1
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Rafiei N, Ronceret A. The plant early recombinosome: a high security complex to break DNA during meiosis. PLANT REPRODUCTION 2024:10.1007/s00497-024-00509-7. [PMID: 39331138 DOI: 10.1007/s00497-024-00509-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2024] [Accepted: 08/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/28/2024]
Abstract
KEY MESSAGE The formacion of numerous unpredictable DNA Double Strand Breaks (DSBs) on chromosomes iniciates meiotic recombination. In this perspective, we propose a 'multi-key lock' model to secure the risky but necesary breaks as well as a 'one per pair of cromatids' model for the topoisomerase-like early recombinosome. During meiosis, homologous chromosomes recombine at few sites of crossing-overs (COs) to ensure correct segregation. The initiation of meiotic recombination involves the formation of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) during prophase I. Too many DSBs are dangerous for genome integrity: if these DSBs are not properly repaired, it could potentially lead to chromosomal fragmentation. Too few DSBs are also problematic: if the obligate CO cannot form between bivalents, catastrophic unequal segregation of univalents lead to the formation of sterile aneuploid spores. Research on the regulation of the formation of these necessary but risky DSBs has recently advanced in yeast, mammals and plants. DNA DSBs are created by the enzymatic activity of the early recombinosome, a topoisomerase-like complex containing SPO11. This opinion paper reviews recent insights on the regulation of the SPO11 cofactors necessary for the introduction of temporally and spatially controlled DSBs. We propose that a 'multi-key-lock' model for each subunit of the early recombinosome complex is required to secure the formation of DSBs. We also discuss the hypothetical implications that the established topoisomerase-like nature of the SPO11 core-complex can have in creating DSB in only one of the two replicated chromatids of early prophase I meiotic chromosomes. This hypothetical 'one per pair of chromatids' DSB formation model could optimize the faithful repair of the self-inflicted DSBs. Each DSB could use three potential intact homologous DNA sequences as repair template: one from the sister chromatid and the two others from the homologous chromosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nahid Rafiei
- Department of Plant Molecular Biology, Instituto de Biotecnología (IBT), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - Arnaud Ronceret
- Department of Plant Molecular Biology, Instituto de Biotecnología (IBT), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, México.
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2
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Arter M, Keeney S. Divergence and conservation of the meiotic recombination machinery. Nat Rev Genet 2024; 25:309-325. [PMID: 38036793 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-023-00669-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Sexually reproducing eukaryotes use recombination between homologous chromosomes to promote chromosome segregation during meiosis. Meiotic recombination is almost universally conserved in its broad strokes, but specific molecular details often differ considerably between taxa, and the proteins that constitute the recombination machinery show substantial sequence variability. The extent of this variation is becoming increasingly clear because of recent increases in genomic resources and advances in protein structure prediction. We discuss the tension between functional conservation and rapid evolutionary change with a focus on the proteins that are required for the formation and repair of meiotic DNA double-strand breaks. We highlight phylogenetic relationships on different time scales and propose that this remarkable evolutionary plasticity is a fundamental property of meiotic recombination that shapes our understanding of molecular mechanisms in reproductive biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meret Arter
- Molecular Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Scott Keeney
- Molecular Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
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3
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Zhong S, Zhao P, Peng X, Li HJ, Duan Q, Cheung AY. From gametes to zygote: Mechanistic advances and emerging possibilities in plant reproduction. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 195:4-35. [PMID: 38431529 PMCID: PMC11060694 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiae125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Sheng Zhong
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Peng Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xiongbo Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Hong-Ju Li
- Key Laboratory of Seed Innovation, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Center for Molecular Agrobiology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Qiaohong Duan
- College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, Shandong 271018, China
| | - Alice Y Cheung
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, Plant Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
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4
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Zou M, Shabala S, Zhao C, Zhou M. Molecular mechanisms and regulation of recombination frequency and distribution in plants. TAG. THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS. THEORETISCHE UND ANGEWANDTE GENETIK 2024; 137:86. [PMID: 38512498 PMCID: PMC10957645 DOI: 10.1007/s00122-024-04590-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
KEY MESSAGE Recent developments in understanding the distribution and distinctive features of recombination hotspots are reviewed and approaches are proposed to increase recombination frequency in coldspot regions. Recombination events during meiosis provide the foundation and premise for creating new varieties of crops. The frequency of recombination in different genomic regions differs across eukaryote species, with recombination generally occurring more frequently at the ends of chromosomes. In most crop species, recombination is rare in centromeric regions. If a desired gene variant is linked in repulsion with an undesired variant of a second gene in a region with a low recombination rate, obtaining a recombinant plant combining two favorable alleles will be challenging. Traditional crop breeding involves combining desirable genes from parental plants into offspring. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms of recombination and factors affecting the occurrence of meiotic recombination is important for crop breeding. Here, we review chromosome recombination types, recombination mechanisms, genes and proteins involved in the meiotic recombination process, recombination hotspots and their regulation systems and discuss how to increase recombination frequency in recombination coldspot regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meilin Zou
- Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 1375, Prospect, TAS, 7250, Australia
| | - Sergey Shabala
- Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 1375, Prospect, TAS, 7250, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, 6009, Australia
| | - Chenchen Zhao
- Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 1375, Prospect, TAS, 7250, Australia
| | - Meixue Zhou
- Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 1375, Prospect, TAS, 7250, Australia.
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5
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Rafiei N, Ronceret A. Crossover interference mechanism: New lessons from plants. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1156766. [PMID: 37274744 PMCID: PMC10236007 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1156766] [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: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Plants are the source of our understanding of several fundamental biological principles. It is well known that Gregor Mendel discovered the laws of Genetics in peas and that maize was used for the discovery of transposons by Barbara McClintock. Plant models are still useful for the understanding of general key biological concepts. In this article, we will focus on discussing the recent plant studies that have shed new light on the mysterious mechanisms of meiotic crossover (CO) interference, heterochiasmy, obligatory CO, and CO homeostasis. Obligatory CO is necessary for the equilibrated segregation of homologous chromosomes during meiosis. The tight control of the different male and female CO rates (heterochiasmy) enables both the maximization and minimization of genome shuffling. An integrative model can now predict these observed aspects of CO patterning in plants. The mechanism proposed considers the Synaptonemal Complex as a canalizing structure that allows the diffusion of a class I CO limiting factor linearly on synapsed bivalents. The coarsening of this limiting factor along the SC explains the interfering spacing between COs. The model explains the observed coordinated processes between synapsis, CO interference, CO insurance, and CO homeostasis. It also easily explains heterochiasmy just considering the different male and female SC lengths. This mechanism is expected to be conserved in other species.
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6
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Mahlandt A, Singh DK, Mercier R. Engineering apomixis in crops. TAG. THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS. THEORETISCHE UND ANGEWANDTE GENETIK 2023; 136:131. [PMID: 37199785 DOI: 10.1007/s00122-023-04357-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Apomixis is an asexual mode of reproduction through seeds where progeny are clones of the mother plants. Naturally apomictic modes of reproduction are found in hundreds of plant genera distributed across more than 30 plant families, but are absent in major crop plants. Apomixis has the potential to be a breakthrough technology by allowing the propagation through seed of any genotype, including F1 hybrids. Here, we have summarized the recent progress toward synthetic apomixis, where combining targeted modifications of both the meiosis and fertilization processes leads to the production of clonal seeds at high frequencies. Despite some remaining challenges, the technology has approached a level of maturity that allows its consideration for application in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Mahlandt
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, Cologne, Germany
| | - Dipesh Kumar Singh
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, Cologne, Germany
| | - Raphael Mercier
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, Cologne, Germany.
