A single unpaired and transcriptionally silenced X chromosome locally precludes checkpoint signaling in the Caenorhabditis elegans germ line

The chromatin-associated 53BP1 ortholog, HSR-9, regulates recombinational repair and X chromosome segregation in the Caenorhabditis elegans germ line

53BP1 plays a crucial role in regulating DNA damage repair pathway choice and checkpoint signaling in somatic cells; however, its role in meiosis has remained enigmatic. In this study, we demonstrate that the Caenorhabditis elegans ortholog of 53BP1, HSR-9, associates with chromatin in both proliferating and meiotic germ cells. Notably, HSR-9 is enriched on the X chromosome pair in pachytene oogenic germ cells. HSR-9 is also present at kinetochores during both mitotic and meiotic divisions but does not appear to be essential for monitoring microtubule-kinetochore attachments or tension. Using cytological markers of different steps in recombinational repair, we found that HSR-9 influences the processing of a subset of meiotic double strand breaks into COSA-1-marked crossovers. Additionally, HSR-9 plays a role in meiotic X chromosome segregation under conditions where X chromosomes fail to pair, synapse, and recombine. Together, these results highlight that chromatin-associated HSR-9 has both conserved and unique functions in the regulation of meiotic chromosome behavior.

Sexual dimorphic regulation of recombination by the synaptonemal complex in C. elegans

In sexually reproducing organisms, germ cells faithfully transmit the genome to the next generation by forming haploid gametes, such as eggs and sperm. Although most meiotic proteins are conserved between eggs and sperm, many aspects of meiosis are sexually dimorphic, including the regulation of recombination. The synaptonemal complex (SC), a large ladder-like structure that forms between homologous chromosomes, is essential for regulating meiotic chromosome organization and promoting recombination. To assess whether sex-specific differences in the SC underpin sexually dimorphic aspects of meiosis, we examined Caenorhabditis elegans SC central region proteins (known as SYP proteins) in oogenesis and spermatogenesis and uncovered sex-specific roles for the SYPs in regulating meiotic recombination. We find that SC composition, specifically SYP-2, SYP-3, SYP-5, and SYP-6, is regulated by sex-specific mechanisms throughout meiotic prophase I. During pachytene, both oocytes and spermatocytes differentially regulate the stability of SYP-2 and SYP-3 within an assembled SC. Further, we uncover that the relative amount of SYP-2 and SYP-3 within the SC is independently regulated in both a sex-specific and a recombination-dependent manner. Specifically, we find that SYP-2 regulates the early steps of recombination in both sexes, while SYP-3 controls the timing and positioning of crossover recombination events across the genomic landscape in only oocytes. Finally, we find that SYP-2 and SYP-3 dosage can influence the composition of the other SYPs in the SC via sex-specific mechanisms during pachytene. Taken together, we demonstrate dosage-dependent regulation of individual SC components with sex-specific functions in recombination. These sexual dimorphic features of the SC provide insights into how spermatogenesis and oogenesis adapted similar chromosome structures to differentially regulate and execute recombination.

Caenorhabditis elegans spermatocytes can segregate achiasmate homologous chromosomes apart at higher than random frequency during meiosis I

Chromosome segregation errors during meiosis are the leading cause of aneuploidy. Faithful chromosome segregation during meiosis in most eukaryotes requires a crossover which provides a physical attachment holding homologs together in a "bivalent." Crossovers are critical for homologs to be properly aligned and partitioned in the first meiotic division. Without a crossover, individual homologs (univalents) might segregate randomly, resulting in aneuploid progeny. However, Caenorhabditis elegans zim-2 mutants, which have crossover defects on chromosome V, have fewer dead embryos than that expected from random segregation. This deviation from random segregation is more pronounced in zim-2 males than that in females. We found three phenomena that can explain this apparent discrepancy. First, we detected crossovers on chromosome V in both zim-2(tm574) oocytes and spermatocytes, suggesting a redundant mechanism to make up for the ZIM-2 loss. Second, after accounting for the background crossover frequency, spermatocytes produced significantly more euploid gametes than what would be expected from random segregation. Lastly, trisomy of chromosome V is viable and fertile. Together, these three phenomena allow zim-2(tm574) mutants with reduced crossovers on chromosome V to have more viable progeny. Furthermore, live imaging of meiosis in spo-11(me44) oocytes and spermatocytes, which exhibit crossover failure on all 6 chromosomes, showed 12 univalents segregating apart in roughly equal masses in a homology-independent manner, supporting the existence of a mechanism that segregates any 2 chromosomes apart.

Epitope tag-specific differences in the detection of COSA-1 marked crossover sites in C. elegans spermatocytes

Nascent crossover sites in C. elegans meiocytes can be cytologically detected using epitope-tagged versions of the pro-crossover protein COSA-1. In spermatocytes, differences exist between cytologically-detected and genetically-detected double crossover rates. Here, we examine nascent crossovers using both GFP- and OLLAS-tagged COSA-1. Similar to previous work, we find that most late pachytene spermatocytes display 5 COSA-1 foci, indicating one crossover per autosome bivalent. However, we detected more nuclei with >5 COSA-1 foci using OLLAS::COSA-1, reflecting some bivalents having 2 COSA-1 foci. These results demonstrate tag-specific differences in the detection of COSA-1 marked nascent crossovers in spermatocytes.

