1
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Wang C, Chen Z, Copenhaver GP, Wang Y. Heterochromatin in plant meiosis. Nucleus 2024; 15:2328719. [PMID: 38488152 PMCID: PMC10950279 DOI: 10.1080/19491034.2024.2328719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Heterochromatin is an organizational property of eukaryotic chromosomes, characterized by extensive DNA and histone modifications, that is associated with the silencing of transposable elements and repetitive sequences. Maintaining heterochromatin is crucial for ensuring genomic integrity and stability during the cell cycle. During meiosis, heterochromatin is important for homologous chromosome synapsis, recombination, and segregation, but our understanding of meiotic heterochromatin formation and condensation is limited. In this review, we focus on the dynamics and features of heterochromatin and how it condenses during meiosis in plants. We also discuss how meiotic heterochromatin influences the interaction and recombination of homologous chromosomes during prophase I.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Function and Regulation in Agricultural Organisms, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhiyu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 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, NC, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Yingxiang Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Function and Regulation in Agricultural Organisms, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China
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2
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Shu Z, Dwivedi B, Switchenko JM, Yu DS, Deng X. PD-L1 deglycosylation promotes its nuclear translocation and accelerates DNA double-strand-break repair in cancer. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6830. [PMID: 39122729 PMCID: PMC11316045 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51242-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Resistance to radiotherapy is a major barrier during cancer treatment. Here using genome-scale CRISPR/Cas9 screening, we identify CD274 gene, which encodes PD-L1, to confer lung cancer cell resistance to ionizing radiation (IR). Depletion of endogenous PD-L1 delays the repair of IR-induced DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and PD-L1 loss downregulates non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) while overexpression of PD-L1 upregulates NHEJ. IR induces translocation of PD-L1 from the membrane into nucleus dependent on deglycosylation of PD-L1 at N219 and CMTM6 and leads to PD-L1 recruitment to DSBs foci. PD-L1 interacts with Ku in the nucleus and enhances Ku binding to DSB DNA. The interaction between the IgC domain of PD-L1 and the core domain of Ku is required for PD-L1 to accelerate NHEJ-mediated DSB repair and produce radioresistance. Thus, PD-L1, in addition to its immune inhibitory activity, acts as mechanistic driver for NHEJ-mediated DSB repair in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Shu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine and Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Bhakti Dwivedi
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Shared Resource, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jeffrey M Switchenko
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - David S Yu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine and Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Xingming Deng
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine and Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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3
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Ma Q, Gui Y, Ma X, Zhang B, Xiong W, Yang S, Cao C, Mo S, Shu G, Ye J, Liu K, Wang X, Gui Y, Wang F, Yuan S. N6-methyladenosine writer METTL16-mediated alternative splicing and translation control are essential for murine spermatogenesis. Genome Biol 2024; 25:193. [PMID: 39030605 PMCID: PMC11264951 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-024-03332-5] [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] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mitosis-to-meiosis switch during spermatogenesis requires dynamic changes in gene expression. However, the regulation of meiotic transcriptional and post-transcriptional machinery during this transition remains elusive. RESULTS We report that methyltransferase-like protein 16 (METTL16), an N6-methyladenosine (m6A) writer, is required for mitosis-to-meiosis transition during spermatogenesis. Germline conditional knockout of Mettl16 in male mice impairs spermatogonial differentiation and meiosis initiation. Mechanistically, METTL16 interacts with splicing factors to regulate the alternative splicing of meiosis-related genes such as Stag3. Ribosome profiling reveals that the translation efficiency of many meiotic genes is dysregulated in METTL16-deficient testes. m6A-sequencing shows that ablation of METTL16 causes upregulation of the m6A-enriched transcripts and downregulation of the m6A-depleted transcripts, similar to Meioc and/or Ythdc2 mutants. Further in vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrate that the methyltransferase activity site (PP185-186AA) of METTL16 is necessary for spermatogenesis. CONCLUSIONS Our findings support a molecular model wherein the m6A writer METTL16-mediated alternative splicing and translation efficiency regulation are required to control the mitosis-to-meiosis germ cell fate decision in mice, with implications for understanding meiosis-related male fertility disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Ma
- Department of Urology, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Male Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518036, China
| | - Yiqian Gui
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Xixiang Ma
- Laboratory Animal Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Bingqian Zhang
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Wenjing Xiong
- Laboratory Animal Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China
| | - Shiyu Yang
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Congcong Cao
- Department of Urology, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Male Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518036, China
| | - Shaomei Mo
- Department of Urology, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Male Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518036, China
| | - Ge Shu
- Department of Urology, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Male Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518036, China
| | - Jing Ye
- Department of Urology, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Male Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518036, China
| | - Kuan Liu
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Xiaoli Wang
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Yaoting Gui
- Department of Urology, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Male Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518036, China.
| | - Fengli Wang
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
| | - Shuiqiao Yuan
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
- Laboratory Animal Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430030, China.
- Shenzhen Huazhong University of Science and Technology Research Institute, Shenzhen, 518057, China.
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4
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Zhao Y, Ren L, Zhao T, You H, Miao Y, Liu H, Cao L, Wang B, Shen Y, Li Y, Tang D, Cheng Z. SCC3 is an axial element essential for homologous chromosome pairing and synapsis. eLife 2024; 13:RP94180. [PMID: 38864853 PMCID: PMC11168746 DOI: 10.7554/elife.94180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Cohesin is a multi-subunit protein that plays a pivotal role in holding sister chromatids together during cell division. Sister chromatid cohesion 3 (SCC3), constituents of cohesin complex, is highly conserved from yeast to mammals. Since the deletion of individual cohesin subunit always causes lethality, it is difficult to dissect its biological function in both mitosis and meiosis. Here, we obtained scc3 weak mutants using CRISPR-Cas9 system to explore its function during rice mitosis and meiosis. The scc3 weak mutants displayed obvious vegetative defects and complete sterility, underscoring the essential roles of SCC3 in both mitosis and meiosis. SCC3 is localized on chromatin from interphase to prometaphase in mitosis. However, in meiosis, SCC3 acts as an axial element during early prophase I and subsequently situates onto centromeric regions following the disassembly of the synaptonemal complex. The loading of SCC3 onto meiotic chromosomes depends on REC8. scc3 shows severe defects in homologous pairing and synapsis. Consequently, SCC3 functions as an axial element that is essential for maintaining homologous chromosome pairing and synapsis during meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangzi Zhao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou UniversityYangzhouChina
- State Key Lab of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Lijun Ren
- College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural UniversityShandongChina
| | - Tingting Zhao
- College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural UniversityShandongChina
| | - Hanli You
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou UniversityYangzhouChina
| | - Yongjie Miao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou UniversityYangzhouChina
| | - Huixin Liu
- State Key Lab of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Lei Cao
- State Key Lab of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Bingxin Wang
- State Key Lab of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Yi Shen
- State Key Lab of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Yafei Li
- State Key Lab of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Ding Tang
- State Key Lab of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Zhukuan Cheng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou UniversityYangzhouChina
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5
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Ishiguro KI. Mechanisms of meiosis initiation and meiotic prophase progression during spermatogenesis. Mol Aspects Med 2024; 97:101282. [PMID: 38797021 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2024.101282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Meiosis is a critical step for spermatogenesis and oogenesis. Meiosis commences with pre-meiotic S phase that is subsequently followed by meiotic prophase. The meiotic prophase is characterized by the meiosis-specific chromosomal events such as chromosome recombination and homolog synapsis. Meiosis initiator (MEIOSIN) and stimulated by retinoic acid gene 8 (STRA8) initiate meiosis by activating the meiotic genes by installing the meiotic prophase program at pre-meiotic S phase. This review highlights the mechanisms of meiotic initiation and meiotic prophase progression from the point of the gene expression program and its relevance to infertility. Furthermore, upstream pathways that regulate meiotic initiation will be discussed in the context of spermatogenic development, indicating the sexual differences in the mode of meiotic entry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kei-Ichiro Ishiguro
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics (IMEG), Kumamoto University, 2-2-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan.
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6
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Yin L, Jiang N, Li T, Zhang Y, Yuan S. Telomeric function and regulation during male meiosis in mice and humans. Andrology 2024. [PMID: 38511802 DOI: 10.1111/andr.13631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Telomeres are unique structures situated at the ends of chromosomes. Preserving the structure and function of telomeres is essential for maintaining genomic stability and promoting genetic diversity during male meiosis in mammals. MATERIAL-METHODS This review compiled recent literature on the function and regulation of telomeres during male meiosis in both mice and humans, and also highlighted the critical roles of telomeres in reproductive biology and medicine. RESULTS-DISCUSSION Various structures, consisting of the LINC complex (SUN-KASH), SPDYA-CDK2, TTM trimer (TERB1-TERB2-MAJIN), and shelterin, are critical in controlling telomeric activities, such as nuclear envelope attachment and bouquet formation. Other than telomere-related proteins, cohesins and genes responsible for regulating telomere function are also highlighted, though the exact mechanism remains unclear. The gene-mutant mouse models with meiotic defects directly reveal the essential roles of telomeres in male meiosis. Recently reported mutant genes associated with telomere activity in clinical practice have also been illustrated in detail. CONCLUSIONS Proper regulation of telomere activities is essential for male meiosis progression in mice and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisha Yin
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Nan Jiang
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Tao Li
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Youzhi Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Xianning Medical College, Hubei University of Science and Technology; Hubei Engineering Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine of South Hubei Province, Xianning, China
| | - Shuiqiao Yuan
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- Laboratory of Animal Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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7
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Liu N, Qiang W, Jordan P, Marko J, Qiao H. Cell-cycle and Age-Related Modulations in Mouse Chromosome Stiffness. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.06.583771. [PMID: 38559262 PMCID: PMC10979861 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.06.583771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The intricate structure of chromosomes is complex, and many aspects of chromosome configuration/organization remain to be fully understood. Measuring chromosome stiffness can provide valuable insights into their structure. However, the nature of chromosome stiffness, whether static or dynamic, remains elusive. In this study, we analyzed chromosome stiffness in MI and MII oocytes. We revealed that MI oocytes had a ten-fold increase in stiffness compared to mitotic chromosomes, whereas chromosome stiffness in MII oocytes was relatively low chromosome. We then investigated the contribution of meiosis-specific cohesin complexes to chromosome stiffness in MI and MII oocytes. Surprisingly, the Young's modulus of chromosomes from the three meiosis-specific cohesin mutants did not exhibit significant differences compared to the wild type, indicating that these proteins may not play a substantial role in determining chromosome stiffness. Additionally, our findings revealed an age-related increase in chromosome stiffness in MI oocytes. Age correlates with elevated DNA damage levels, so we investigated the impact of etoposide-induced DNA damage on chromosome stiffness, discovering a reduction in stiffness in response to such damage in MI oocytes. Overall, our study underscores the dynamic nature of chromosome stiffness, subject to changes influenced by the cell cycle and age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Liu
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Wenan Qiang
- Center for Developmental Therapeutics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Philip Jordan
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Departments, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - John Marko
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Huanyu Qiao
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
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8
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Ozturk S. Genetic variants underlying spermatogenic arrests in men with non-obstructive azoospermia. Cell Cycle 2023; 22:1021-1061. [PMID: 36740861 PMCID: PMC10081088 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2023.2171544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Spermatogenic arrest is a severe form of non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA), which occurs in 10-15% of infertile men. Interruption in spermatogenic progression at premeiotic, meiotic, or postmeiotic stage can lead to arrest in men with NOA. Recent studies have intensively focused on defining genetic variants underlying these spermatogenic arrests by making genome/exome sequencing. A number of variants were discovered in the genes involving in mitosis, meiosis, germline differentiation and other basic cellular events. Herein, defined variants in NOA cases with spermatogenic arrests and created knockout mouse models for the related genes are comprehensively reviewed. Also, importance of gene panel-based screening for NOA cases was discussed. Screening common variants in these infertile men with spermatogenic arrests may contribute to elucidating the molecular background and designing novel treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saffet Ozturk
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Akdeniz University School of Medicine, Antalya, Turkey
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9
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Xu H, Ding H, Zheng H. Murine fertility and spermatogenesis are independent of the testis-specific Spdye4a gene. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2023; 330:114148. [PMID: 36272447 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2022.114148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND While many testis-enriched genes have been identified as important regulators of the spermatogenic process, the specific roles played by several of these genes and their functional importance has yet to be fully clarified. METHODS We employed a CRISPR/Cas9 approach to introduce a 5 bp in-frame deletion within the Spdye4a gene (Exon 2) of C57BL/6 mice (Spdye4a-/-). Fertility and sperm counts were evaluated. Testes tissues and cell suspensions were analyzed via histological and immunofluorescence staining. mRNA and protein levels of candidate genes were assessed through qPCR and Western blotting. In vitro fertilization was used to assess the ability of sperm cells to bind to egg cells. RESULTS Spdye4a-/- mice did not exhibit any reduction in fertility, and exhibited comparable sperm counts, morphology and motility to those of wildtype littermates. Functionally, Spdye4a-/- sperm exhibited normal sperm-egg binding activity in vitro. Furthermore, the testes of Spdye4a-/- mice exhibited a full range of germ cells from spermatogonia to mature spermatozoa. No differences in the progression of meiotic prophase I were observed when comparing Spdye4a-/- and wildtype mice, indicating that the loss of Spdye4a had no adverse effect on spermatogenesis. DISCUSSION Spdye4a is dispensable in the context of mice fertility and spermatogenesis. This study will prevent other laboratories from expending repeated efforts to generate similar knockout mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongge Xu
- Department of Gynaecology, The Affiliated Huaian No. 1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huaian 223300, China
| | - Hongyan Ding
- Department of Gynaecology, The Affiliated Huaian No. 1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huaian 223300, China
| | - Haoyu Zheng
- Department of Gynaecology, The Affiliated Huaian No. 1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huaian 223300, China.