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Zhao J, Gui X, Ren Z, Fu H, Yang C, Wang W, Liu Q, Zhang M, Wang C, Schnittger A, Liu B. ATM-mediated double-strand break repair is required for meiotic genome stability at high temperature. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 114:403-423. [PMID: 36786716 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
In eukaryotes, meiotic recombination maintains genome stability and creates genetic diversity. The conserved Ataxia-Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM) kinase regulates multiple processes in meiotic homologous recombination, including DNA double-strand break (DSB) formation and repair, synaptonemal complex organization, and crossover formation and distribution. However, its function in plant meiotic recombination under stressful environmental conditions remains poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrate that ATM is required for the maintenance of meiotic genome stability under heat stress in Arabidopsis thaliana. Using cytogenetic approaches we determined that ATM does not mediate reduced DSB formation but does ensure successful DSB repair, and thus meiotic chromosome integrity, under heat stress. Further genetic analysis suggested that ATM mediates DSB repair at high temperature by acting downstream of the MRE11-RAD50-NBS1 (MRN) complex, and acts in a RAD51-independent but chromosome axis-dependent manner. This study extends our understanding on the role of ATM in DSB repair and the protection of genome stability in plants under high temperature stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayi Zhao
- 8-A506, Arameiosis Lab, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Xin Gui
- 8-A506, Arameiosis Lab, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Ziming Ren
- Department of Landscape Architecture, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018, China
| | - Huiqi Fu
- 8-A506, Arameiosis Lab, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Chao Yang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
- Department of Developmental Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, 22609, Germany
| | - Wenyi Wang
- 8-A506, Arameiosis Lab, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Qingpei Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Min Zhang
- 8-A506, Arameiosis Lab, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Chong Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Sciences, Development Center of Plant Germplasm Resources, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, 200234, China
| | - Arp Schnittger
- Department of Developmental Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, 22609, Germany
| | - Bing Liu
- 8-A506, Arameiosis Lab, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, 430074, China
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8
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Steckenborn S, Cuacos M, Ayoub MA, Feng C, Schubert V, Hoffie I, Hensel G, Kumlehn J, Heckmann S. The meiotic topoisomerase VI B subunit (MTOPVIB) is essential for meiotic DNA double-strand break formation in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). PLANT REPRODUCTION 2023; 36:1-15. [PMID: 35767067 PMCID: PMC9957907 DOI: 10.1007/s00497-022-00444-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
In barley (Hordeum vulgare), MTOPVIB is critical for meiotic DSB and accompanied SC and CO formation while dispensable for meiotic bipolar spindle formation. Homologous recombination during meiosis assures genetic variation in offspring. Programmed meiotic DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are repaired as crossover (CO) or non-crossover (NCO) during meiotic recombination. The meiotic topoisomerase VI (TopoVI) B subunit (MTOPVIB) plays an essential role in meiotic DSB formation critical for CO-recombination. More recently MTOPVIB has been also shown to play a role in meiotic bipolar spindle formation in rice and maize. Here, we describe a meiotic DSB-defective mutant in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). CRISPR-associated 9 (Cas9) endonuclease-generated mtopVIB plants show complete sterility due to the absence of meiotic DSB, synaptonemal complex (SC), and CO formation leading to the occurrence of univalents and their unbalanced segregation into aneuploid gametes. In HvmtopVIB plants, we also frequently found the bi-orientation of sister kinetochores in univalents during metaphase I and the precocious separation of sister chromatids during anaphase I. Moreover, the near absence of polyads after meiosis II, suggests that despite being critical for meiotic DSB formation in barley, MTOPVIB seems not to be strictly required for meiotic bipolar spindle formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Steckenborn
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) OT Gatersleben, Corrensstrasse 3, 06466, Seeland, Germany
| | - Maria Cuacos
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) OT Gatersleben, Corrensstrasse 3, 06466, Seeland, Germany
| | - Mohammad A Ayoub
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) OT Gatersleben, Corrensstrasse 3, 06466, Seeland, Germany
| | - Chao Feng
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) OT Gatersleben, Corrensstrasse 3, 06466, Seeland, Germany
| | - Veit Schubert
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) OT Gatersleben, Corrensstrasse 3, 06466, Seeland, Germany
| | - Iris Hoffie
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) OT Gatersleben, Corrensstrasse 3, 06466, Seeland, Germany
| | - Götz Hensel
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) OT Gatersleben, Corrensstrasse 3, 06466, Seeland, Germany
| | - Jochen Kumlehn
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) OT Gatersleben, Corrensstrasse 3, 06466, Seeland, Germany
| | - Stefan Heckmann
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) OT Gatersleben, Corrensstrasse 3, 06466, Seeland, Germany.
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9
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Thangavel G, Hofstatter PG, Mercier R, Marques A. Tracing the evolution of the plant meiotic molecular machinery. PLANT REPRODUCTION 2023; 36:73-95. [PMID: 36646915 PMCID: PMC9957857 DOI: 10.1007/s00497-022-00456-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Meiosis is a highly conserved specialised cell division in sexual life cycles of eukaryotes, forming the base of gene reshuffling, biological diversity and evolution. Understanding meiotic machinery across different plant lineages is inevitable to understand the lineage-specific evolution of meiosis. Functional and cytogenetic studies of meiotic proteins from all plant lineage representatives are nearly impossible. So, we took advantage of the genomics revolution to search for core meiotic proteins in accumulating plant genomes by the highly sensitive homology search approaches, PSI-BLAST, HMMER and CLANS. We could find that most of the meiotic proteins are conserved in most of the lineages. Exceptionally, Arabidopsis thaliana ASY4, PHS1, PRD2, PRD3 orthologs were mostly not detected in some distant algal lineages suggesting their minimal conservation. Remarkably, an ancestral duplication of SPO11 to all eukaryotes could be confirmed. Loss of SPO11-1 in Chlorophyta and Charophyta is likely to have occurred, suggesting that SPO11-1 and SPO11-2 heterodimerisation may be a unique feature in land plants of Viridiplantae. The possible origin of the meiotic proteins described only in plants till now, DFO and HEIP1, could be traced and seems to occur in the ancestor of vascular plants and Streptophyta, respectively. Our comprehensive approach is an attempt to provide insights about meiotic core proteins and thus the conservation of meiotic pathways across plant kingdom. We hope that this will serve the meiotic community a basis for further characterisation of interesting candidates in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gokilavani Thangavel
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, 50829, Cologne, Germany.
| | | | - Raphaël Mercier
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, 50829, Cologne, Germany.
| | - André Marques
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linné-Weg 10, 50829, Cologne, Germany.
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10
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Synthetic apomixis: the beginning of a new era. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2023; 79:102877. [PMID: 36628906 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2022.102877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Apomixis is a process of asexual reproduction that enables plants to bypass meiosis and fertilization to generate clonal seeds that are identical to the maternal genotype. Apomixis has tremendous potential for breeding plants with desired characteristics, given its ability to fix any elite genotype. However, little is known about the origin and dynamics of natural apomictic plant systems. The introgression of apomixis-related genes from natural apomicts has achieved limited success. Therefore, synthetic apomixis, engineered to include apomeiosis, autonomous embryo formation, and autonomous endosperm development, has been proposed as a promising platform to effectuate apomixis in any crop. In this study, we have summarized recent advances in the understanding of synthetic apomixis and discussed the limitations of current synthetic apomixis systems and ways to overcome them.
