover Interference and Increased ZMM-Independent Recombination in the Absence of Tel1/ATM

Meiotic recombination involves the repair of double-strand break (DSB) precursors as crossovers (COs) or noncrossovers (NCOs). The proper number and distribution of COs is critical for successful chromosome segregation and formation of viable gametes. In budding yeast the majority of COs occurs through a pathway dependent on the ZMM proteins (Zip2-Zip3-Zip4-Spo16, Msh4-Msh5, Mer3), which form foci at CO-committed sites. Here we show that the DNA-damage-response kinase Tel1/ATM limits ZMM-independent recombination. By whole-genome mapping of recombination products, we find that lack of Tel1 results in higher recombination and reduced CO interference. Yet the number of Zip3 foci in tel1Δ cells is similar to wild type, and these foci show normal interference. Analysis of recombination in a tel1Δ zip3Δ double mutant indicates that COs are less dependent on Zip3 in the absence of Tel1. Together these results reveal that in the absence of Tel1, a significant proportion of COs occurs through a non-ZMM-dependent pathway, contributing to a CO landscape with poor interference. We also see a significant change in the distribution of all detectable recombination products in the absence of Tel1, Sgs1, Zip3, or Msh4, providing evidence for altered DSB distribution. These results support the previous finding that DSB interference depends on Tel1, and further suggest an additional level of DSB interference created through local repression of DSBs around CO-designated sites.

Essential and Checkpoint Functions of Budding Yeast ATM and ATR during Meiotic Prophase Are Facilitated by Differential Phosphorylation of a Meiotic Adaptor Protein, Hop1

A hallmark of the conserved ATM/ATR signalling is its ability to mediate a wide range of functions utilizing only a limited number of adaptors and effector kinases. During meiosis, Tel1 and Mec1, the budding yeast ATM and ATR, respectively, rely on a meiotic adaptor protein Hop1, a 53BP1/Rad9 functional analog, and its associated kinase Mek1, a CHK2/Rad53-paralog, to mediate multiple functions: control of the formation and repair of programmed meiotic DNA double strand breaks, enforcement of inter-homolog bias, regulation of meiotic progression, and implementation of checkpoint responses. Here, we present evidence that the multi-functionality of the Tel1/Mec1-to-Hop1/Mek1 signalling depends on stepwise activation of Mek1 that is mediated by Tel1/Mec1 phosphorylation of two specific residues within Hop1: phosphorylation at the threonine 318 (T318) ensures the transient basal level Mek1 activation required for viable spore formation during unperturbed meiosis. Phosphorylation at the serine 298 (S298) promotes stable Hop1-Mek1 interaction on chromosomes following the initial phospho-T318 mediated Mek1 recruitment. In the absence of Dmc1, the phospho-S298 also promotes Mek1 hyper-activation necessary for implementing meiotic checkpoint arrest. Taking these observations together, we propose that the Hop1 phospho-T318 and phospho-S298 constitute key components of the Tel1/Mec1- based meiotic recombination surveillance (MRS) network and facilitate effective coupling of meiotic recombination and progression during both unperturbed and challenged meiosis.

Self-organization of meiotic recombination initiation: general principles and molecular pathways

Recombination in meiosis is a fascinating case study for the coordination of chromosomal duplication, repair, and segregation with each other and with progression through a cell-division cycle. Meiotic recombination initiates with formation of developmentally programmed DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) at many places across the genome. DSBs are important for successful meiosis but are also dangerous lesions that can mutate or kill, so cells ensure that DSBs are made only at the right times, places, and amounts. This review examines the complex web of pathways that accomplish this control. We explore how chromosome breakage is integrated with meiotic progression and how feedback mechanisms spatially pattern DSB formation and make it homeostatic, robust, and error correcting. Common regulatory themes recur in different organisms or in different contexts in the same organism. We review this evolutionary and mechanistic conservation but also highlight where control modules have diverged. The framework that emerges helps explain how meiotic chromosomes behave as a self-organizing system.

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.