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10
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Yu H, Zhang L, He X, Zhang T, Wang C, Lu J, He X, Chen K, Gu W, Cheng S, Hu Y, Yao B, Jian A, Yu X, Zheng H, You S, Wang Q, Lei D, Jiang L, Zhao Z, Wan J. OsPHS1 is required for both male and female gamete development in rice. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 325:111480. [PMID: 36183810 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2022.111480] [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: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Meiosis plays an essential role in the production of male and female gametes. Extensive studies have elucidated that homologous chromosome association and pairing are essential for crossing-over and recombination of chromosomal segments. However, the molecular mechanism of chromosome recognition and pairing remains elusive. Here, we identified a rice male-female sterility mutant plant. Cytological observations showed that the development of both pollen and embryo sacs of the mutant were abnormal due to defects in homologous chromosome recognition and pairing during prophase I. Map-based cloning revealed that Os06g0473000 encoding a poor homologous synapsis 1 (PHS1) protein is the candidate target gene, which was confirmed by knockout using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. Sequence analysis revealed a single base mutation (G > A) involving the junction of the fourth exon and intron of OsPHS1, which is predicted to alter splicing, resulting in an Osphs1 mutant. Expression pattern analysis indicated that OsPHS1 expression levels were mainly expressed in panicles at the beginning of meiosis. Subcellular localization analysis demonstrated that the OsPHS1 protein is situated in the nucleus and cytoplasm. Taken together, our results suggest an important role for OsPHS1 in homologous chromosome pairing in both male and female gametogenesis in rice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Yu
- National Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Liping Zhang
- National Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Xiaojuan He
- National Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Taohui Zhang
- National Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Chaolong Wang
- National Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Jiayu Lu
- National Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Xiaodong He
- National Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Keyi Chen
- National Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Weihang Gu
- National Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Siqi Cheng
- National Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yang Hu
- National Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Bowen Yao
- National Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Anqi Jian
- National Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Xiaowen Yu
- National Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Hai Zheng
- National Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Shimin You
- National Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Qiming Wang
- National Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Dekun Lei
- National Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Ling Jiang
- National Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Zhigang Zhao
- National Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
| | - Jianmin Wan
- National Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; National Key Facility for Crop Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement, Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
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11
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Ectopic expression of meiotic cohesin generates chromosome instability in cancer cell line. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2204071119. [PMID: 36179046 PMCID: PMC9549395 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2204071119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
This work originated from mining of cancer genome data and proceeded to analyze the effects of ectopic expression of meiotic cohesins in mitotic cells in culture. In the process, apart from conclusively answering the question on mechanisms for RAD21L toxicity and its underrepresentation in tumor transcriptomes, we found an association of meiotic cohesin binding with BORIS/CTCFL sites in the normal testis. We also elucidated the patterns and outcomes of meiotic cohesin binding to chromosomes in model cell lines. Furthermore, we uncovered that RAD21L-based meiotic cohesin possesses a self-contained chromosome restructuring activity able to trigger sustainable but imperfect mitotic arrest leading to chromosomal instability. The discovered epigenomic and genetic mechanisms can be relevant to chromosome instability in cancer. Many tumors express meiotic genes that could potentially drive somatic chromosome instability. While germline cohesin subunits SMC1B, STAG3, and REC8 are widely expressed in many cancers, messenger RNA and protein for RAD21L subunit are expressed at very low levels. To elucidate the potential of meiotic cohesins to contribute to genome instability, their expression was investigated in human cell lines, predominately in DLD-1. While the induction of the REC8 complex resulted in a mild mitotic phenotype, the expression of the RAD21L complex produced an arrested but viable cell pool, thus providing a source of DNA damage, mitotic chromosome missegregation, sporadic polyteny, and altered gene expression. We also found that genomic binding profiles of ectopically expressed meiotic cohesin complexes were reminiscent of their corresponding specific binding patterns in testis. Furthermore, meiotic cohesins were found to localize to the same sites as BORIS/CTCFL, rather than CTCF sites normally associated with the somatic cohesin complex. These findings highlight the existence of a germline epigenomic memory that is conserved in cells that normally do not express meiotic genes. Our results reveal a mechanism of action by unduly expressed meiotic cohesins that potentially links them to aneuploidy and chromosomal mutations in affected cells.
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Cao L, Li C, Li H, Wang Z, Jiang Y, Guo Y, Sun P, Chen X, Li Q, Tian H, Li Z, Yuan L, Shen J. Disruption of REC8 in Meiosis I led to watermelon seedless. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 323:111394. [PMID: 35905897 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2022.111394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In triploid watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), the homologous chromosomes of germ cells are disorder during meiosis, resulting in the failure of seeds formation and producing seedless fruit. Therefore, mutating the genes specifically functioning in meiosis may be an alternative way to achieve seedless watermelon. REC8, as a key component of the cohesin complex in meiosis, is dramatically essential for sister chromatid cohesion and chromosome segregation. However, the role of REC8 in meiosis has not yet been characterized in watermelon. Here, we identified ClREC8 as a member of RAD21/REC8 family with a high expression in male and female flowers of watermelon. In situ hybridization analysis showed that ClREC8 was highly expressed at the early stage of meiosis during pollen formation. Knocking out ClREC8 in watermelon led to decline of pollen vitality. After pollinating with foreign normal pollen, the ovaries of ClREC8 knockout lines could inflate normally but failed to form seeds. We further compared the meiosis chromosomes of pollen mother cells in different stages between the knockout lines and the corresponding wild type. The results indicated that ClREC8 was required for the monopolar orientation of the sister kinetochores in Meiosis I. Additionally, transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis between WT and the knockout lines revealed that the disruption of ClREC8 caused the expression levels of mitosis-related genes and meiosis-related genes to decrease. Our results demonstrated ClREC8 has a specific role in Meiosis I of watermelon germ cells, and loss-of-function of the ClREC8 led to seedless fruit, which may provide an alternative strategy to breed cultivars with seedless watermelon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihong Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
| | - Chuang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
| | - Hewei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
| | - Zheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
| | - Yanxin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
| | - Yalu Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
| | - Piaoyun Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
| | - Xi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
| | - Qingqing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
| | - Haoran Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
| | - Zheng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
| | - Li Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
| | - Junjun Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
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13
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FertilityOnline: A Straightforward Pipeline for Functional Gene Annotation and Disease Mutation Discovery. GENOMICS, PROTEOMICS & BIOINFORMATICS 2022; 20:455-465. [PMID: 34954426 PMCID: PMC9801063 DOI: 10.1016/j.gpb.2021.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Exploring the genetic basis of human infertility is currently under intensive investigation. However, only a handful of genes have been validated in animal models as disease-causing genes in infertile men. Thus, to better understand the genetic basis of human spermatogenesis and bridge the knowledge gap between humans and other animal species, we construct the FertilityOnline, a database integrating the literature-curated functional genes during spermatogenesis into an existing spermatogenic database, SpermatogenesisOnline 1.0. Additional features, including the functional annotation and genetic variants of human genes, are also incorporated into FertilityOnline. By searching this database, users can browse the functional genes involved in spermatogenesis and instantly narrow down the number of candidates of genetic mutations underlying male infertility in a user-friendly web interface. Clinical application of this database was exampled by the identification of novel causative mutations in synaptonemal complex central element protein 1 (SYCE1) and stromal antigen 3 (STAG3) in azoospermic men. In conclusion, FertilityOnline is not only an integrated resource for spermatogenic genes but also a useful tool facilitating the exploration of the genetic basis of male infertility. FertilityOnline can be freely accessed at http://mcg.ustc.edu.cn/bsc/spermgenes2.0/index.html.