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11
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Wang C, Qu S, Zhang J, Fu M, Chen X, Liang W. OsPRD2 is essential for double-strand break formation, but not spindle assembly during rice meiosis. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 13:1122202. [PMID: 36714725 PMCID: PMC9880466 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1122202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Meiotic recombination starts with the programmed formation of double-strand breaks (DSB) in DNA, which are catalyzed by SPO11, a type II topoisomerase that is evolutionarily conserved, and several other accessary proteins. Homologs of MEIOSIS INHIBITOR 4 (MEI4/REC24/PRD2) are proteins that are also essential for the generation of meiotic DSBs in budding yeast, mice and Arabidopsis thaliana. In Arabidopsis, the protein ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA PUTATIVE RECOMBINATION INITIATION DEFECTS 2/MULTIPOLAR SPINDLE 1 (AtPRD2/MPS1) has been shown to have additional roles in spindle assembly, indicating a functional diversification. Here we characterize the role of the rice MEI4/PRD2 homolog in meiosis. The osprd2 mutant was completely male and female sterile. In male meiocytes of osprd2, no γH2AX foci were detected and twenty-four univalents were produced at diakinesis, suggesting that OsPRD2 is essential for DSB generation. OsPRD2 showed a dynamic localization during meiosis. For instance, OsPRD2 foci first appeared as discrete signals across chromosome at leptotene, and then became confined to the centromeres during zygotene, suggesting that they might be involved in assembly of the spindle. However we did not observe any obvious aberrant morphologies in neither the organization of the bipolar spindle nor in the orientation of the kinetochore in the mutant. These findings suggest that in rice PRD2 might not be required for spindle assembly and organization, as it does in Arabidopsis. Taken together our results indicate that plant MEI4/PRD2 homologs do play a conserved role in the formation of meiotic DSBs in DNA, but that their involvement in bipolar spindle assembly is rather species-specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chong Wang
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Development Center of Plant Germplasm Resources, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuying Qu
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ming Fu
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaofei Chen
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wanqi Liang
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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12
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Jin C, Dong L, Wei C, Wani MA, Yang C, Li S, Li F. Creating novel ornamentals via new strategies in the era of genome editing. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1142866. [PMID: 37123857 PMCID: PMC10140431 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1142866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Ornamental breeding has traditionally focused on improving novelty, yield, quality, and resistance to biotic or abiotic stress. However, achieving these goals has often required laborious crossbreeding, while precise breeding techniques have been underutilized. Fortunately, recent advancements in plant genome sequencing and editing technology have opened up exciting new frontiers for revolutionizing ornamental breeding. In this review, we provide an overview of the current state of ornamental transgenic breeding and propose four promising breeding strategies that have already proven successful in crop breeding and could be adapted for ornamental breeding with the help of genome editing. These strategies include recombination manipulation, haploid inducer creation, clonal seed production, and reverse breeding. We also discuss in detail the research progress, application status, and feasibility of each of these tactics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunlian Jin
- Floriculture Research Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, National Engineering Research Center for Ornamental Horticulture, Key Laboratory for Flower Breeding of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
| | - Liqing Dong
- Floriculture Research Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, National Engineering Research Center for Ornamental Horticulture, Key Laboratory for Flower Breeding of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
- School of Agriculture, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Chang Wei
- Floriculture Research Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, National Engineering Research Center for Ornamental Horticulture, Key Laboratory for Flower Breeding of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
- School of Agriculture, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Muneeb Ahmad Wani
- Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Horticulture, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Srinagar, India
| | - Chunmei Yang
- Floriculture Research Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, National Engineering Research Center for Ornamental Horticulture, Key Laboratory for Flower Breeding of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
| | - Shenchong Li
- Floriculture Research Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, National Engineering Research Center for Ornamental Horticulture, Key Laboratory for Flower Breeding of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
- *Correspondence: Fan Li, ; Shenchong Li,
| | - Fan Li
- Floriculture Research Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, National Engineering Research Center for Ornamental Horticulture, Key Laboratory for Flower Breeding of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
- *Correspondence: Fan Li, ; Shenchong Li,
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13
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Wang Y, Li SY, Wang YZ, He Y. ZmASY1 interacts with ZmPRD3 and is crucial for meiotic double-strand break formation in maize. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 237:454-470. [PMID: 36221195 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
During meiosis, recombination-mediated pairing and synapsis of homologous chromosomes begin with programmed DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). In yeast and mice, DSBs form in a tethered loop-axis complex, in which DSB sites are located within chromatin loops and tethered to the proteinaceous axial element (AE) by DSB-forming factors. In plants, the molecular connection between DSB sites and chromosome axes is poorly understood. By integrating genetic analysis, immunostaining technology, and protein-protein interaction studies, the putative factors linking DSB formation to chromosome axis were explored in maize meiosis. Here, we report that the AE protein ZmASY1 directly interacts with the DSB-forming protein ZmPRD3 in maize (Zea mays) and mediates DSB formation, synaptonemal complex assembly, and homologous recombination. ZmPRD3 also interacts with ZmPRD1, which plays a central role in organizing the DSB-forming complex. These results suggest that ZmASY1 and ZmPRD3 may work as a key module linking DSB sites to chromosome axes during DSB formation in maize. This mechanism is similar to that described in yeast and recently Arabidopsis involving the homologs Mer2/ZmPRD3 and HOP1/ZmASY1, thus indicating that the process of tethering DSBs in chromatin loops to the chromosome axes may be evolutionarily conserved in diverse taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, National Maize Improvement Center of China, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100094, China
| | - Shu-Yue Li
- MOE Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, National Maize Improvement Center of China, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100094, China
| | - Ya-Zhong Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, National Maize Improvement Center of China, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100094, China
| | - Yan He
- MOE Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, National Maize Improvement Center of China, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100094, China
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14
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Unravelling mechanisms that govern meiotic crossover formation in wheat. Biochem Soc Trans 2022; 50:1179-1186. [PMID: 35901450 PMCID: PMC9444065 DOI: 10.1042/bst20220405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Wheat is a major cereal crop that possesses a large allopolyploid genome formed through hybridisation of tetraploid and diploid progenitors. During meiosis, crossovers (COs) are constrained in number to 1–3 per chromosome pair that are predominantly located towards the chromosome ends. This reduces the probability of advantageous traits recombining onto the same chromosome, thus limiting breeding. Therefore, understanding the underlying factors controlling meiotic recombination may provide strategies to unlock the genetic potential in wheat. In this mini-review, we will discuss the factors associated with restricted CO formation in wheat, such as timing of meiotic events, chromatin organisation, pre-meiotic DNA replication and dosage of CO genes, as a means to modulate recombination.
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15
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Differentiated function and localisation of SPO11-1 and PRD3 on the chromosome axis during meiotic DSB formation in Arabidopsis thaliana. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010298. [PMID: 35857772 PMCID: PMC9342770 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
During meiosis, DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) occur throughout the genome, a subset of which are repaired to form reciprocal crossovers between chromosomes. Crossovers are essential to ensure balanced chromosome segregation and to create new combinations of genetic variation. Meiotic DSBs are formed by a topoisomerase-VI-like complex, containing catalytic (e.g. SPO11) proteins and auxiliary (e.g. PRD3) proteins. Meiotic DSBs are formed in chromatin loops tethered to a linear chromosome axis, but the interrelationship between DSB-promoting factors and the axis is not fully understood. Here, we study the localisation of SPO11-1 and PRD3 during meiosis, and investigate their respective functions in relation to the chromosome axis. Using immunocytogenetics, we observed that the localisation of SPO11-1 overlaps relatively weakly with the chromosome axis and RAD51, a marker of meiotic DSBs, and that SPO11-1 recruitment to chromatin is genetically independent of the axis. In contrast, PRD3 localisation correlates more strongly with RAD51 and the chromosome axis. This indicates that PRD3 likely forms a functional link between SPO11-1 and the chromosome axis to promote meiotic DSB formation. We also uncovered a new function of SPO11-1 in the nucleation of the synaptonemal complex protein ZYP1. We demonstrate that chromosome co-alignment associated with ZYP1 deposition can occur in the absence of DSBs, and is dependent on SPO11-1, but not PRD3. Lastly, we show that the progression of meiosis is influenced by the presence of aberrant chromosomal connections, but not by the absence of DSBs or synapsis. Altogether, our study provides mechanistic insights into the control of meiotic DSB formation and reveals diverse functional interactions between SPO11-1, PRD3 and the chromosome axis. Most eukaryotes rely on the formation of gametes with half the number of chromosomes for sexual reproduction. Meiosis is a specialised type of cell division essential for the transition between a diploid and a haploid stage during gametogenesis. In early meiosis, programmed-DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) occur across the genome. These DSBs are processed by a set of proteins and the broken ends are repaired using the genetic information from the homologous chromosomes. These reciprocal exchanges of information between two chromosomes are called crossovers. Crossovers physical link chromosomes in pairs which is essential to ensure their correct segregation during the two rounds of meiotic division. Crossovers are also essential for the creation of genetic diversity as they break genetic linkages to form novel allelic blocks. The formation of DSBs is not completely understood in plants. Here we studied the function of SPO11-1 and PRD3, two proteins involved in the formation of DSBs in Arabidopsis. We discovered functional differences in their respective mode of recruitment to the chromosomes, their interactions with proteins forming the chromosome core and their roles in chromosome co-alignment. These indicate that, although SPO11-1 and PRD3 share a role in the formation of DSBs, the two proteins have additional and distinct roles beside DSB formation.