Chromatin landscape, DSB levels, and cKU-70/80 contribute to patterning of meiotic DSB processing along chromosomes in C. elegans

Programmed DNA double-strand break (DSB) formation is essential for achieving accurate chromosome segregation during meiosis. DSB repair timing and template choice are tightly regulated. However, little is known about how DSB distribution and the choice of repair pathway are regulated along the length of chromosomes, which has direct effects on the recombination landscape and chromosome remodeling at late prophase I. Here, we use the spatiotemporal resolution of meiosis in the Caenorhabditis elegans germline along with genetic approaches to study distribution of DSB processing and its regulation. High-resolution imaging of computationally straightened chromosomes immunostained for the RAD-51 recombinase marking DSB repair sites reveals that the pattern of RAD-51 foci throughout pachytene resembles crossover distribution in wild type. Specifically, RAD-51 foci occur primarily along the gene-poor distal thirds of the chromosomes in both early and late pachytene, and on both the X and the autosomes. However, this biased off-center distribution can be abrogated by the formation of excess DSBs. Reduced condensin function, but not an increase in total physical axial length, results in a homogeneous distribution of RAD-51 foci, whereas regulation of H3K9 methylation is required for the enrichment of RAD-51 at off-center positions. Finally, the DSB recognition heterodimer cKU-70/80, but not the non-homologous end-joining canonical ligase LIG-4, contributes to the enriched off-center distribution of RAD-51 foci. Taken together, our data supports a model by which regulation of the chromatin landscape, DSB levels, and DSB detection by cKU-70/80 collaborate to promote DSB processing by homologous recombination at off-center regions of the chromosomes in C. elegans.

Inducible degradation of dosage compensation protein DPY-27 facilitates isolation of Caenorhabditis elegans males for molecular and biochemical analyses

Biological sex affects numerous aspects of biology, yet how sex influences different biological processes have not been extensively studied at the molecular level. Caenorhabditis elegans, with both hermaphrodites (functionally females as adults) and males, is an excellent system to uncover how sex influences physiology. Here, we describe a method to isolate large quantities of C. elegans males by conditionally degrading DPY-27, a component of the dosage compensation complex essential for hermaphrodite, but not male, development. We show that germ cells from males isolated following DPY-27 degradation undergo meiosis and spermiogenesis like wild type and these males are competent to mate and sire viable offspring. We further demonstrate the efficacy of this system by analyzing gene expression and performing affinity pull-downs from male worm extracts.

DNA repair, recombination, and damage signaling

DNA must be accurately copied and propagated from one cell division to the next, and from one generation to the next. To ensure the faithful transmission of the genome, a plethora of distinct as well as overlapping DNA repair and recombination pathways have evolved. These pathways repair a large variety of lesions, including alterations to single nucleotides and DNA single and double-strand breaks, that are generated as a consequence of normal cellular function or by external DNA damaging agents. In addition to the proteins that mediate DNA repair, checkpoint pathways have also evolved to monitor the genome and coordinate the action of various repair pathways. Checkpoints facilitate repair by mediating a transient cell cycle arrest, or through initiation of cell suicide if DNA damage has overwhelmed repair capacity. In this chapter, we describe the attributes of Caenorhabditis elegans that facilitate analyses of DNA repair, recombination, and checkpoint signaling in the context of a whole animal. We review the current knowledge of C. elegans DNA repair, recombination, and DNA damage response pathways, and their role during development, growth, and in the germ line. We also discuss how the analysis of mutational signatures in C. elegans is helping to inform cancer mutational signatures in humans.

Meiotic Double-Strand Break Processing and Crossover Patterning Are Regulated in a Sex-Specific Manner by BRCA1-BARD1 in Caenorhabditis elegans

Meiosis is regulated in a sex-specific manner to produce two distinct gametes, sperm and oocytes, for sexual reproduction. To determine how meiotic recombination is regulated in spermatogenesis, we analyzed the meiotic phenotypes of mutants in the tumor suppressor E3 ubiquitin ligase BRC-1-BRD-1 complex in Caenorhabditis elegans male meiosis. Unlike in mammals, this complex is not required for meiotic sex chromosome inactivation, the process whereby hemizygous sex chromosomes are transcriptionally silenced. Interestingly, brc-1 and brd-1 mutants show meiotic recombination phenotypes that are largely opposing to those previously reported for female meiosis. Fewer meiotic recombination intermediates marked by the recombinase RAD-51 were observed in brc-1 and brd-1 mutants, and the reduction in RAD-51 foci could be suppressed by mutation of nonhomologous-end-joining proteins. Analysis of GFP::RPA-1 revealed fewer foci in the brc-1brd-1 mutant and concentration of BRC-1-BRD-1 to sites of meiotic recombination was dependent on DNA end resection, suggesting that the complex regulates the processing of meiotic double-strand breaks to promote repair by homologous recombination. Further, BRC-1-BRD-1 is important to promote progeny viability when male meiosis is perturbed by mutations that block the pairing and synapsis of different chromosome pairs, although the complex is not required to stabilize the RAD-51 filament as in female meiosis under the same conditions. Analyses of crossover designation and formation revealed that BRC-1-BRD-1 inhibits supernumerary COs when meiosis is perturbed. Together, our findings suggest that BRC-1-BRD-1 regulates different aspects of meiotic recombination in male and female meiosis.