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14
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Alberico H, Fleischmann Z, Bobbitt T, Takai Y, Ishihara O, Seki H, Anderson RA, Telfer EE, Woods DC, Tilly JL. Workflow Optimization for Identification of Female Germline or Oogonial Stem Cells in Human Ovarian Cortex Using Single-Cell RNA Sequence Analysis. Stem Cells 2022; 40:523-536. [PMID: 35263439 PMCID: PMC9199849 DOI: 10.1093/stmcls/sxac015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In 2004, the identification of female germline or oogonial stem cells (OSCs) that can support post-natal oogenesis in ovaries of adult mice sparked a major paradigm shift in reproductive biology. Although these findings have been independently verified, and further extended to include identification of OSCs in adult ovaries of many species ranging from pigs and cows to non-human primates and humans, a recent study rooted in single-cell RNA sequence analysis (scRNA-seq) of adult human ovarian cortical tissue claimed that OSCs do not exist, and that other groups working with OSCs following isolation by magnetic-assisted or fluorescence-activated cell sorting have mistaken perivascular cells (PVCs) for germ cells. Here we report that rare germ lineage cells with a gene expression profile matched to OSCs but distinct from that of other cells, including oocytes and PVCs, can be identified in adult human ovarian cortical tissue by scRNA-seq after optimization of analytical workflow parameters. Deeper cell-by-cell expression profiling also uncovered evidence of germ cells undergoing meiosis-I in adult human ovaries. Lastly, we show that, if not properly controlled for, PVCs can be inadvertently isolated during flow cytometry protocols designed to sort OSCs because of inherently high cellular autofluorescence. However, human PVCs and human germ cells segregate into distinct clusters following scRNA-seq due to non-overlapping gene expression profiles, which would preclude the mistaken identification and use of PVCs as OSCs during functional characterization studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Alberico
- Laboratory of Aging and Infertility Research, Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Zoë Fleischmann
- Laboratory of Aging and Infertility Research, Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Tyler Bobbitt
- Laboratory of Aging and Infertility Research, Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Yasushi Takai
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, Saitama 350-0495, Japan
| | - Osamu Ishihara
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, Saitama 350-0495, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Seki
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical University, Saitama 350-0495, Japan
| | - Richard A Anderson
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, Queens Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH14 1DJ, UK
| | - Evelyn E Telfer
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH14 1DJ, UK
| | - Dori C Woods
- Laboratory of Aging and Infertility Research, Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jonathan L Tilly
- Laboratory of Aging and Infertility Research, Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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15
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Novel STAG3 variant associated with primary ovarian insufficiency and non-obstructive azoospermia in an Iranian consanguineous family. Gene 2022; 821:146281. [PMID: 35176428 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.146281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) and primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) present the most severe forms of male and female infertility. In the last decade, the increasing use of whole exome sequencing (WES) in genomics studies of these conditions has led to the introduction of a number of novel genes and variants especially in meiotic genes with restricted expression to gonads. In this study, exome sequencing of a consanguineous Iranian family with one POI and two NOA cases in three siblings showed that all three patients were double homozygous for a novel in-frame deletion and a novel missense variant in STAG3 (NM_001282717.1:c.1942G > A: p.Ala648Thr; NM_001282717.1:c.1951_1953del: p. Leu652del). Both variants occur within a short proximity of each other affecting the relatively conserved armadillo-type fold superfamily feature. STAG3 is a specific meiotic cohesin complex component that interacts with the α-kleisin subunit through this feature. Protein homology modeling indicated that the in-frame deletion destabilizes kleisin biding by STAG3. Although the missense variant did not seem to affect the binding significantly, protein homology modeling suggests that it further destabilizes kleisin binding when in double homozygous state with the deletion. Our findings are in line with several other studies having associated deleterious variants affecting this region with male and female infertility in humans and mouse models. This is the first report associating an in-frame STAG3 variant with NOA and POI in a single family. SUMMARY SENTENCE: A patient with primary ovarian failure and her two brothers with non-obstructive azoospermia were double homozygous for a novel in-frame deletion and a novel missense variant in STAG3 that potentially disrupt the protein's meiotic functions.
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Sakuno T, Tashiro S, Tanizawa H, Iwasaki O, Ding DQ, Haraguchi T, Noma KI, Hiraoka Y. Rec8 Cohesin-mediated Axis-loop chromatin architecture is required for meiotic recombination. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:3799-3816. [PMID: 35333350 PMCID: PMC9023276 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
During meiotic prophase, cohesin-dependent axial structures are formed in the synaptonemal complex (SC). However, the functional correlation between these structures and cohesion remains elusive. Here, we examined the formation of cohesin-dependent axial structures in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. This organism forms atypical SCs composed of linear elements (LinEs) resembling the lateral elements of SC but lacking the transverse filaments. Hi-C analysis using a highly synchronous population of meiotic S. pombe cells revealed that the axis-loop chromatin structure formed in meiotic prophase was dependent on the Rec8 cohesin complex. In contrast, the Rec8-mediated formation of the axis-loop structure occurred in cells lacking components of LinEs. To dissect the functions of Rec8, we identified a rec8-F204S mutant that lost the ability to assemble the axis-loop structure without losing cohesion of sister chromatids. This mutant showed defects in the formation of the axis-loop structure and LinE assembly and thus exhibited reduced meiotic recombination. Collectively, our results demonstrate that the Rec8-dependent axis-loop structure provides a structural platform essential for LinE assembly, facilitating meiotic recombination of homologous chromosomes, independently of its role in sister chromatid cohesion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Sakuno
- Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Japan
| | - Sanki Tashiro
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Hideki Tanizawa
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Osamu Iwasaki
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Da-Qiao Ding
- Advanced ICT Research Institute Kobe, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Kobe 651-2492, Japan
| | - Tokuko Haraguchi
- Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Japan
| | - Ken-ichi Noma
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
- Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0815, Japan
| | - Yasushi Hiraoka
- Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Japan
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17
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Choi EH, Yoon S, Koh YE, Hong TK, Do JT, Lee BK, Hahn Y, Kim KP. Meiosis-specific cohesin complexes display essential and distinct roles in mitotic embryonic stem cell chromosomes. Genome Biol 2022; 23:70. [PMID: 35241136 PMCID: PMC8892811 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-022-02632-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cohesin is a chromosome-associated SMC-kleisin complex that mediates sister chromatid cohesion, recombination, and most chromosomal processes during mitosis and meiosis. However, it remains unclear whether meiosis-specific cohesin complexes are functionally active in mitotic chromosomes. RESULTS Through high-resolution 3D-structured illumination microscopy (3D-SIM) and functional analyses, we report multiple biological processes associated with the meiosis-specific cohesin components, α-kleisin REC8 and STAG3, and the distinct loss of function of meiotic cohesin during the cell cycle of embryonic stem cells (ESCs). First, we show that STAG3 is required for the efficient localization of REC8 to the nucleus by interacting with REC8. REC8-STAG3-containing cohesin regulates topological properties of chromosomes and maintains sister chromatid cohesion. Second, REC8-cohesin has additional sister chromatid cohesion roles in concert with mitotic RAD21-cohesin on ESC chromosomes. SIM imaging of REC8 and RAD21 co-staining revealed that the two types of α-kleisin subunits exhibited distinct loading patterns along ESC chromosomes. Third, knockdown of REC8 or RAD21-cohesin not only leads to higher rates of premature sister chromatid separation and delayed replication fork progression, which can cause proliferation and developmental defects, but also enhances chromosome compaction by hyperloading of retinoblastoma protein-condensin complexes from the prophase onward. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that the delicate balance between mitotic and meiotic cohesins may regulate ESC-specific chromosomal organization and the mitotic program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eui-Hwan Choi
- Department of Life Sciences, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 06974, South Korea
| | - Seobin Yoon
- Department of Life Sciences, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 06974, South Korea
| | - Young Eun Koh
- Department of Life Sciences, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 06974, South Korea
| | - Tae Kyung Hong
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biotechnology, Konkuk Institute of Technology, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029, South Korea
| | - Jeong Tae Do
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biotechnology, Konkuk Institute of Technology, Konkuk University, Seoul, 05029, South Korea
| | - Bum-Kyu Lee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cancer Research Center, University of Albany-State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, USA
| | - Yoonsoo Hahn
- Department of Life Sciences, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 06974, South Korea
| | - Keun P Kim
- Department of Life Sciences, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 06974, South Korea.