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16
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Wang Y, Wang Y, Zang J, Chen H, He Y. ZmPRD1 is essential for double-strand break formation, but is not required for bipolar spindle assembly during maize meiosis. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2022; 73:3386-3400. [PMID: 35201286 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erac075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Homologs of PUTATIVE RECOMBINATION INITIATION DEFECT 1 (PRD1) are known to be essential for meiotic double-strand break (DSB) formation in mouse (Mus musculus), Arabidopsis, and rice (Oryza sativa). Recent research has shown that rice PRD1 also plays an unanticipated role in meiotic bipolar spindle assembly, revealing that PRD1 has multiple functions in plant meiosis. In this study, we characterize the meiotic function of PRD1 in maize (Zea mays; ZmPRD1). Our results show that Zmprd1 mutant plants display normal vegetative growth but have complete male and female sterility. Meiotic DSB formation is fully abolished in mutant meiocytes, leading to failure in homologous pairing, synapsis, and recombination. ZmPRD1 exhibits a different pattern of chromosome localization compared to its rice homologs. The ZmPRD1 protein interacts with several DSB-forming proteins, but does not directly interact with the kinetochore proteins REC8 and SGO1. Possibly as a result of this, there are no significant abnormalities of bipolar spindle assembly in Zmprd1 meiocytes. Overall, our results demonstrate that ZmPRD1 is essential for DSB formation and homologous recombination in maize meiosis. However, the recently-identified function of PRD1 in bipolar spindle assembly during rice meiosis is not conserved in maize.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yazhong Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, National Maize Improvement Center of China, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, National Maize Improvement Center of China, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Zang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Huabang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yan He
- MOE Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, National Maize Improvement Center of China, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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17
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Underwood CJ, Mercier R. Engineering Apomixis: Clonal Seeds Approaching the Fields. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 73:201-225. [PMID: 35138881 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-arplant-102720-013958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Apomixis is a form of reproduction leading to clonal seeds and offspring that are genetically identical to the maternal plant. While apomixis naturally occurs in hundreds of plant species distributed across diverse plant families, it is absent in major crop species. Apomixis has a revolutionary potential in plant breeding, as it could allow the instant fixation and propagation though seeds of any plant genotype, most notably F1 hybrids. Mastering and implementing apomixis would reduce the cost of hybrid seed production, facilitate new types of hybrid breeding, and make it possible to harness hybrid vigor in crops that are not presently cultivated as hybrids. Synthetic apomixis can be engineered by combining modifications of meiosis and fertilization. Here, we review the current knowledge and recent major achievements toward the development of efficient apomictic systems usable in agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles J Underwood
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany; ,
| | - Raphael Mercier
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany; ,
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18
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Xu Y, Jia H, Tan C, Wu X, Deng X, Xu Q. Apomixis: genetic basis and controlling genes. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2022; 9:uhac150. [PMID: 36072837 PMCID: PMC9437720 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhac150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Apomixis is the phenomenon of clonal reproduction by seed. As apomixis can produce clonal progeny with exactly the same genotype as the maternal plant, it has an important application in genotype fixation and accelerating agricultural breeding strategies. The introduction of apomixis to major crops would bring many benefits to agriculture, including permanent fixation of superior genotypes and simplifying the procedures of hybrid seed production, as well as purification and rejuvenation of crops propagated vegetatively. Although apomixis naturally occurs in more than 400 plant species, it is rare among the major crops. Currently, with better understanding of apomixis, some achievements have been made in synthetic apomixis. However, due to prevailing limitations, there is still a long way to go to achieve large-scale application of apomixis to crop breeding. Here, we compare the developmental features of apomixis and sexual plant reproduction and review the recent identification of apomixis genes, transposons, epigenetic regulation, and genetic events leading to apomixis. We also summarize the possible strategies and potential genes for engineering apomixis into crop plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuantao Xu
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Huihui Jia
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Chunming Tan
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Xiaomeng Wu
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Xiuxin Deng
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
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19
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Vrielynck N, Schneider K, Rodriguez M, Sims J, Chambon A, Hurel A, De Muyt A, Ronceret A, Krsicka O, Mézard C, Schlögelhofer P, Grelon M. Conservation and divergence of meiotic DNA double strand break forming mechanisms in Arabidopsis thaliana. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:9821-9835. [PMID: 34458909 PMCID: PMC8464057 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In the current meiotic recombination initiation model, the SPO11 catalytic subunits associate with MTOPVIB to form a Topoisomerase VI-like complex that generates DNA double strand breaks (DSBs). Four additional proteins, PRD1/AtMEI1, PRD2/AtMEI4, PRD3/AtMER2 and the plant specific DFO are required for meiotic DSB formation. Here we show that (i) MTOPVIB and PRD1 provide the link between the catalytic sub-complex and the other DSB proteins, (ii) PRD3/AtMER2, while localized to the axis, does not assemble a canonical pre-DSB complex but establishes a direct link between the DSB-forming and resection machineries, (iii) DFO controls MTOPVIB foci formation and is part of a divergent RMM-like complex including PHS1/AtREC114 and PRD2/AtMEI4 but not PRD3/AtMER2, (iv) PHS1/AtREC114 is absolutely unnecessary for DSB formation despite having a conserved position within the DSB protein network and (v) MTOPVIB and PRD2/AtMEI4 interact directly with chromosome axis proteins to anchor the meiotic DSB machinery to the axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Vrielynck
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78000 Versailles, France
| | - Katja Schneider
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter, Dr. Bohr-Gasse 9, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Marion Rodriguez
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78000 Versailles, France
| | - Jason Sims
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter, Dr. Bohr-Gasse 9, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Aurélie Chambon
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78000 Versailles, France
| | - Aurélie Hurel
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78000 Versailles, France
| | - Arnaud De Muyt
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78000 Versailles, France
| | - Arnaud Ronceret
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78000 Versailles, France
| | - Ondrej Krsicka
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter, Dr. Bohr-Gasse 9, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Christine Mézard
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78000 Versailles, France
| | - Peter Schlögelhofer
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter, Dr. Bohr-Gasse 9, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Mathilde Grelon
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78000 Versailles, France
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20
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Gutiérrez Pinzón Y, González Kise JK, Rueda P, Ronceret A. The Formation of Bivalents and the Control of Plant Meiotic Recombination. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:717423. [PMID: 34557215 PMCID: PMC8453087 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.717423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
During the first meiotic division, the segregation of homologous chromosomes depends on the physical association of the recombined homologous DNA molecules. The physical tension due to the sites of crossing-overs (COs) is essential for the meiotic spindle to segregate the connected homologous chromosomes to the opposite poles of the cell. This equilibrated partition of homologous chromosomes allows the first meiotic reductional division. Thus, the segregation of homologous chromosomes is dependent on their recombination. In this review, we will detail the recent advances in the knowledge of the mechanisms of recombination and bivalent formation in plants. In plants, the absence of meiotic checkpoints allows observation of subsequent meiotic events in absence of meiotic recombination or defective meiotic chromosomal axis formation such as univalent formation instead of bivalents. Recent discoveries, mainly made in Arabidopsis, rice, and maize, have highlighted the link between the machinery of double-strand break (DSB) formation and elements of the chromosomal axis. We will also discuss the implications of what we know about the mechanisms regulating the number and spacing of COs (obligate CO, CO homeostasis, and interference) in model and crop plants.