DNA damage response clamp 9-1-1 promotes assembly of ZMM proteins for formation of crossovers and synaptonemal complex

Formation of crossovers between homologous chromosomes during meiosis is positively regulated by the ZMM proteins (also known as SIC proteins). DNA damage checkpoint proteins also promote efficient formation of interhomolog crossovers. Here, we examined, in budding yeast, the meiotic role of the heterotrimeric DNA damage response clamp composed of Rad17, Ddc1 and Mec3 (known as '9-1-1' in other organisms) and a component of the clamp loader, Rad24 (known as Rad17 in other organisms). Cytological analysis indicated that the 9-1-1 clamp and its loader are not required for the chromosomal loading of RecA homologs Rad51 or Dmc1, but are necessary for the efficient loading of ZMM proteins. Interestingly, the loading of ZMM proteins onto meiotic chromosomes was independent of the checkpoint kinase Mec1 (the homolog of ATR) as well as Rad51. Furthermore, the ZMM member Zip3 (also known as Cst9) bound to the 9-1-1 complex in a cell-free system. These data suggest that, in addition to promoting interhomolog bias mediated by Rad51-Dmc1, the 9-1-1 clamp promotes crossover formation through a specific role in the assembly of ZMM proteins. Thus, the 9-1-1 complex functions to promote two crucial meiotic recombination processes, the regulation of interhomolog recombination and crossover formation mediated by ZMM.

Gradual implementation of the meiotic recombination program via checkpoint pathways controlled by global DSB levels

During meiosis, Spo11-induced double-strand breaks (DSBs) are processed into crossovers, ensuring segregation of homologous chromosomes (homologs). Meiotic DSB processing entails 5' end resection and preferred strand exchange with the homolog rather than the sister chromatid (homolog bias). In many organisms, DSBs appear gradually along the genome. Here we report unexpected effects of global DSB levels on local recombination events. Early-occurring, low-abundance "scout" DSBs lack homolog bias. Their resection and interhomolog processing are controlled by the conserved checkpoint proteins Tel1(ATM) kinase and Pch2(TRIP13) ATPase. Processing pathways controlled by Mec1(ATR) kinase take over these functions only above a distinct DSB threshold, resulting in progressive strengthening of the homolog bias. We conclude that Tel1(ATM)/Pch2 and Mec1(ATR) DNA damage response pathways are sequentially activated during wild-type meiosis because of their distinct sensitivities to global DSB levels. Moreover, relative DSB order controls the DSB repair pathway choice and, ultimately, recombination outcome.

Tel1(ATM)-mediated interference suppresses clustered meiotic double-strand-break formation

Meiotic recombination is a critical step in gametogenesis for many organisms, enabling the creation of genetically diverse haploid gametes. In each meiotic cell, recombination is initiated by numerous DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) created by Spo11, the evolutionarily conserved topoisomerase-like protein, but how these DSBs are distributed relatively uniformly across the four chromatids that make up each chromosome pair is poorly understood. Here we employ Saccharomyces cerevisiae to demonstrate distance-dependent DSB interference in cis (in which the occurrence of a DSB suppresses adjacent DSB formation)--a process that is mediated by the conserved DNA damage response kinase, Tel1(ATM). The inhibitory function of Tel1 acts on a relatively local scale, while over large distances DSBs have a tendency to form independently of one another even in the presence of Tel1. Notably, over very short distances, loss of Tel1 activity causes DSBs to cluster within discrete zones of concerted DSB activity. Our observations support a hierarchical view of recombination initiation where Tel1(ATM) prevents clusters of DSBs, and further suppresses DSBs within the surrounding chromosomal region. Such collective negative regulation will help to ensure that recombination events are dispersed evenly and arranged optimally for genetic exchange and efficient chromosome segregation.

DNA strand exchange and RecA homologs in meiosis

Homology search and DNA strand-exchange reactions are central to homologous recombination in meiosis. During meiosis, these processes are regulated such that the probability of choosing a homolog chromatid as recombination partner is enhanced relative to that of choosing a sister chromatid. This regulatory process occurs as homologous chromosomes pair in preparation for assembly of the synaptonemal complex. Two strand-exchange proteins, Rad51 and Dmc1, cooperate in regulated homology search and strand exchange in most organisms. Here, we summarize studies on the properties of these two proteins and their accessory factors. In addition, we review current models for the assembly of meiotic strand-exchange complexes and the possible mechanisms through which the interhomolog bias of recombination partner choice is achieved.

The meiotic checkpoint network: step-by-step through meiotic prophase

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.