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18
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Shang Y, Tan T, Fan C, Nie H, Wang Y, Yang X, Zhai B, Wang S, Zhang L. Meiotic chromosome organization and crossover patterns. Biol Reprod 2022; 107:275-288. [PMID: 35191959 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioac040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Meiosis is the foundation of sexual reproduction, and crossover recombination is one hallmark of meiosis. Crossovers establish the physical connections between homolog chromosomes (homologs) for their proper segregation and exchange DNA between homologs to promote genetic diversity in gametes and thus progenies. Aberrant crossover patterns, e.g. absence of the obligatory crossover, are the leading cause of infertility, miscarriage, and congenital disease. Therefore, crossover patterns have to be tightly controlled. During meiosis, loop/axis organized chromosomes provide the structural basis and regulatory machinery for crossover patterning. Accumulating evidence shows that chromosome axis length regulates not only the numbers but also the positions of crossovers. In addition, recent studies suggest that alterations in axis length and the resultant alterations in crossover frequency may contribute to evolutionary adaptation. Here, current advances regarding these issues are reviewed, the possible mechanisms for axis length regulating crossover frequency are discussed, and important issues that need further investigations are suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongliang Shang
- Advanced Medical Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Taicong Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, China
| | - Cunxian Fan
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology of Shandong Province, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, Shandong, 250014, China
| | - Hui Nie
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology of Shandong Province, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, Shandong, 250014, China
| | - Ying Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, China
| | - Xiao Yang
- Advanced Medical Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China.,Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University
| | - Binyuan Zhai
- Advanced Medical Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Shunxin Wang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shandong University.,National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, Jinan, Shandong 250001, China.,Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Liangran Zhang
- Advanced Medical Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China.,Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology of Shandong Province, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, Shandong, 250014, China
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19
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Sakuno T, Hiraoka Y. Rec8 Cohesin: A Structural Platform for Shaping the Meiotic Chromosomes. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:200. [PMID: 35205245 PMCID: PMC8871791 DOI: 10.3390/genes13020200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Meiosis is critically different from mitosis in that during meiosis, pairing and segregation of homologous chromosomes occur. During meiosis, the morphology of sister chromatids changes drastically, forming a prominent axial structure in the synaptonemal complex. The meiosis-specific cohesin complex plays a central role in the regulation of the processes required for recombination. In particular, the Rec8 subunit of the meiotic cohesin complex, which is conserved in a wide range of eukaryotes, has been analyzed for its function in modulating chromosomal architecture during the pairing and recombination of homologous chromosomes in meiosis. Here, we review the current understanding of Rec8 cohesin as a structural platform for meiotic chromosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yasushi Hiraoka
- Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Japan;
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20
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Xie C, Wang W, Tu C, Meng L, Lu G, Lin G, Lu LY, Tan YQ. OUP accepted manuscript. Hum Reprod Update 2022; 28:763-797. [PMID: 35613017 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmac024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Chunbo Xie
- Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, China
| | - Weili Wang
- Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Chaofeng Tu
- Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Lanlan Meng
- Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, China
| | - Guangxiu Lu
- Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Ge Lin
- Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Lin-Yu Lu
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics (Ministry of Education) and Women's Reproductive Health Laboratory of Zhejiang Province, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yue-Qiu Tan
- Institute of Reproduction and Stem Cell Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya, Changsha, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
- College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
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21
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Ishiguro KI, Shimada R. MEIOSIN directs initiation of meiosis and subsequent meiotic prophase program during spermatogenesis. Genes Genet Syst 2021; 97:27-39. [PMID: 34955498 DOI: 10.1266/ggs.21-00054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Meiosis is a crucial process for spermatogenesis and oogenesis. Initiation of meiosis coincides with spermatocyte differentiation and is followed by meiotic prophase, a prolonged G2 phase that ensures the completion of numerous meiosis-specific chromosome events. During meiotic prophase, chromosomes are organized into axis-loop structures, which underlie meiosis-specific events such as meiotic recombination and homolog synapsis. In spermatocytes, meiotic prophase is accompanied by robust alterations of gene expression programs and chromatin status for subsequent sperm production. The mechanisms regulating meiotic initiation and subsequent meiotic prophase programs are enigmatic. Recently, we discovered MEIOSIN (Meiosis initiator), a DNA-binding protein that directs the switch from mitosis to meiosis. This review mainly focuses on how MEIOSIN is involved in meiotic initiation and the meiotic prophase program during spermatogenesis. Further, we discuss the downstream genes activated by MEIOSIN, which are crucial for meiotic prophase-specific events, from the viewpoint of chromosome dynamics and the gene expression program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kei-Ichiro Ishiguro
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics (IMEG), Kumamoto University
| | - Ryuki Shimada
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics (IMEG), Kumamoto University
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22
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The Use of Machine Learning to Create a Risk Score to Predict Survival in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A TCGA Cohort Analysis. Can J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2021; 2021:5212953. [PMID: 34888264 PMCID: PMC8651371 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5212953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for approximately 90% of primary liver malignancies and is currently the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Due to varying underlying etiologies, the prognosis of HCC differs greatly among patients. It is important to develop ways to help stratify patients upon initial diagnosis to provide optimal treatment modalities and follow-up plans. The current study uses Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Classification Tree Analysis (CTA) to create a gene signature score that can help predict survival in patients with HCC. METHODS The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA-LIHC) was analyzed for differentially expressed genes. Clinicopathological data were obtained from cBioPortal. ANN analysis of the 75 most significant genes predicting disease-free survival (DFS) was performed. Next, CTA results were used for creation of the scoring system. Cox regression was performed to identify the prognostic value of the scoring system. RESULTS 363 patients diagnosed with HCC were analyzed in this study. ANN provided 15 genes with normalized importance >50%. CTA resulted in a set of three genes (NRM, STAG3, and SNHG20). Patients were then divided in to 4 groups based on the CTA tree cutoff values. The Kaplan-Meier analysis showed significantly reduced DFS in groups 1, 2, and 3 (median DFS: 29.7 months, 16.1 months, and 11.7 months, p < 0.01) compared to group 0 (median not reached). Similar results were observed when overall survival (OS) was analyzed. On multivariate Cox regression, higher scores were associated with significantly shorter DFS (1 point: HR 2.57 (1.38-4.80), 2 points: 3.91 (2.11-7.24), and 3 points: 5.09 (2.70-9.58), p < 0.01). CONCLUSION Long-term outcomes of patients with HCC can be predicted using a simplified scoring system based on tumor mRNA gene expression levels. This tool could assist clinicians and researchers in identifying patients at increased risks for recurrence to tailor specific treatment and follow-up strategies for individual patients.
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Wu SC, Münger K. Role and Clinical Utility of Cancer/Testis Antigens in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13225690. [PMID: 34830845 PMCID: PMC8616139 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13225690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer/testis (CT) antigens exhibit selective expression predominantly in immunoprivileged tissues in non-pathological contexts but are aberrantly expressed in diverse cancers. Due to their expression pattern, they have historically been attractive targets for immunotherapies. A growing number of studies implicate CT antigens in almost all hallmarks of cancer, suggesting that they may act as cancer drivers. CT antigens are expressed in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. However, their role in the pathogenesis of these cancers remains poorly studied. Given that CT antigens hold intriguing potential as therapeutic targets and as biomarkers for prognosis and that they can provide novel insights into oncogenic mechanisms, their further study in the context of head and squamous cell carcinoma is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon Changshan Wu
- Molecular Microbiology Program, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA;
| | - Karl Münger
- Department of Developmental, Molecular, and Chemical Biology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA
- Correspondence:
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24
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Mellone S, Zavattaro M, Vurchio D, Ronzani S, Caputo M, Leone I, Prodam F, Giordano M. A Long Contiguous Stretch of Homozygosity Disclosed a Novel STAG3 Biallelic Pathogenic Variant Causing Primary Ovarian Insufficiency: A Case Report and Review of the Literature. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12111709. [PMID: 34828315 PMCID: PMC8622734 DOI: 10.3390/genes12111709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) refers to an etiologically heterogeneous disorder characterized by hypergonadotropic hypogonadism that represents a major cause of infertility in women under 40 years of age. Most cases are apparently sporadic, but about 10–15% have an affected first-degree relative, indicating a genetic etiology. Pathogenic variations in genes involved in development, meiosis and hormonal signaling have been detected in the hereditary form of the disorder. However, most cases of POI remain unsolved even after exhaustive investigation. A 19-year-old Senegalese female affected by non-syndromic POI presented with primary amenorrhoea and answered well to the hormonal induction of puberty. In order to investigate the presence of a genetic defect, aCGH-SNP analysis was performed. A 13.5 Mb long contiguous stretch of homozygosity (LCSH) was identified on chromosome 7q21.13-q22.1 where the exome sequencing revealed a novel homozygous 4-bp deletion (c.3381_3384delAGAA) in STAG3. Pathogenic variants in this gene, encoding for a meiosis-specific protein, have been previously reported as the cause of POI in only eight families and recently as the cause of infertility in a male. The here-identified mutation leads to the truncation of the last 55 amino acids, confirming the important role in meiosis of the STAG3 C-terminal domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Mellone
- Laboratory of Genetics, SCDU Biochimica Clinica, Ospedale Maggiore della Carità, 28100 Novara, Italy;
| | - Marco Zavattaro
- Endocrinology, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Eastern Piedmont, 13100 Novara, Italy; (M.Z.); (M.C.); (I.L.); (F.P.)
| | - Denise Vurchio
- Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont, 13100 Novara, Italy; (D.V.); (S.R.)
| | - Sara Ronzani
- Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont, 13100 Novara, Italy; (D.V.); (S.R.)
| | - Marina Caputo
- Endocrinology, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Eastern Piedmont, 13100 Novara, Italy; (M.Z.); (M.C.); (I.L.); (F.P.)
- Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont, 13100 Novara, Italy; (D.V.); (S.R.)
| | - Ilaria Leone
- Endocrinology, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Eastern Piedmont, 13100 Novara, Italy; (M.Z.); (M.C.); (I.L.); (F.P.)
| | - Flavia Prodam
- Endocrinology, Department of Translational Medicine, University of Eastern Piedmont, 13100 Novara, Italy; (M.Z.); (M.C.); (I.L.); (F.P.)
- Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont, 13100 Novara, Italy; (D.V.); (S.R.)
| | - Mara Giordano
- Laboratory of Genetics, SCDU Biochimica Clinica, Ospedale Maggiore della Carità, 28100 Novara, Italy;
- Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont, 13100 Novara, Italy; (D.V.); (S.R.)
- Correspondence:
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25
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Pajpach F, Wu T, Shearwin-Whyatt L, Jones K, Grützner F. Flavors of Non-Random Meiotic Segregation of Autosomes and Sex Chromosomes. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12091338. [PMID: 34573322 PMCID: PMC8471020 DOI: 10.3390/genes12091338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Segregation of chromosomes is a multistep process occurring both at mitosis and meiosis to ensure that daughter cells receive a complete set of genetic information. Critical components in the chromosome segregation include centromeres, kinetochores, components of sister chromatid and homologous chromosomes cohesion, microtubule organizing centres, and spindles. Based on the cytological work in the grasshopper Brachystola, it has been accepted for decades that segregation of homologs at meiosis is fundamentally random. This ensures that alleles on chromosomes have equal chance to be transmitted to progeny. At the same time mechanisms of meiotic drive and an increasing number of other examples of non-random segregation of autosomes and sex chromosomes provide insights into the underlying mechanisms of chromosome segregation but also question the textbook dogma of random chromosome segregation. Recent advances provide a better understanding of meiotic drive as a prominent force where cellular and chromosomal changes allow autosomes to bias their segregation. Less understood are mechanisms explaining observations that autosomal heteromorphism may cause biased segregation and regulate alternating segregation of multiple sex chromosome systems or translocation heterozygotes as an extreme case of non-random segregation. We speculate that molecular and cytological mechanisms of non-random segregation might be common in these cases and that there might be a continuous transition between random and non-random segregation which may play a role in the evolution of sexually antagonistic genes and sex chromosome evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filip Pajpach
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; (F.P.); (L.S.-W.)
| | - Tianyu Wu
- Department of Central Laboratory, Clinical Laboratory, Jing’an District Centre Hospital of Shanghai and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China;
| | - Linda Shearwin-Whyatt
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; (F.P.); (L.S.-W.)
| | - Keith Jones
- Genome Damage and Stability Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9RH, UK;
| | - Frank Grützner
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; (F.P.); (L.S.-W.)