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21
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Kuo P, Da Ines O, Lambing C. Rewiring Meiosis for Crop Improvement. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:708948. [PMID: 34349775 PMCID: PMC8328115 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.708948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Meiosis is a specialized cell division that contributes to halve the genome content and reshuffle allelic combinations between generations in sexually reproducing eukaryotes. During meiosis, a large number of programmed DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are formed throughout the genome. Repair of meiotic DSBs facilitates the pairing of homologs and forms crossovers which are the reciprocal exchange of genetic information between chromosomes. Meiotic recombination also influences centromere organization and is essential for proper chromosome segregation. Accordingly, meiotic recombination drives genome evolution and is a powerful tool for breeders to create new varieties important to food security. Modifying meiotic recombination has the potential to accelerate plant breeding but it can also have detrimental effects on plant performance by breaking beneficial genetic linkages. Therefore, it is essential to gain a better understanding of these processes in order to develop novel strategies to facilitate plant breeding. Recent progress in targeted recombination technologies, chromosome engineering, and an increasing knowledge in the control of meiotic chromosome segregation has significantly increased our ability to manipulate meiosis. In this review, we summarize the latest findings and technologies on meiosis in plants. We also highlight recent attempts and future directions to manipulate crossover events and control the meiotic division process in a breeding perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pallas Kuo
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Olivier Da Ines
- Institut Génétique Reproduction et Développement (iGReD), Université Clermont Auvergne, UMR 6293 CNRS, U1103 INSERM, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Christophe Lambing
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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22
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Shi W, Ji J, Xue Z, Zhang F, Miao Y, Yang H, Tang D, Du G, Li Y, Shen Y, Cheng Z. PRD1, a homologous recombination initiation factor, is involved in spindle assembly in rice meiosis. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 230:585-600. [PMID: 33421144 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The bipolar spindle structure in meiosis is essential for faithful chromosome segregation. PUTATIVE RECOMBINATION INITIATION DEFECT 1 (PRD1) previously has been shown to participate in the formation of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs). However, the role of PRD1 in meiotic spindle assembly has not been elucidated. Here, we reveal by both genetic analysis and immunostaining technology that PRD1 is involved in spindle assembly in rice (Oryza sativa) meiosis. We show that DSB formation and bipolar spindle assembly are disturbed in prd1 meiocytes. PRD1 signals display a dynamic pattern of localization from covering entire chromosomes at leptotene to congregating at the centromere region after leptotene. Centromeric localization of PRD1 signals depends on the organization of leptotene chromosomes, but not on DSB formation and axis establishment. PRD1 exhibits interaction and co-localization with several kinetochore components. We also find that bi-orientation of sister kinetochores within a univalent induced by mutation of REC8 can restore bipolarity in prd1. Furthermore, PRD1 directly interacts with REC8 and SGO1, suggesting that PRD1 may play a role in regulating the orientation of sister kinetochores. Taken together, we speculate that PRD1 promotes bipolar spindle assembly, presumably by modulating the orientation of sister kinetochores in rice meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenqing Shi
- State Key Lab of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Jianhui Ji
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Eco-Agriculture Biotechnology around Hongze Lake, Huaiyin Normal University, Huaian, 223300, China
| | - Zhihui Xue
- State Key Lab of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Fanfan Zhang
- State Key Lab of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Yongjie Miao
- State Key Lab of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Han Yang
- State Key Lab of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Ding Tang
- State Key Lab of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Guijie Du
- State Key Lab of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Yafei Li
- State Key Lab of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Yi Shen
- State Key Lab of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Zhukuan Cheng
- State Key Lab of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Agricultural College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
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23
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Chang Z, Xu C, Huang X, Yan W, Qiu S, Yuan S, Ni H, Chen S, Xie G, Chen Z, Wu J, Tang X. The plant-specific ABERRANT GAMETOGENESIS 1 gene is essential for meiosis in rice. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2020; 71:204-218. [PMID: 31587067 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erz441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2019] [Accepted: 09/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Meiotic recombination plays a central role in maintaining genome stability and increasing genetic diversity. Although meiotic progression and core components are widely conserved across kingdoms, significant differences remain among species. Here we identify a rice gene ABERRANT GAMETOGENESIS 1 (AGG1) that controls both male and female gametogenesis. Cytological and immunostaining analysis showed that in the osagg1 mutant the early recombination processes and synapsis occurred normally, but the chiasma number was dramatically reduced. Moreover, OsAGG1 was found to interact with ZMM proteins OsHEI10, OsZIP4, and OsMSH5. These results suggested that OsAGG1 plays an important role in crossover formation. Phylogenetic analysis showed that OsAGG1 is a plant-specific protein with a highly conserved N-terminal region. Further genetic and protein interaction analyses revealed that the conserved N-terminus was essential for the function of the OsAGG1 protein. Overall, our work demonstrates that OsAGG1 is a novel and critical component in rice meiotic crossover formation, expanding our understanding of meiotic progression. This study identified a plant-specific gene ABERRANT GAMETOGENESIS 1 that is required for meiotic crossover formation in rice. The conserved N-terminus of the AGG1 protein was found to be essential for its function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenyi Chang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- Shenzhen Institute of Molecular Crop Design, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chunjue Xu
- Shenzhen Institute of Molecular Crop Design, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaoyan Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei Yan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- Shenzhen Institute of Molecular Crop Design, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shijun Qiu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuting Yuan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haoling Ni
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shujing Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Gang Xie
- Shenzhen Institute of Molecular Crop Design, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhufeng Chen
- Shenzhen Institute of Molecular Crop Design, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jianxin Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyan Tang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology for Plant Development, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
- Shenzhen Institute of Molecular Crop Design, Shenzhen, China
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Wang K. Fixation of hybrid vigor in rice: synthetic apomixis generated by genome editing. ABIOTECH 2020; 1:15-20. [PMID: 36305008 PMCID: PMC9584092 DOI: 10.1007/s42994-019-00001-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Apomixis is an asexual reproduction process in which clonal seeds are formed without meiosis and fertilization. Because of its potential in permanently preserving hybrid vigor, apomixis has attracted a great deal of interests from plant biologists and the seed industry. However, despite of decades of effort, introgression of apomixis traits from wild relatives into major crops has remained unsuccessful. Therefore, synthetic apomixis has been proposed as an alternative to fix hybrid vigor. In this article, I present the development of the MiMe (Mitosis instead of Meiosis), which turns meiosis into mitosis and leads to the production of clonal gametes. Apomixis-like clonal seeds are generated when MiMe plants are crossed to special genome elimination lines, which contain an altered centromere-specific histone 3 (CENH3). Furthermore, induction of haploid plants from egg cells can be achieved by either egg cell-specific expression of BABY BOOM1 (BBM1), or disruption of MATRILINEAL (MTL) using CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology. Synthetic apomixis is established and clonal seeds are produced by simultaneous engineering MiMe with altering BBM1 expression or MTL disruption. Finally, I discuss how to further improve the apomixis strategy and its applications in crop breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kejian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, China National Rice Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310006 China