Homeostatic regulation of meiotic DSB formation by ATM/ATR

Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and RAD3-related (ATR) are widely known as being central players in the mitotic DNA damage response (DDR), mounting responses to DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) respectively. The DDR signalling cascade couples cell cycle control to damage-sensing and repair processes in order to prevent untimely cell cycle progression while damage still persists [1]. Both ATM/ATR are, however, also emerging as essential factors in the process of meiosis; a specialised cell cycle programme responsible for the formation of haploid gametes via two sequential nuclear divisions. Central to achieving accurate meiotic chromosome segregation is the introduction of numerous DSBs spread across the genome by the evolutionarily conserved enzyme, Spo11. This review seeks to explore and address how cells utilise ATM/ATR pathways to regulate Spo11-DSB formation, establish DSB homeostasis and ensure meiosis is completed unperturbed.

Dot1-dependent histone H3K79 methylation promotes the formation of meiotic double-strand breaks in the absence of histone H3K4 methylation in budding yeast

Epigenetic marks such as histone modifications play roles in various chromosome dynamics in mitosis and meiosis. Methylation of histones H3 at positions K4 and K79 is involved in the initiation of recombination and the recombination checkpoint, respectively, during meiosis in the budding yeast. Set1 promotes H3K4 methylation while Dot1 promotes H3K79 methylation. In this study, we carried out detailed analyses of meiosis in mutants of the SET1 and DOT1 genes as well as methylation-defective mutants of histone H3. We confirmed the role of Set1-dependent H3K4 methylation in the formation of double-strand breaks (DSBs) in meiosis for the initiation of meiotic recombination, and we showed the involvement of Dot1 (H3K79 methylation) in DSB formation in the absence of Set1-dependent H3K4 methylation. In addition, we showed that the histone H3K4 methylation-defective mutants are defective in SC elongation, although they seem to have moderate reduction of DSBs. This suggests that high levels of DSBs mediated by histone H3K4 methylation promote SC elongation.

Homologue engagement controls meiotic DNA break number and distribution

Meiotic recombination promotes genetic diversification as well as pairing and segregation of homologous chromosomes, but the double-strand breaks (DSBs) that initiate recombination are dangerous lesions that can cause mutation or meiotic failure. How cells control DSBs to balance between beneficial and deleterious outcomes is not well understood. This study tests the hypothesis that DSB control involves a network of intersecting negative regulatory circuits. Using multiple complementary methods, we show that DSBs form in greater numbers in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells lacking ZMM proteins, a suite of recombination-promoting factors traditionally regarded as acting strictly downstream of DSB formation. ZMM-dependent DSB control is genetically distinct from a pathway tying break formation to meiotic progression through the Ndt80 transcription factor. These counterintuitive findings suggest that homologous chromosomes that have successfully engaged one another stop making breaks. Genome-wide DSB maps uncover distinct responses by different subchromosomal domains to the zmm mutation zip3, and show that Zip3 is required for the previously unexplained tendency of DSB density to vary with chromosome size. Thus, feedback tied to ZMM function contributes in unexpected ways to spatial patterning of recombination.

Smc5/6 coordinates formation and resolution of joint molecules with chromosome morphology to ensure meiotic divisions

During meiosis, Structural Maintenance of Chromosome (SMC) complexes underpin two fundamental features of meiosis: homologous recombination and chromosome segregation. While meiotic functions of the cohesin and condensin complexes have been delineated, the role of the third SMC complex, Smc5/6, remains enigmatic. Here we identify specific, essential meiotic functions for the Smc5/6 complex in homologous recombination and the regulation of cohesin. We show that Smc5/6 is enriched at centromeres and cohesin-association sites where it regulates sister-chromatid cohesion and the timely removal of cohesin from chromosomal arms, respectively. Smc5/6 also localizes to recombination hotspots, where it promotes normal formation and resolution of a subset of joint-molecule intermediates. In this regard, Smc5/6 functions independently of the major crossover pathway defined by the MutLγ complex. Furthermore, we show that Smc5/6 is required for stable chromosomal localization of the XPF-family endonuclease, Mus81-Mms4(Eme1). Our data suggest that the Smc5/6 complex is required for specific recombination and chromosomal processes throughout meiosis and that in its absence, attempts at cell division with unresolved joint molecules and residual cohesin lead to severe recombination-induced meiotic catastrophe.