- Correspondence:
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26
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Beverley R, Snook ML, Brieño-Enríquez MA. Meiotic Cohesin and Variants Associated With Human Reproductive Aging and Disease. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:710033. [PMID: 34409039 PMCID: PMC8365356 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.710033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Successful human reproduction relies on the well-orchestrated development of competent gametes through the process of meiosis. The loading of cohesin, a multi-protein complex, is a key event in the initiation of mammalian meiosis. Establishment of sister chromatid cohesion via cohesin rings is essential for ensuring homologous recombination-mediated DNA repair and future proper chromosome segregation. Cohesin proteins loaded during female fetal life are not replenished over time, and therefore are a potential etiology of age-related aneuploidy in oocytes resulting in decreased fecundity and increased infertility and miscarriage rates with advancing maternal age. Herein, we provide a brief overview of meiotic cohesin and summarize the human genetic studies which have identified genetic variants of cohesin proteins and the associated reproductive phenotypes including primary ovarian insufficiency, trisomy in offspring, and non-obstructive azoospermia. The association of cohesion defects with cancer predisposition and potential impact on aging are also described. Expansion of genetic testing within clinical medicine, with a focus on cohesin protein-related genes, may provide additional insight to previously unknown etiologies of disorders contributing to gamete exhaustion in females, and infertility and reproductive aging in both men and women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Beverley
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Meredith L Snook
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Miguel Angel Brieño-Enríquez
- Magee-Womens Research Institute, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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27
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Cooke PS, Walker WH. Male fertility in mice requires classical and nonclassical androgen signaling. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109557. [PMID: 34407397 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Molecular mechanisms by which androgens signal through the androgen receptor (AR) to maintain male fertility are poorly understood. Transgenic mice were produced expressing mutant ARs that can only (1) alter gene transcription through the classical response pathway (AR-C) or (2) activate kinase signaling cascades via the nonclassical pathway (AR-NC). AR-C is sufficient to produce sperm and fertility. Haploid germ cell production, the blood-testis barrier, and spermatid migration are supported by AR-NC. Gene expression essential for chromosome synapsis during meiosis requires AR-C. We identify targets of androgen signaling required for male fertility and provide a mechanistic explanation for meiotic germ cell arrest in the absence of androgen signaling. Prostate differentiation occurs with AR-C alone, but full development requires synergistic nonclassical signaling. Both AR signaling pathways are necessary for normal male reproductive tract development and function, validating our mouse models for studies of AR functions in other target tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul S Cooke
- Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - William H Walker
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Magee-Womens Research Institute, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
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28
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Xu Y, Qiao H. A Hypothesis: Linking Phase Separation to Meiotic Sex Chromosome Inactivation and Sex-Body Formation. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:674203. [PMID: 34485277 PMCID: PMC8415632 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.674203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
During meiotic prophase I, X and Y chromosomes in mammalian spermatocytes only stably pair at a small homologous region called the pseudoautosomal region (PAR). However, the rest of the sex chromosomes remain largely unsynapsed. The extensive asynapsis triggers transcriptional silencing - meiotic sex chromosome inactivation (MSCI). Along with MSCI, a special nuclear territory, sex body or XY body, forms. In the early steps of MSCI, DNA damage response (DDR) factors, such as BRCA1, ATR, and γH2AX, function as sensors and effectors of the silencing signals. Downstream canonical repressive histone modifications, including methylation, acetylation, ubiquitylation, and SUMOylation, are responsible for the transcriptional repression of the sex chromosomes. Nevertheless, mechanisms of the sex-body formation remain unclear. Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) may drive the formation of several chromatin subcompartments, such as pericentric heterochromatin, nucleoli, inactive X chromosomes. Although several proteins involved in phase separation are found in the sex bodies, when and whether these proteins exert functions in the sex-body formation and MSCI is still unknown. Here, we reviewed recent publications on the mechanisms of MSCI and LLPS, pointed out the potential link between LLPS and the formation of sex bodies, and discussed its implications for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Huanyu Qiao
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
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29
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Sun B, Yeh J. Onco-fertility and personalized testing for potential for loss of ovarian reserve in patients undergoing chemotherapy: proposed next steps for development of genetic testing to predict changes in ovarian reserve. FERTILITY RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2021; 7:13. [PMID: 34193292 PMCID: PMC8244159 DOI: 10.1186/s40738-021-00105-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Women of reproductive age undergoing chemotherapy face the risk of irreversible ovarian insufficiency. Current methods of ovarian reserve testing do not accurately predict future reproductive potential for patients undergoing chemotherapy. Genetic markers that more accurately predict the reproductive potential of each patient undergoing chemotherapy would be critical tools that would be useful for evidence-based fertility preservation counselling. To assess the possible approaches to take to develop personalized genetic testing for these patients, we review current literature regarding mechanisms of ovarian damage due to chemotherapy and genetic variants associated with both the damage mechanisms and primary ovarian insufficiency. The medical literature point to a number of genetic variants associated with mechanisms of ovarian damage and primary ovarian insufficiency. Those variants that appear at a higher frequency, with known pathways, may be considered as potential genetic markers for predictive ovarian reserve testing. We propose developing personalized testing of the potential for loss of ovarian function for patients with cancer, prior to chemotherapy treatment. There are advantages of using genetic markers complementary to the current ovarian reserve markers of AMH, antral follicle count and day 3 FSH as predictors of preservation of fertility after chemotherapy. Genetic markers will help identify upstream pathways leading to high risk of ovarian failure not detected by present clinical markers. Their predictive value is mechanism-based and will encourage research towards understanding the multiple pathways contributing to ovarian failure after chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bei Sun
- Sackler School of Medicine, New York State/American Program of Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - John Yeh
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, UMass Memorial Medical Center, 119 Belmont Street, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA.
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30
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Grey C, de Massy B. Chromosome Organization in Early Meiotic Prophase. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:688878. [PMID: 34150782 PMCID: PMC8209517 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.688878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the most fascinating aspects of meiosis is the extensive reorganization of the genome at the prophase of the first meiotic division (prophase I). The first steps of this reorganization are observed with the establishment of an axis structure, that connects sister chromatids, from which emanate arrays of chromatin loops. This axis structure, called the axial element, consists of various proteins, such as cohesins, HORMA-domain proteins, and axial element proteins. In many organisms, axial elements are required to set the stage for efficient sister chromatid cohesion and meiotic recombination, necessary for the recognition of the homologous chromosomes. Here, we review the different actors involved in axial element formation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and in mouse. We describe the current knowledge of their localization pattern during prophase I, their functional interdependence, their role in sister chromatid cohesion, loop axis formation, homolog pairing before meiotic recombination, and recombination. We also address further challenges that need to be resolved, to fully understand the interplay between the chromosome structure and the different molecular steps that take place in early prophase I, which lead to the successful outcome of meiosis I.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinne Grey
- Institut de Génétique Humaine, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Bernard de Massy
- Institut de Génétique Humaine, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
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31
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Wang X, Pepling ME. Regulation of Meiotic Prophase One in Mammalian Oocytes. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:667306. [PMID: 34095134 PMCID: PMC8172968 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.667306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
In female mammals, meiotic prophase one begins during fetal development. Oocytes transition through the prophase one substages consisting of leptotene, zygotene, and pachytene, and are finally arrested at the diplotene substage, for months in mice and years in humans. After puberty, luteinizing hormone induces ovulation and meiotic resumption in a cohort of oocytes, driving the progression from meiotic prophase one to metaphase two. If fertilization occurs, the oocyte completes meiosis two followed by fusion with the sperm nucleus and preparation for zygotic divisions; otherwise, it is passed into the uterus and degenerates. Specifically in the mouse, oocytes enter meiosis at 13.5 days post coitum. As meiotic prophase one proceeds, chromosomes find their homologous partner, synapse, exchange genetic material between homologs and then begin to separate, remaining connected at recombination sites. At postnatal day 5, most of the oocytes have reached the late diplotene (or dictyate) substage of prophase one where they remain arrested until ovulation. This review focuses on events and mechanisms controlling the progression through meiotic prophase one, which include recombination, synapsis and control by signaling pathways. These events are prerequisites for proper chromosome segregation in meiotic divisions; and if they go awry, chromosomes mis-segregate resulting in aneuploidy. Therefore, elucidating the mechanisms regulating meiotic progression is important to provide a foundation for developing improved treatments of female infertility.
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32
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Wike CL, Guo Y, Tan M, Nakamura R, Shaw DK, Díaz N, Whittaker-Tademy AF, Durand NC, Aiden EL, Vaquerizas JM, Grunwald D, Takeda H, Cairns BR. Chromatin architecture transitions from zebrafish sperm through early embryogenesis. Genome Res 2021; 31:981-994. [PMID: 34006569 PMCID: PMC8168589 DOI: 10.1101/gr.269860.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Chromatin architecture mapping in 3D formats has increased our understanding of how regulatory sequences and gene expression are connected and regulated in a genome. The 3D chromatin genome shows extensive remodeling during embryonic development, and although the cleavage-stage embryos of most species lack structure before zygotic genome activation (pre-ZGA), zebrafish has been reported to have structure. Here, we aimed to determine the chromosomal architecture in paternal/sperm zebrafish gamete cells to discern whether it either resembles or informs early pre-ZGA zebrafish embryo chromatin architecture. First, we assessed the higher-order architecture through advanced low-cell in situ Hi-C. The structure of zebrafish sperm, packaged by histones, lacks topological associated domains and instead displays “hinge-like” domains of ∼150 kb that repeat every 1–2 Mbs, suggesting a condensed repeating structure resembling mitotic chromosomes. The pre-ZGA embryos lacked chromosomal structure, in contrast to prior work, and only developed structure post-ZGA. During post-ZGA, we find chromatin architecture beginning to form at small contact domains of a median length of ∼90 kb. These small contact domains are established at enhancers, including super-enhancers, and chemical inhibition of Ep300a (p300) and Crebbpa (CBP) activity, lowering histone H3K27ac, but not transcription inhibition, diminishes these contacts. Together, this study reveals hinge-like domains in histone-packaged zebrafish sperm chromatin and determines that the initial formation of high-order chromatin architecture in zebrafish embryos occurs after ZGA primarily at enhancers bearing high H3K27ac.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candice L Wike
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Oncological Sciences and Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
| | - Yixuan Guo
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Oncological Sciences and Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
| | - Mengyao Tan
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Oncological Sciences and Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
| | - Ryohei Nakamura
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Dana Klatt Shaw
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
| | - Noelia Díaz
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, 48149 Muenster, Germany
| | - Aneasha F Whittaker-Tademy
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Oncological Sciences and Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
| | - Neva C Durand
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Erez Lieberman Aiden
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.,Department of Computer Science, Department of Computational and Applied Mathematics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, USA.,Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Juan M Vaquerizas
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, 48149 Muenster, Germany.,MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom.,Institute of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, United Kingdom
| | - David Grunwald
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
| | - Hiroyuki Takeda
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Bradley R Cairns
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Oncological Sciences and Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
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33
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Analysis of STAG3 variants in Chinese non-obstructive azoospermia patients with germ cell maturation arrest. Sci Rep 2021; 11:10077. [PMID: 33980954 PMCID: PMC8115624 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89559-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
STAG3 is essential for male meiosis and testis of male Stag3-/- mice shows the histopathological type of germ cell maturation arrest (MA). Whether variants of the STAG3 gene exist in Chinese idiopathic non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) patients needs to be determined. We recruited 58 Chinese NOA men with MA who underwent testis biopsy and 192 fertile men as the control group. The 34 exons of the STAG3 gene were amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced. We identified eight novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), including two missense SNPs (c.433T > C in exon2 and c.553A > G in exon3), three synonymous SNPs (c.539G > A, c.569C > T in exon3, and c.1176C > G in exon8), and three SNPs in introns. The allele and genotype frequencies of the novel and other SNPs have no significant differences between two groups. Our results indicated that variants in the coding sequence of the STAG3 gene were uncommon in NOA patients with MA in Chinese population. Future studies in large cohorts of different ethnic populations will be needed to determine the association between the STAG3 gene and NOA.