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Fayos I, Mieulet D, Petit J, Meunier AC, Périn C, Nicolas A, Guiderdoni E. Engineering meiotic recombination pathways in rice. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2019; 17:2062-2077. [PMID: 31199561 PMCID: PMC6790369 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2019] [Revised: 06/01/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
In the last 15 years, outstanding progress has been made in understanding the function of meiotic genes in the model dicot and monocot plants Arabidopsis and rice (Oryza sativa L.), respectively. This knowledge allowed to modulate meiotic recombination in Arabidopsis and, more recently, in rice. For instance, the overall frequency of crossovers (COs) has been stimulated 2.3- and 3.2-fold through the inactivation of the rice FANCM and RECQ4 DNA helicases, respectively, two genes involved in the repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) as noncrossovers (NCOs) of the Class II crossover pathway. Differently, the programmed induction of DSBs and COs at desired sites is currently explored by guiding the SPO11-1 topoisomerase-like transesterase, initiating meiotic recombination in all eukaryotes, to specific target regions of the rice genome. Furthermore, the inactivation of 3 meiosis-specific genes, namely PAIR1, OsREC8 and OsOSD1, in the Mitosis instead of Meiosis (MiMe) mutant turned rice meiosis into mitosis, thereby abolishing recombination and achieving the first component of apomixis, apomeiosis. The successful translation of Arabidopsis results into a crop further allowed the implementation of two breakthrough strategies that triggered parthenogenesis from the MiMe unreduced clonal egg cell and completed the second component of diplosporous apomixis. Here, we review the most recent advances in and future prospects of the manipulation of meiotic recombination in rice and potentially other major crops, all essential for global food security.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Fayos
- CiradUMR AGAPMontpellierFrance
- Université de MontpellierCirad-Inra-Montpellier SupAgroMontpellierFrance
| | - Delphine Mieulet
- CiradUMR AGAPMontpellierFrance
- Université de MontpellierCirad-Inra-Montpellier SupAgroMontpellierFrance
| | - Julie Petit
- CiradUMR AGAPMontpellierFrance
- Université de MontpellierCirad-Inra-Montpellier SupAgroMontpellierFrance
| | - Anne Cécile Meunier
- CiradUMR AGAPMontpellierFrance
- Université de MontpellierCirad-Inra-Montpellier SupAgroMontpellierFrance
| | - Christophe Périn
- CiradUMR AGAPMontpellierFrance
- Université de MontpellierCirad-Inra-Montpellier SupAgroMontpellierFrance
| | - Alain Nicolas
- Institut Curie, CNRS UMR 3244University PSLParisFrance
- MeiogenixParisFrance
| | - Emmanuel Guiderdoni
- CiradUMR AGAPMontpellierFrance
- Université de MontpellierCirad-Inra-Montpellier SupAgroMontpellierFrance
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Advances Towards How Meiotic Recombination Is Initiated: A Comparative View and Perspectives for Plant Meiosis Research. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20194718. [PMID: 31547623 PMCID: PMC6801837 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20194718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2019] [Revised: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
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.
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Tian M, Loidl J. A chromatin-associated protein required for inducing and limiting meiotic DNA double-strand break formation. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 46:11822-11834. [PMID: 30357385 PMCID: PMC6294514 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Programmed DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are required for meiotic recombination, but the number is strictly controlled because they are potentially harmful. Here we report a novel protein, Pars11, which is required for Spo11-dependent DSB formation in the protist Tetrahymena. Pars11 localizes to chromatin early in meiotic prophase in a Spo11-independent manner and is removed before the end of prophase. Pars11 removal depends on DSB formation and ATR-dependent phosphorylation. In the absence of the DNA damage sensor kinase ATR, Pars11 is retained on chromatin and excess DSBs are generated. Similar levels of Pars11 persistence and DSB overproduction occur in a non-phosphorylatable pars11 mutant. We conclude that Pars11 supports DSB formation by Spo11 until enough DSBs are formed; thereafter, DSB production stops in response to ATR-dependent degradation of Pars11 or its removal from chromatin. A similar DSB control mechanism involving a Rec114-Tel1/ATM-dependent negative feedback loop regulates DSB formation in budding yeast. However, there is no detectable sequence homology between Pars11 and Rec114, and DSB numbers are more tightly controlled by Pars11 than by Rec114. The discovery of this mechanism for DSB regulation in the evolutionarily distant protist and fungal lineages suggests that it is conserved across eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Tian
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Josef Loidl
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
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Abstract
Meiosis halves diploid chromosome numbers to haploid levels that are essential for sexual reproduction in most eukaryotes. Meiotic recombination ensures the formation of bivalents between homologous chromosomes (homologs) and their subsequent proper segregation. It also results in genetic diversity among progeny that influences evolutionary responses to selection. Moreover, crop breeding depends upon the action of meiotic recombination to rearrange elite traits between parental chromosomes. An understanding of the molecular mechanisms that drive meiotic recombination is important for both fundamental research and practical applications. This review emphasizes advances made during the past 5 years, primarily in Arabidopsis and rice, by summarizing newly characterized genes and proteins and examining the regulatory mechanisms that modulate their action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingxiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Sciences and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China;
| | - Gregory P Copenhaver
- Department of Biology and the Integrative Program for Biological and Genome Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3280, USA;
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3280, USA
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Lawrence EJ, Griffin CH, Henderson IR. Modification of meiotic recombination by natural variation in plants. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2017; 68:5471-5483. [PMID: 28992351 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erx306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Meiosis is a specialized cell division that produces haploid gametes required for sexual reproduction. During the first meiotic division, homologous chromosomes pair and undergo reciprocal crossing over, which recombines linked sequence variation. Meiotic recombination frequency varies extensively both within and between species. In this review, we will examine the molecular basis of meiotic recombination rate variation, with an emphasis on plant genomes. We first consider cis modification caused by polymorphisms at the site of recombination, or elsewhere on the same chromosome. We review cis effects caused by mismatches within recombining joint molecules, the effect of structural hemizygosity, and the role of specific DNA sequence motifs. In contrast, trans modification of recombination is exerted by polymorphic loci encoding diffusible molecules, which are able to modulate recombination on the same and/or other chromosomes. We consider trans modifiers that act to change total recombination levels, hotspot locations, or interactions between homologous and homeologous chromosomes in polyploid species. Finally, we consider the significance of genetic variation that modifies meiotic recombination for adaptation and evolution of plant species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma J Lawrence
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EA, UK
| | - Catherine H Griffin
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EA, UK
| | - Ian R Henderson
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EA, UK
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MTOPVIB interacts with AtPRD1 and plays important roles in formation of meiotic DNA double-strand breaks in Arabidopsis. Sci Rep 2017; 7:10007. [PMID: 28855712 PMCID: PMC5577129 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-10270-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2017] [Accepted: 07/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Meiotic recombination is initiated from the formation of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). In Arabidopsis, several proteins, such as AtPRD1, AtPRD2, AtPRD3, AtDFO and topoisomerase (Topo) VI-like complex, have been identified as playing important roles in DSB formation. Topo VI-like complex in Arabidopsis may consist of subunit A (Topo VIA: AtSPO11-1 and AtSPO11-2) and subunit B (Topo VIB: MTOPVIB). Little is known about their roles in Arabidopsis DSB formation. Here, we report on the characterization of the MTOPVIB gene using the Arabidopsis mutant alleles mtopVIB-2 and mtopVIB-3, which were defective in DSB formation. mtopVIB-3 exhibited abortion in embryo sac and pollen development, leading to a significant reduction in fertility. The mtopVIB mutations affected the homologous chromosome synapsis and recombination. MTOPVIB could interact with Topo VIA proteins AtSPO11-1 and AtSPO11-2. AtPRD1 interacted directly with Topo VI–like proteins. AtPRD1 also could interact with AtPRD3 and AtDFO. The results indicated that AtPRD1 may act as a bridge protein to interact with AtPRD3 and AtDFO, and interact directly with the Topo VI-like proteins MTOPVIB, AtSPO11-1 and AtSPO11-2 to take part in DSB formation in Arabidopsis.