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34
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Blyth U, Craciunas L, Hudson G, Choudhary M. Maternal germline factors associated with aneuploid pregnancy loss: a systematic review. Hum Reprod Update 2021; 27:866-884. [PMID: 33969392 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmab010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Miscarriage describes the spontaneous loss of pregnancy before the threshold of viability; the vast majority occur before 12 weeks of gestation. Miscarriage affects one in four couples and is the most common complication of pregnancy. Chromosomal abnormalities of the embryo are identified in ∼50% of first trimester miscarriages; aneuploidy accounts for 86% of these cases. The majority of trisomic miscarriages are of maternal origin with errors occurring during meiotic division of the oocytes. Chromosome segregation errors in oocytes may be sporadic events secondary to advancing maternal age; however, there is increasing evidence to suggest possible maternal germline contributions to this. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE The objective of this review was to appraise critically the existing evidence relating to maternal germline factors associated with pregnancy loss secondary to embryo aneuploidy, identify limitations in the current evidence base and establish areas requiring further research. SEARCH METHODS The initial literature search was performed in September 2019 and updated in January 2021 using the electronic databases OVID MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library. No time or language restrictions were applied to the searches and only primary research was included. Participants were women who had suffered pregnancy loss secondary to numerical chromosomal abnormalities of the embryo. Study identification and subsequent data extraction were performed by two authors independently. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to judge the quality of the included studies. The results were synthesized narratively. OUTCOMES The literature search identified 2198 titles once duplicates were removed, of which 21 were eligible for inclusion in this systematic review. They reported on maternal germline factors having variable degrees of association with pregnancy loss of aneuploid origin. The Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) gene ontology database was used as a reference to establish the functional role currently attributed to the genes reported. The majority of the cases reported and included were secondary to the inheritance of maternal structural factors such as Robertsonian translocations, deletions and insertions. Germline factors with a plausible role in aneuploid pregnancy loss of maternal origin included skewed X-inactivation and CGG repeats in the fragile X mental retardation (FMR1) gene. Studies that reported the association of single gene mutations with aneuploid pregnancy loss were conflicting. Single gene mutations with an uncertain or no role in aneuploid pregnancy loss included mutations in synaptonemal complex protein 3 (SYCP3), mitotic polo-like kinase 4 (PLK4) and meiotic stromal antigen 3 (STAG3) spindle integrity variants and 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR). WIDER IMPLICATIONS Identifying maternal genetic factors associated with an increased risk of aneuploidy will expand our understanding of cell division, non-disjunction and miscarriage secondary to embryo aneuploidy. The candidate germline factors identified may be incorporated in a screening panel for women suffering miscarriage of aneuploidy aetiology to facilitate counselling for subsequent pregnancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ursula Blyth
- Newcastle Fertility Centre at Life, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Laurentiu Craciunas
- Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Gavin Hudson
- Biosciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Meenakshi Choudhary
- Newcastle Fertility Centre at Life, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
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Genetics of Azoospermia. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22063264. [PMID: 33806855 PMCID: PMC8004677 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22063264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Azoospermia affects 1% of men, and it can be due to: (i) hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction, (ii) primary quantitative spermatogenic disturbances, (iii) urogenital duct obstruction. Known genetic factors contribute to all these categories, and genetic testing is part of the routine diagnostic workup of azoospermic men. The diagnostic yield of genetic tests in azoospermia is different in the different etiological categories, with the highest in Congenital Bilateral Absence of Vas Deferens (90%) and the lowest in Non-Obstructive Azoospermia (NOA) due to primary testicular failure (~30%). Whole-Exome Sequencing allowed the discovery of an increasing number of monogenic defects of NOA with a current list of 38 candidate genes. These genes are of potential clinical relevance for future gene panel-based screening. We classified these genes according to the associated-testicular histology underlying the NOA phenotype. The validation and the discovery of novel NOA genes will radically improve patient management. Interestingly, approximately 37% of candidate genes are shared in human male and female gonadal failure, implying that genetic counselling should be extended also to female family members of NOA patients.
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Tian G, Fu Y, Zhang D, Li J, Zhang Z, Yang X. Identification of four key prognostic genes and three potential drugs in human papillomavirus negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer Cell Int 2021; 21:167. [PMID: 33712015 PMCID: PMC7953640 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-021-01863-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a common tumor worldwide with poor prognosis. The pathogenesis of human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive and HPV-negative HNSCCs differs. However, few studies have considered the HPV status when identifying biomarkers for HNSCC. Thus, the identification of biomarkers for HPV-positive and HPV-negative HNSCCs is urgently needed. METHODS Three microarray datasets from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) were analyzed, and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained. Then, functional enrichment pathway analysis was performed and protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed. The expression of hub genes at both the mRNA and protein level was determined in Oncomine, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Human Protein Atlas (HPA). In addition, survival analysis of the patient stratified by HPV status and the expression levels of key genes were performed based on TCGA data. The role of AREG, STAG3, CAV1 and C19orf57 in cancer were analyzed through Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). The top ten small molecule drugs were identified and the therapeutic value of zonisamide, NVP-AUY922, PP-2 and fostamatinib was further evaluated in six HPV-negative HNSCC cell lines. Finally, the therapeutic value of NVP-AUY922 was tested in vivo based on three HPV-negative HNSCC models, and statistical analysis was performed. RESULTS In total, 47 DEGs were obtained, 11 of which were identified as hub genes. Biological process analysis indicated that the hub genes were associated with the G1/S transition of the mitotic cell cycle. Survival analysis uncovered that the prognostic value of AREG, STAG3, C19orf57 and CAV1 differed between HPV-positive and HPV-negative patients. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) showed the role of AREG, STAG3 and CAV1 in dysregulated pathways of tumor. Ten small molecules were identified as potential drugs specifically for HPV-positive or HPV-negative patients; three-NVP-AUY922, fostamatinib and PP-2-greatly inhibited the proliferation of six HPV-negative HNSCC cell lines in vitro, and NVP-AUY922 inhibited three HPV-negative HNSCC xenografts in vivo. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, AREG, STAG3, C19orf57 and CAV1 are key prognostic factors and potential therapeutic targets in HPV-negative HNSCC. NVP-AUY922, fostamatinib and PP-2 may be effective drugs for HPV-negative HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guocai Tian
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.,National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology and Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.,Research Unit of Oral and Maxillofacial Regenerative Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - You Fu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.,National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology and Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.,Research Unit of Oral and Maxillofacial Regenerative Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Dahe Zhang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.,National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology and Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiang Li
- Department of Oral Pathology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhiyuan Zhang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China. .,National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai, People's Republic of China. .,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology and Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai, People's Republic of China. .,Research Unit of Oral and Maxillofacial Regenerative Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xi Yang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
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Biswas L, Tyc K, Yakoubi WE, Morgan K, Xing J, Schindler K. Meiosis interrupted: the genetics of female infertility via meiotic failure. Reproduction 2021; 161:R13-R35. [PMID: 33170803 PMCID: PMC7855740 DOI: 10.1530/rep-20-0422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Idiopathic or 'unexplained' infertility represents as many as 30% of infertility cases worldwide. Conception, implantation, and term delivery of developmentally healthy infants require chromosomally normal (euploid) eggs and sperm. The crux of euploid egg production is error-free meiosis. Pathologic genetic variants dysregulate meiotic processes that occur during prophase I, meiotic resumption, chromosome segregation, and in cell cycle regulation. This dysregulation can result in chromosomally abnormal (aneuploid) eggs. In turn, egg aneuploidy leads to a broad range of clinical infertility phenotypes, including primary ovarian insufficiency and early menopause, egg fertilization failure and embryonic developmental arrest, or recurrent pregnancy loss. Therefore, maternal genetic variants are emerging as infertility biomarkers, which could allow informed reproductive decision-making. Here, we select and deeply examine human genetic variants that likely cause dysregulation of critical meiotic processes in 14 female infertility-associated genes: SYCP3, SYCE1, TRIP13, PSMC3IP, DMC1, MCM8, MCM9, STAG3, PATL2, TUBB8, CEP120, AURKB, AURKC, andWEE2. We discuss the function of each gene in meiosis, explore genotype-phenotype relationships, and delineate the frequencies of infertility-associated variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leelabati Biswas
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Katarzyna Tyc
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Warif El Yakoubi
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Katie Morgan
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Jinchuan Xing
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Karen Schindler
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
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Kulaga AY, Ursu E, Toren D, Tyshchenko V, Guinea R, Pushkova M, Fraifeld VE, Tacutu R. Machine Learning Analysis of Longevity-Associated Gene Expression Landscapes in Mammals. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:1073. [PMID: 33499037 PMCID: PMC7865694 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22031073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 01/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the important questions in aging research is how differences in transcriptomics are associated with the longevity of various species. Unfortunately, at the level of individual genes, the links between expression in different organs and maximum lifespan (MLS) are yet to be fully understood. Analyses are complicated further by the fact that MLS is highly associated with other confounding factors (metabolic rate, gestation period, body mass, etc.) and that linear models may be limiting. Using gene expression from 41 mammalian species, across five organs, we constructed gene-centric regression models associating gene expression with MLS and other species traits. Additionally, we used SHapley Additive exPlanations and Bayesian networks to investigate the non-linear nature of the interrelations between the genes predicted to be determinants of species MLS. Our results revealed that expression patterns correlate with MLS, some across organs, and others in an organ-specific manner. The combination of methods employed revealed gene signatures formed by only a few genes that are highly predictive towards MLS, which could be used to identify novel longevity regulator candidates in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Y. Kulaga
- Systems Biology of Aging Group, Institute of Biochemistry of the Romanian Academy, 060031 Bucharest, Romania; (A.Y.K.); (E.U.); (D.T.); (M.P.)
- International Longevity Alliance, 92330 Sceaux, France
- CellFabrik SRL, 060512 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Eugen Ursu
- Systems Biology of Aging Group, Institute of Biochemistry of the Romanian Academy, 060031 Bucharest, Romania; (A.Y.K.); (E.U.); (D.T.); (M.P.)
| | - Dmitri Toren
- Systems Biology of Aging Group, Institute of Biochemistry of the Romanian Academy, 060031 Bucharest, Romania; (A.Y.K.); (E.U.); (D.T.); (M.P.)
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Center for Multidisciplinary Research on Aging, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 8410501 Beer-Sheva, Israel;
| | | | - Rodrigo Guinea
- Escuela de Postgrado, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, 15023 San Miguel, Peru;
| | - Malvina Pushkova
- Systems Biology of Aging Group, Institute of Biochemistry of the Romanian Academy, 060031 Bucharest, Romania; (A.Y.K.); (E.U.); (D.T.); (M.P.)
| | - Vadim E. Fraifeld
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Center for Multidisciplinary Research on Aging, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 8410501 Beer-Sheva, Israel;
| | - Robi Tacutu
- Systems Biology of Aging Group, Institute of Biochemistry of the Romanian Academy, 060031 Bucharest, Romania; (A.Y.K.); (E.U.); (D.T.); (M.P.)