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Zhou L, Han J, Chen Y, Wang Y, Liu YG. Bivalent Formation 1, a plant-conserved gene, encodes an OmpH/coiled-coil motif-containing protein required for meiotic recombination in rice. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2017; 68:2163-2174. [PMID: 28369589 PMCID: PMC5447885 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erx077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Meiosis is essential for eukaryotic sexual reproduction and plant fertility. In comparison with over 80 meiotic genes identified in Arabidopsis, there are only ~30 meiotic genes characterized in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Many genes involved in the regulation of meiotic progression remain to be determined. In this study, we identified a sterile rice mutant and cloned a new meiotic gene, OsBVF1 (Bivalent Formation 1) by map-based cloning. Molecular genetics and cytological approaches were carried out to address the function of OsBVF1 in meiosis. Phylogenetic analyses were used to study the evolution of OsBVF1 and its homologs in plant species. Here we showed that the bvf1 male meiocytes were defective in formation of meiotic double strand break, thereby resulting in a failure of bivalent formation in diakinesis and unequal chromosome segregation in anaphase I. The causal gene, OsBVF1, encodes a unique OmpH/coiled-coil motif-containing protein and its homologs are highly conserved in the plant kingdom and seem to be a single-copy gene in the majority of plant species. Our study demonstrates that OsBVF1 is a novel plant-conserved factor involved in meiotic recombination in rice, providing a new insight into understanding of meiotic progression regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lian Zhou
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, 510642 Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Guangdong Provincial Higher Education Institutions, 510642 Guangzhou, China
- College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, 510642 Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, 200438 Shanghai, China
| | - Jingluan Han
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, 510642 Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Guangdong Provincial Higher Education Institutions, 510642 Guangzhou, China
- College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, 510642 Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuanling Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, 510642 Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Guangdong Provincial Higher Education Institutions, 510642 Guangzhou, China
- College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, 510642 Guangzhou, China
| | - Yingxiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, 200438 Shanghai, China
| | - Yao-Guang Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, 510642 Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Biotechnology of Guangdong Provincial Higher Education Institutions, 510642 Guangzhou, China
- College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, 510642 Guangzhou, China
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Mieulet D, Jolivet S, Rivard M, Cromer L, Vernet A, Mayonove P, Pereira L, Droc G, Courtois B, Guiderdoni E, Mercier R. Turning rice meiosis into mitosis. Cell Res 2016; 26:1242-1254. [PMID: 27767093 DOI: 10.1038/cr.2016.117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2016] [Revised: 08/09/2016] [Accepted: 08/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction of clonal reproduction through seeds (apomixis) in crops has the potential to revolutionize agriculture by allowing self-propagation of any elite variety, in particular F1 hybrids. In the sexual model plant Arabidopsis thaliana synthetic clonal reproduction through seeds can be artificially implemented by (i) combining three mutations to turn meiosis into mitosis (MiMe) and (ii) crossing the obtained clonal gametes with a line expressing modified CENH3 and whose genome is eliminated in the zygote. Here we show that additional combinations of mutations can turn Arabidopsis meiosis into mitosis and that a combination of three mutations in rice (Oryza sativa) efficiently turns meiosis into mitosis, leading to the production of male and female clonal diploid gametes in this major crop. Successful implementation of the MiMe technology in the phylogenetically distant eudicot Arabidopsis and monocot rice opens doors for its application to any flowering plant and paves the way for introducing apomixis in crop species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sylvie Jolivet
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRA, AgroParisTech, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, RD10, 78000 Versailles, France
| | - Maud Rivard
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRA, AgroParisTech, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, RD10, 78000 Versailles, France
| | - Laurence Cromer
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRA, AgroParisTech, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, RD10, 78000 Versailles, France
| | | | | | - Lucie Pereira
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRA, AgroParisTech, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, RD10, 78000 Versailles, France
| | - Gaëtan Droc
- CIRAD, UMR AGAP, 34398 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | | | | | - Raphael Mercier
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRA, AgroParisTech, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, RD10, 78000 Versailles, France
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Loidl J, Lorenz A. DNA double-strand break formation and repair in Tetrahymena meiosis. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2016; 54:126-34. [PMID: 26899715 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2016.02.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2015] [Accepted: 02/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The molecular details of meiotic recombination have been determined for a small number of model organisms. From these studies, a general picture has emerged that shows that most, if not all, recombination is initiated by a DNA double-strand break (DSB) that is repaired in a recombinogenic process using a homologous DNA strand as a template. However, the details of recombination vary between organisms, and it is unknown which variant is representative of evolutionarily primordial meiosis or most prevalent among eukaryotes. To answer these questions and to obtain a better understanding of the range of recombination processes among eukaryotes, it is important to study a variety of different organisms. Here, the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila is introduced as a versatile meiotic model system, which has the additional bonus of having the largest phylogenetic distance to all of the eukaryotes studied to date. Studying this organism can contribute to our understanding of the conservation and diversification of meiotic recombination processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josef Loidl
- Department of Chromosome Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 9, A-1030 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Alexander Lorenz
- Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS), University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK.
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Mercier R, Mézard C, Jenczewski E, Macaisne N, Grelon M. The molecular biology of meiosis in plants. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PLANT BIOLOGY 2015; 66:297-327. [PMID: 25494464 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-arplant-050213-035923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 331] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Meiosis is the cell division that reshuffles genetic information between generations. Recently, much progress has been made in understanding this process; in particular, the identification and functional analysis of more than 80 plant genes involved in meiosis have dramatically deepened our knowledge of this peculiar cell division. In this review, we provide an overview of advancements in the understanding of all aspects of plant meiosis, including recombination, chromosome synapsis, cell cycle control, chromosome distribution, and the challenge of polyploidy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphaël Mercier
- INRA, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, UMR 1318, ERL CNRS 3559, Saclay Plant Sciences, RD10, F-78026 Versailles, France; , , , ,
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Wu Z, Ji J, Tang D, Wang H, Shen Y, Shi W, Li Y, Tan X, Cheng Z, Luo Q. OsSDS is essential for DSB formation in rice meiosis. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2015; 6:21. [PMID: 25691887 PMCID: PMC4315026 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2015.00021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2014] [Accepted: 01/10/2015] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
SDS is a meiosis specific cyclin-like protein and required for DMC1 mediated double-strand break (DSB) repairing in Arabidopsis. Here, we found its rice homolog, OsSDS, is essential for meiotic DSB formation. The Ossds mutant is normal in vegetative growth but both male and female gametes are inviable. The Ossds meiocytes exhibit severe defects in homologous pairing and synapsis. No γH2AX immunosignals in Ossds meiocytes together with the suppression of chromosome fragmentation in Ossds-1 Osrad51c, both provide strong evidences that OsSDS is essential for meiotic DSB formation. Immunostaining investigations revealed that meiotic chromosome axes are normally formed but both SC installation and localization of recombination elements are failed in Ossds. We suspected that this cyclin protein has been differentiated pretty much between monocots and dicots on its function in meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhigang Wu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Agriculture Biodiversity for Plant Disease Management, Yunnan Agricultural UniversityKunming, China
| | - Jianhui Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
- School of Life Sciences, Huaiyin Normal UniversityHuaian, China
| | - Ding Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Hongjun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Yi Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Wenqing Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Yafei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
| | - Xuelin Tan
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Agriculture Biodiversity for Plant Disease Management, Yunnan Agricultural UniversityKunming, China
| | - Zhukuan Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing, China
- *Correspondence: Zhukuan Cheng, State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.1 West Beichen Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China e-mail:
| | - Qiong Luo
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Agriculture Biodiversity for Plant Disease Management, Yunnan Agricultural UniversityKunming, China