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Nam Y, Kang KM, Sung SR, Park JE, Shin YJ, Song SH, Seo JT, Yoon TK, Shim SH. The association of stromal antigen 3 (STAG3) sequence variations with spermatogenic impairment in the male Korean population. Asian J Androl 2020; 22:106-111. [PMID: 31115363 PMCID: PMC6958972 DOI: 10.4103/aja.aja_28_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The stromal antigen 3 (STAG3) gene, encoding a meiosis-specific cohesin component, is a strong candidate for causing male infertility, but little is known about this gene so far. We identified STAG3 in patients with nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) and normozoospermia in the Korean population. The coding regions and their intron boundaries of STAG3 were identified in 120 Korean men with spermatogenic impairments and 245 normal controls by using direct sequencing and haplotype analysis. A total of 30 sequence variations were identified in this study. Of the total, seven were exonic variants, 18 were intronic variants, one was in the 5’-UTR, and four were in the 3’-UTR. Pathogenic variations that directly caused NOA were not identified. However, two variants, c.3669+35C>G (rs1727130) and +198A>T (rs1052482), showed significant differences in the frequency between the patient and control groups (P = 0.021, odds ratio [OR]: 1.79, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.098–2.918) and were tightly linked in the linkage disequilibrium (LD) block. When pmir-rs1052482A was cotransfected with miR-3162-5p, there was a substantial decrease in luciferase activity, compared with pmir-rs1052482T. This result suggests that rs1052482 was located within a binding site of miR-3162-5p in the STAG3 3’-UTR, and the minor allele, the rs1052482T polymorphism, might offset inhibition by miR-3162-5p. We are the first to identify a total of 30 single-nucleotide variations (SNVs) of STAG3 gene in the Korean population. We found that two SNVs (rs1727130 and rs1052482) located in the 3’-UTR region may be associated with the NOA phenotype. Our findings contribute to understanding male infertility with spermatogenic impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeojung Nam
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Life Science, CHA University, Seongnam 13488, Korea
| | - Kyung Min Kang
- Genetics Laboratory, Fertility Center of CHA Gangnam Medical Center, CHA University, Seoul 06135, Korea
| | - Se Ra Sung
- Genetics Laboratory, Fertility Center of CHA Gangnam Medical Center, CHA University, Seoul 06135, Korea
| | - Ji Eun Park
- Genetics Laboratory, Fertility Center of CHA Gangnam Medical Center, CHA University, Seoul 06135, Korea
| | - Yun-Jeong Shin
- Genetics Laboratory, Fertility Center of CHA Gangnam Medical Center, CHA University, Seoul 06135, Korea
| | - Seung Hun Song
- Department of Urology, CHA Gangnam Medical Center, CHA University, Seoul 06135, Korea
| | - Ju Tae Seo
- Department of Urology, Cheil General Hospital, Seoul 04619, Korea
| | - Tae Ki Yoon
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, CHA Gangnam Medical Center, Seoul 04637, Korea
| | - Sung Han Shim
- Department of Biomedical Science, College of Life Science, CHA University, Seongnam 13488, Korea.,Genetics Laboratory, Fertility Center of CHA Gangnam Medical Center, CHA University, Seoul 06135, Korea
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The meiosis-specific cohesin component stromal antigen 3 promotes cell migration and chemotherapeutic resistance in colorectal cancer. Cancer Lett 2020; 497:112-122. [PMID: 33039558 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2020.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Chromosome instability is one of the hallmarks of cancer. Stromal antigen (STAG) 3 is a core component of the meiosis-specific cohesin complex, which regulates sister chromatid cohesion. Although aberrantly activated genes encoding the cohesin complex have been identified in cancers, little is known about the role of STAG3 in colorectal cancer (CRC). Here, we evaluated the prognostic impact and role of STAG3 in CRC. Analysis of 172 CRC surgical specimens revealed that high STAG3 expression was associated with poor prognosis. STAG3 knockdown inhibited cell migration and increased drug sensitivity to oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil, irinotecan hydrochloride hydrate, and BRAF inhibitor in CRC cell lines. The enhanced drug sensitivity was also confirmed in a human organoid established from a CRC specimen. Moreover, suppression of STAG3 increased γH2AX foci. Particularly, in BRAF-mutant CRC cells, STAG3 silencing suppressed the expression of snail family transcriptional repressor 1 and phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase via upregulation of dual-specificity phosphatase 6. Our findings suggest that STAG3 is related to poor clinical outcomes and promotes metastasis and chemotherapeutic resistance in CRC. STAG3 may be a novel prognostic marker and potential therapeutic target for CRC.
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van der Bijl N, Röpke A, Biswas U, Wöste M, Jessberger R, Kliesch S, Friedrich C, Tüttelmann F. Mutations in the stromal antigen 3 (STAG3) gene cause male infertility due to meiotic arrest. Hum Reprod 2020; 34:2112-2119. [PMID: 31682730 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dez204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Revised: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Are sequence variants in the stromal antigen 3 (STAG3) gene a cause for non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) in infertile human males? SUMMARY ANSWER Sequence variants affecting protein function of STAG3 cause male infertility due to meiotic arrest. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY In both women and men, STAG3 encodes for a meiosis-specific protein that is crucial for the functionality of meiotic cohesin complexes. Sequence variants in STAG3 have been reported to cause meiotic arrest in male and female mice and premature ovarian failure in human females, but not in infertile human males so far. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION The full coding region of STAG3 was sequenced directly in a cohort of 28 men with NOA due to meiotic arrest. In addition, a larger group of 275 infertile men that underwent whole-exome sequencing (WES) was screened for potential STAG3 sequence variants. Furthermore, meiotic spreads, immunohistochemistry, WES and population sampling probability (PSAP) have been conducted in the index case. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS This study included 28 infertile but otherwise healthy human males who underwent Sanger sequencing of the full coding region of STAG3. Additionally, WES data of 275 infertile human males with different infertility phenotypes have been screened for relevant STAG3 variants. All participants underwent karyotype analysis and azoospermia factor (AZF) screening in advance. In the index patient, segregation analysis, WES data, PSAP, lab parameters, testis histology and nuclear spreads have been added to suplort the findings. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Two compound-heterozygous variants in STAG3 (c.[1262T>G];[1312C>T], p.[(Leu421Arg)];[(Arg438Ter)]) have been found to cause male infertility due to complete bilateral meiotic arrest in an otherwise healthy human male. Compound heterozygosity was confirmed by Sanger sequencing of the parents and the patient's brother. Other variants which may affect spermatogenesis have been ruled out through analysis of the patient's WES data and application of the PSAP pipeline. As expected from Stag3 knockout-mice meiotic spreads, germ cells did not develop further than zygotene and showed drastic chromosome aberrations. No rare variants in STAG3 were found in the 275 infertile males with other phenotypes. Our results indicate that STAG3 variants that negatively affect its protein function are a rare cause of NOA (<1% of cases). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION We identified only one patient with compound-heterozygous variants in STAG3 causing NOA due to meiotic arrest. Future studies should evaluate STAG3 variants in larger cohorts to support this finding. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Identification of STAG3 sequence variants in infertile human males should improve genetic counselling as well as diagnostics and treatment. Especially before testicular sperm extraction (TESE) for ICSI, STAG3 variants should be ruled out to prevent unnecessary interventions with frustrating outcomes for both patients and clinicians. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This work was carried out within the frame of the German Research Foundation (DFG) Clinical Research Unit 'Male Germ Cells: from Genes to Function' (CRU326). Work in the laboratory of R.J. is supported by a grant of the European Union H2020 program GermAge. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER Not applicable.
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Affiliation(s)
- N van der Bijl
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - A Röpke
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - U Biswas
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - M Wöste
- Institute of Medical Informatics, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - R Jessberger
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - S Kliesch
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, Department of Clinical and Surgical Andrology, University Hospital Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - C Friedrich
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - F Tüttelmann
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
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Zhang LF, Tan-Tai WJ, Li XH, Liu MF, Shi HJ, Martin-DeLeon PA, O WS, Chen H. PHB regulates meiotic recombination via JAK2-mediated histone modifications in spermatogenesis. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:4780-4796. [PMID: 32232334 PMCID: PMC7229831 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Previously, we have shown that human sperm Prohibitin (PHB) expression is significantly negatively correlated with mitochondrial ROS levels but positively correlated with mitochondrial membrane potential and motility. However, the possible role of PHB in mammalian spermatogenesis has not been investigated. Here we document the presence of PHB in spermatocytes and its functional roles in meiosis by generating the first male germ cell-specific Phb-cKO mouse. Loss of PHB in spermatocytes resulted in complete male infertility, associated with not only meiotic pachytene arrest with accompanying apoptosis, but also apoptosis resulting from mitochondrial morphology and function impairment. Our mechanistic studies show that PHB in spermatocytes regulates the expression of STAG3, a key component of the meiotic cohesin complex, via a non-canonical JAK/STAT pathway, and consequently promotes meiotic DSB repair and homologous recombination. Furthermore, the PHB/JAK2 axis was found as a novel mechanism in the maintenance of stabilization of meiotic STAG3 cohesin complex and the modulation of heterochromatin formation in spermatocytes during meiosis. The observed JAK2-mediated epigenetic changes in histone modifications, reflected in a reduction of histone 3 tyrosine 41 phosphorylation (H3Y41ph) and a retention of H3K9me3 at the Stag3 locus, could be responsible for Stag3 dysregulation in spermatocytes with the loss of PHB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling-Fei Zhang
- Department of Anatomy, Histology & Embryology, Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention of Shanghai, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Wen-Jing Tan-Tai
- Department of Anatomy, Histology & Embryology, Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention of Shanghai, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xiao-Hui Li
- Department of Anatomy, Histology & Embryology, Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention of Shanghai, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Mo-Fang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences-University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China; School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Hui-Juan Shi
- Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation of NPFPC-Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Fudan University Reproduction and DevelopmentInstitution, Shanghai 200032, China
| | | | - Wai-Sum O
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China
| | - Hong Chen
- Department of Anatomy, Histology & Embryology, Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention of Shanghai, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
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Fujiwara Y, Horisawa-Takada Y, Inoue E, Tani N, Shibuya H, Fujimura S, Kariyazono R, Sakata T, Ohta K, Araki K, Okada Y, Ishiguro KI. Meiotic cohesins mediate initial loading of HORMAD1 to the chromosomes and coordinate SC formation during meiotic prophase. PLoS Genet 2020; 16:e1009048. [PMID: 32931493 PMCID: PMC7518614 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
During meiotic prophase, sister chromatids are organized into axial element (AE), which underlies the structural framework for the meiotic events such as meiotic recombination and homolog synapsis. HORMA domain-containing proteins (HORMADs) localize along AE and play critical roles in the regulation of those meiotic events. Organization of AE is attributed to two groups of proteins: meiotic cohesins REC8 and RAD21L; and AE components SYCP2 and SYCP3. It has been elusive how these chromosome structural proteins contribute to the chromatin loading of HORMADs prior to AE formation. Here we newly generated Sycp2 null mice and showed that initial chromatin loading of HORMAD1 was mediated by meiotic cohesins prior to AE formation. HORMAD1 interacted not only with the AE components SYCP2 and SYCP3 but also with meiotic cohesins. Notably, HORMAD1 interacted with meiotic cohesins even in Sycp2-KO, and localized along cohesin axial cores independently of the AE components SYCP2 and SYCP3. Hormad1/Rad21L-double knockout (dKO) showed more severe defects in the formation of synaptonemal complex (SC) compared to Hormad1-KO or Rad21L-KO. Intriguingly, Hormad1/Rec8-dKO but not Hormad1/Rad21L-dKO showed precocious separation of sister chromatid axis. These findings suggest that meiotic cohesins REC8 and RAD21L mediate chromatin loading and the mode of action of HORMAD1 for synapsis during early meiotic prophase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuhiro Fujiwara
- Laboratory of Pathology and Development, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuki Horisawa-Takada
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Erina Inoue
- Laboratory of Pathology and Development, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naoki Tani
- Liaison Laboratory Research Promotion Center, IMEG, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Hiroki Shibuya
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Sayoko Fujimura
- Liaison Laboratory Research Promotion Center, IMEG, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Ryo Kariyazono
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toyonori Sakata
- Laboratory of Genome Structure and Function, the Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kunihiro Ohta
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kimi Araki
- Institute of Resource Development and Analysis & Center for Metabolic Regulation of Healthy Aging, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Yuki Okada
- Laboratory of Pathology and Development, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kei-ichiro Ishiguro
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, Japan
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44
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Veitia RA. Primary ovarian insufficiency, meiosis and DNA repair. Biomed J 2020; 43:115-123. [PMID: 32381463 PMCID: PMC7283561 DOI: 10.1016/j.bj.2020.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Revised: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a major cause of female infertility. It is a heterogeneous disease that affects about 1% of women under 40 years of age. POI may be due to abnormal follicle stock formation, increased follicular atresia, impaired recruitment of dominant follicles, blocked follicular maturation or rapid depletion of the follicular stock. It remains idiopathic in most cases but the existence of familial cases shows that it can have a genetic origin. Next generation sequencing (NGS) strategies have allowed the identification of new genes involved in the etiology of POI. Here, I briefly describe some studies demonstrating that pathogenic variants in ‘DNA repair and meiotic genes’ underlie POI. Some of the examples show the power of the combination of classical genetics and NGS in the discovery of novel ‘POI genes’.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reiner A Veitia
- Paris-Saclay University, Institute for Biology Francois Jacob, Atomic Energy Commissariat, Fontenay aux Roses, France; University of Paris, National Center for Scienftic Research (CNRS), Jacques Monod Institute, Paris, France.
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45
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Viera A, Berenguer I, Ruiz-Torres M, Gómez R, Guajardo A, Barbero JL, Losada A, Suja JA. PDS5 proteins regulate the length of axial elements and telomere integrity during male mouse meiosis. EMBO Rep 2020; 21:e49273. [PMID: 32285610 DOI: 10.15252/embr.201949273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Revised: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cohesin cofactors regulate the loading, maintenance, and release of cohesin complexes from chromosomes during mitosis but little is known on their role during vertebrate meiosis. One such cofactor is PDS5, which exists as two paralogs in somatic and germline cells, PDS5A and PDS5B, with unclear functions. Here, we have analyzed their distribution and functions in mouse spermatocytes. We show that simultaneous excision of Pds5A and Pds5B results in severe defects during early prophase I while their individual depletion does not, suggesting their functional redundancy. Shortened axial/lateral elements and a reduction of early recombination nodules are observed after the strong depletion of PDS5A/B proteins. Moreover, telomere integrity and their association to the nuclear envelope are severely compromised. As these defects occur without detectable reduction in chromosome-bound cohesin, we propose that the dynamic behavior of the complex, mediated by PDS5 proteins, is key for successful completion of meiotic prophase I.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Viera
- Unidad de Biología Celular, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Inés Berenguer
- Unidad de Biología Celular, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel Ruiz-Torres
- Chromosome Dynamics Group, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - Rocío Gómez
- Unidad de Biología Celular, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Andrea Guajardo
- Unidad de Biología Celular, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - José Luis Barbero
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Losada
- Chromosome Dynamics Group, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - José A Suja
- Unidad de Biología Celular, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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46
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Zhang J, Feng C, Su H, Liu Y, Liu Y, Han F. The Cohesin Complex Subunit ZmSMC3 Participates in Meiotic Centromere Pairing in Maize. THE PLANT CELL 2020; 32:1323-1336. [PMID: 31996400 PMCID: PMC7145474 DOI: 10.1105/tpc.19.00834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Revised: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Meiosis consists of two highly conserved nuclear divisions, which allow eukaryotes to maintain their chromosome number through sexual reproduction. The successful completion of meiosis depends on homologous chromosome pairing. Centromere interactions during early meiotic prophase I facilitate homologous chromosome pairing, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. Here, we performed chromatin immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry analysis of maize (Zea mays) anthers during early meiotic prophase I using anti-centromeric histone H3 (CENH3) antibodies and determined that the cohesin subunit Structural Maintenance of Chromosome3 (SMC3) interacts with CENH3 during this period. SMC3 is enriched at centromeres and along chromosome arms in threads from leptotene to pachytene and might promote interactions between homologous centromeres. We observed dysfunctional SMC3 assembly in meiotic-specific maize mutants with defective centromere pairing. In SMC3 RNAi meiocytes, centromere pairing defects were observed during early meiotic prophase I, SMC3 was weakly associated with centromeres, and SMC3 did not localize to the chromosome arms. In wild-type mitosis, SMC3 is associated with chromatin and is enriched at centromeres from prophase to anaphase. CRISPR-Cas9-induced Zmsmc3 mutants showed premature loss of sister chromatid cohesion and mis-segregation of chromosomes in mitotic spreads. Our findings suggest that in addition to sister chromatid cohesion, ZmSMC3 participates in meiotic centromere pairing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Chao Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Handong Su
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Yang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yalin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Fangpu Han
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
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47
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Lafta IJ, Kudhair BK, Alabid NN. Characterization of the major human STAG3 variants using some proteomics and bioinformatics assays. EGYPTIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL HUMAN GENETICS 2020. [DOI: 10.1186/s43042-020-0051-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
STAG3 is the meiotic component of cohesin and a member of the Cancer Testis Antigen (CTA) family. This gene has been found to be overexpressed in many types of cancer, and recently, its variants have been implicated in other disorders and many human diseases. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the major variants of STAG3. Western blot (WB) and immunoprecipitation (IP) assays were performed using two different anti-STAG3 antibodies that targeted the relevant protein in MCF-7, T-47D, MDA-MB-468, and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells with Jurkat and MCF-10A cells as positive and negative controls, respectively. In silico analyses were searched to study the major isoforms.
Results
WB and IP assays revealed two abundant polypeptides < 191 kDa and ~ 75 kDa in size. Specific bioinformatics tools successfully determined the three-dimensional (3-D) structure, the subcellular localization, and the secondary structures of the isoforms. Furthermore, some of the physicochemical properties of the STAG3 proteins were also determined.
Conclusions
The results of this study revealed the power of applying the biological techniques (WB and IP) with the bioinformatics assays and the possibility of their exploitation in understanding diseased genes. Exploring the major variants of STAG3 at the protein level could help decipher some disorders associated with their occurrence, along with designing drugs effective at least for some relevant diseases.
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48
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McNicoll F, Kühnel A, Biswas U, Hempel K, Whelan G, Eichele G, Jessberger R. Meiotic sex chromosome cohesion and autosomal synapsis are supported by Esco2. Life Sci Alliance 2020; 3:e201900564. [PMID: 32051254 PMCID: PMC7025286 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.201900564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2019] [Revised: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In mitotic cells, establishment of sister chromatid cohesion requires acetylation of the cohesin subunit SMC3 (acSMC3) by ESCO1 and/or ESCO2. Meiotic cohesin plays additional but poorly understood roles in the formation of chromosome axial elements (AEs) and synaptonemal complexes. Here, we show that levels of ESCO2, acSMC3, and the pro-cohesion factor sororin increase on meiotic chromosomes as homologs synapse. These proteins are less abundant on the largely unsynapsed sex chromosomes, whose sister chromatid cohesion appears weaker throughout the meiotic prophase. Using three distinct conditional Esco2 knockout mouse strains, we demonstrate that ESCO2 is essential for male gametogenesis. Partial depletion of ESCO2 in prophase I spermatocytes delays chromosome synapsis and further weakens cohesion along sex chromosomes, which show extensive separation of AEs into single chromatids. Unsynapsed regions of autosomes are associated with the sex chromatin and also display split AEs. This study provides the first evidence for a specific role of ESCO2 in mammalian meiosis, identifies a particular ESCO2 dependence of sex chromosome cohesion and suggests support of autosomal synapsis by acSMC3-stabilized cohesion.
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Affiliation(s)
- François McNicoll
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Anne Kühnel
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Uddipta Biswas
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Kai Hempel
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Gabriela Whelan
- Department of Genes and Behaviour, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Gregor Eichele
- Department of Genes and Behaviour, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Rolf Jessberger
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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49
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Eyster C, Chuong HH, Lee CY, Pezza RJ, Dawson D. The pericentromeric heterochromatin of homologous chromosomes remains associated after centromere pairing dissolves in mouse spermatocyte meiosis. Chromosoma 2019; 128:355-367. [PMID: 31165256 PMCID: PMC6823320 DOI: 10.1007/s00412-019-00708-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Revised: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
In meiosis, crossovers between homologous chromosomes link them together. This enables them to attach to microtubules of the meiotic spindle as a unit, such that the homologs will be pulled away from one another at anaphase I. Homologous pairs can sometimes fail to become linked by crossovers. In some organisms, these non-exchange partners are still able to segregate properly. In several organisms, associations between the centromeres of non-exchange partners occur in meiotic prophase. These associations have been proposed to promote segregation in meiosis I. But it is unclear how centromere pairing could promote subsequent proper segregation. Here we report that meiotic centromere pairing of chromosomes in mouse spermatocytes allows the formation of an association between chromosome pairs. We find that heterochromatin regions of homologous centromeres remain associated even after centromere-pairing dissolves. Our results suggest the model that, in mouse spermatocytes, heterochromatin maintains the association of homologous centromeres in the absence crossing-over.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig Eyster
- Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Hoa H Chuong
- Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Chih-Ying Lee
- Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Roberto J Pezza
- Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
| | - Dean Dawson
- Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
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50
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Molecular organization of mammalian meiotic chromosome axis revealed by expansion STORM microscopy. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:18423-18428. [PMID: 31444302 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1902440116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
During prophase I of meiosis, chromosomes become organized as loop arrays around the proteinaceous chromosome axis. As homologous chromosomes physically pair and recombine, the chromosome axis is integrated into the tripartite synaptonemal complex (SC) as this structure's lateral elements (LEs). While the components of the mammalian chromosome axis/LE-including meiosis-specific cohesin complexes, the axial element proteins SYCP3 and SYCP2, and the HORMA domain proteins HORMAD1 and HORMAD2-are known, the molecular organization of these components within the axis is poorly understood. Here, using expansion microscopy coupled with 2-color stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM) imaging (ExSTORM), we address these issues in mouse spermatocytes at a resolution of 10 to 20 nm. Our data show that SYCP3 and the SYCP2 C terminus, which are known to form filaments in vitro, form a compact core around which cohesin complexes, HORMADs, and the N terminus of SYCP2 are arrayed. Overall, our study provides a detailed structural view of the meiotic chromosome axis, a key organizational and regulatory component of meiotic chromosomes.
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