- Qiong Luo, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Agriculture Biodiversity for Plant Disease Management, Yunnan Agricultural University, Heilongtan, Guandu District, Kunming 650201, China e-mail:
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Zhao L, He J, Cai H, Lin H, Li Y, Liu R, Yang Z, Qin Y. Comparative expression profiling reveals gene functions in female meiosis and gametophyte development in Arabidopsis. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2014; 80:615-28. [PMID: 25182975 PMCID: PMC7494246 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.12657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2014] [Revised: 08/19/2014] [Accepted: 08/22/2014] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Megasporogenesis is essential for female fertility, and requires the accomplishment of meiosis and the formation of functional megaspores. The inaccessibility and low abundance of female meiocytes make it particularly difficult to elucidate the molecular basis underlying megasporogenesis. We used high-throughput tag-sequencing analysis to identify genes expressed in female meiocytes (FMs) by comparing gene expression profiles from wild-type ovules undergoing megasporogenesis with those from the spl mutant ovules, which lack megasporogenesis. A total of 862 genes were identified as FMs, with levels that are consistently reduced in spl ovules in two biological replicates. Fluorescence-assisted cell sorting followed by RNA-seq analysis of DMC1:GFP-labeled female meiocytes confirmed that 90% of the FMs are indeed detected in the female meiocyte protoplast profiling. We performed reverse genetic analysis of 120 candidate genes and identified four FM genes with a function in female meiosis progression in Arabidopsis. We further revealed that KLU, a putative cytochrome P450 monooxygenase, is involved in chromosome pairing during female meiosis, most likely by affecting the normal expression pattern of DMC1 in ovules during female meiosis. Our studies provide valuable information for functional genomic analyses of plant germline development as well as insights into meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihua Zhao
- Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian Province, China
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jiangman He
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Hanyang Cai
- Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian Province, China
| | - Haiyan Lin
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yanqiang Li
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Renyi Liu
- Department of Botany and Plant Science, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Zhenbiao Yang
- Department of Botany and Plant Science, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Yuan Qin
- Center for Genomics and Biotechnology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian Province, China
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
- For correspondence ()
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Lam I, Keeney S. Mechanism and regulation of meiotic recombination initiation. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2014; 7:a016634. [PMID: 25324213 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a016634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 297] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Lam
- Louis V. Gerstner Jr. Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065 Molecular Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065
| | - Scott Keeney
- Louis V. Gerstner Jr. Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065 Molecular Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065 Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10065
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de Massy B. Initiation of meiotic recombination: how and where? Conservation and specificities among eukaryotes. Annu Rev Genet 2014; 47:563-99. [PMID: 24050176 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genet-110711-155423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 243] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernard de Massy
- Institute of Human Genetics, Centre National de la Recherché Scientifique, UPR1142, 34396 Montpellier, France;
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Luo Q, Li Y, Shen Y, Cheng Z. Ten years of gene discovery for meiotic event control in rice. J Genet Genomics 2014; 41:125-37. [PMID: 24656233 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2014.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2013] [Revised: 01/26/2014] [Accepted: 02/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Meiosis is the crucial process by which sexually propagating eukaryotes give rise to haploid gametes from diploid cells. Several key processes, like homologous chromosomes pairing, synapsis, recombination, and segregation, sequentially take place in meiosis. Although these widely conserved events are under both genetic and epigenetic control, the accurate details of molecular mechanisms are continuing to investigate. Rice is a good model organism for exploring the molecular mechanisms of meiosis in higher plants. So far, 28 rice meiotic genes have been characterized. In this review, we give an overview of the discovery of rice meiotic genes in the last ten years, with a particular focus on their functions in meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Luo
- College of Plant Protection, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, China
| | - Yafei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yi Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Zhukuan Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
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Pradillo M, Varas J, Oliver C, Santos JL. On the role of AtDMC1, AtRAD51 and its paralogs during Arabidopsis meiosis. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2014; 5:23. [PMID: 24596572 PMCID: PMC3925842 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2014.00023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2013] [Accepted: 01/20/2014] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Meiotic recombination plays a critical role in achieving accurate chromosome segregation and increasing genetic diversity. Many studies, mostly in yeast, have provided important insights into the coordination and interplay between the proteins involved in the homologous recombination pathway, especially the recombinase RAD51 and the meiosis-specific DMC1. Here we summarize the current progresses on the function of both recombinases and the CX3 complex encoded by AtRAD51 paralogs, in the plant model species Arabidopsis thaliana. Similarities and differences respect to the function of these proteins in other organisms are also indicated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Pradillo
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Complutense de MadridMadrid, Spain
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Wang Y, Cheng Z, Huang J, Shi Q, Hong Y, Copenhaver GP, Gong Z, Ma H. The DNA replication factor RFC1 is required for interference-sensitive meiotic crossovers in Arabidopsis thaliana. PLoS Genet 2012; 8:e1003039. [PMID: 23144629 PMCID: PMC3493451 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2012] [Accepted: 09/05/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
During meiotic recombination, induced double-strand breaks (DSBs) are processed into crossovers (COs) and non-COs (NCO); the former are required for proper chromosome segregation and fertility. DNA synthesis is essential in current models of meiotic recombination pathways and includes only leading strand DNA synthesis, but few genes crucial for DNA synthesis have been tested genetically for their functions in meiosis. Furthermore, lagging strand synthesis has been assumed to be unnecessary. Here we show that the Arabidopsis thaliana DNA REPLICATION FACTOR C1 (RFC1) important for lagging strand synthesis is necessary for fertility, meiotic bivalent formation, and homolog segregation. Loss of meiotic RFC1 function caused abnormal meiotic chromosome association and other cytological defects; genetic analyses with other meiotic mutations indicate that RFC1 acts in the MSH4-dependent interference-sensitive pathway for CO formation. In a rfc1 mutant, residual pollen viability is MUS81-dependent and COs exhibit essentially no interference, indicating that these COs form via the MUS81-dependent interference-insensitive pathway. We hypothesize that lagging strand DNA synthesis is important for the formation of double Holliday junctions, but not alternative recombination intermediates. That RFC1 is found in divergent eukaryotes suggests a previously unrecognized and highly conserved role for DNA synthesis in discriminating between recombination pathways. Meiotic recombination is important for pairing and sustained association of homologous chromosomes (homologs), thereby ensuring proper homolog segregation and normal fertility. DNA synthesis is thought to be required for meiotic recombination, but few genes coding for DNA synthesis factors have been studied for possible meiotic functions because their essential roles in the mitotic cell cycle make it difficult to study their meiotic functions due to the lethality of corresponding null mutations. Current models for meiotic recombination only include leading strand DNA synthesis. We found that the Arabidopsis gene encoding the DNA REPLICATION FACTOR C1 (RFC1) important for lagging strand synthesis promotes meiotic recombination via a specific pathway for crossovers (COs) that involves the formation of double Holliday Junction (dHJ) intermediates. Therefore, lagging strand DNA synthesis is likely important for meiotic recombination. Because DNA synthesis is a highly conserved process and meiotic recombination is highly similar among budding yeast, mammals, and flowering plants, the proposed function of lagging strand synthesis for meiotic recombination might be a general feature of meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingxiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, Center for Evolutionary Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhihao Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, Center for Evolutionary Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiyue Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, Center for Evolutionary Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qian Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, Center for Evolutionary Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yue Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, Center for Evolutionary Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gregory P. Copenhaver
- Department of Biology and the Carolina Center for Genome Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Zhizhong Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Hong Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, Center for Evolutionary Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- * E-mail:
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