Evolution and meiotic organization of heteromorphic sex chromosomes

The evolution of heteromorphic sex chromosomes has occurred independently many times in different lineages. The differentiation of sex chromosomes leads to dramatic changes in sequence composition and function and guides the evolutionary trajectory and utilization of genes in pivotal sex determination and reproduction roles. In addition, meiotic recombination and pairing mechanisms are key in orchestrating the resultant impact, retention and maintenance of heteromorphic sex chromosomes, as the resulting exposure of unpaired DNA at meiosis triggers ancient repair and checkpoint pathways. In this review, we summarize the different ways in which sex chromosome systems are organized at meiosis, how pairing is affected, and differences in unpaired DNA responses. We hypothesize that lineage specific differences in meiotic organization is not only a consequence of sex chromosome evolution, but that the establishment of epigenetic changes on sex chromosomes contributes toward their evolutionary conservation.

The tumor suppressor BRCA1-BARD1 complex localizes to the synaptonemal complex and regulates recombination under meiotic dysfunction in Caenorhabditis elegans

Breast cancer susceptibility gene 1 (BRCA1) and binding partner BRCA1-associated RING domain protein 1 (BARD1) form an essential E3 ubiquitin ligase important for DNA damage repair and homologous recombination. The Caenorhabditis elegans orthologs, BRC-1 and BRD-1, also function in DNA damage repair, homologous recombination, as well as in meiosis. Using functional GFP fusions we show that in mitotically-dividing germ cells BRC-1 and BRD-1 are nucleoplasmic with enrichment at foci that partially overlap with the recombinase RAD-51. Co-localization with RAD-51 is enhanced under replication stress. As cells enter meiosis, BRC-1-BRD-1 remains nucleoplasmic and in foci, and beginning in mid-pachytene the complex co-localizes with the synaptonemal complex. Following establishment of the single asymmetrically positioned crossover on each chromosome pair, BRC-1-BRD-1 concentrates to the short arm of the bivalent. Localization dependencies reveal that BRC-1 and BRD-1 are interdependent and the complex fails to properly localize in both meiotic recombination and chromosome synapsis mutants. Consistent with a role for BRC-1-BRD-1 in meiotic recombination in the context of the synaptonemal complex, inactivation of BRC-1 or BRD-1 enhances the embryonic lethality of mutants defective in chromosome synapsis. Our data suggest that under meiotic dysfunction, BRC-1-BRD-1 stabilizes the RAD-51 filament and alters the recombination landscape; these two functions can be genetically separated from BRC-1-BRD-1's role in the DNA damage response. Together, we propose that BRC-1-BRD-1 serves a checkpoint function at the synaptonemal complex where it monitors and modulates meiotic recombination.

Maintenance of Genome Integrity by Mi2 Homologs CHD-3 and LET-418 in Caenorhabditis elegans

Meiotic recombination depends upon the tightly coordinated regulation of chromosome dynamics and is essential for the production of haploid gametes. Central to this process is the formation and repair of meiotic double-stranded breaks (DSBs), which must take place within the constraints of a specialized chromatin architecture. Here, we demonstrate a role for the nucleosome remodeling and deacetylase (NuRD) complex in orchestrating meiotic chromosome dynamics in Caenorhabditis elegans Our data reveal that the conserved Mi2 homologs Chromodomain helicase DNA-binding protein (CHD-3) and its paralog LET-418 facilitate meiotic progression by ensuring faithful repair of DSBs through homologous recombination. We discovered that loss of either CHD-3 or LET-418 results in elevated p53-dependent germ line apoptosis, which relies on the activation of the conserved checkpoint kinase CHK-1 Consistent with these findings, chd-3 and let-418 mutants produce a reduced number of offspring, indicating a role for Mi2 in forming viable gametes. When Mi2 function is compromised, persisting recombination intermediates are detected in late pachytene nuclei, indicating a failure in the timely repair of DSBs. Intriguingly, our data indicate that in Mi2 mutant germ lines, a subset of DSBs are repaired by nonhomologous end joining, which manifests as chromosomal fusions. We find that meiotic defects are exacerbated in Mi2 mutants lacking CKU-80, as evidenced by increased recombination intermediates, corpses, and defects in chromosomal integrity. Taken together, our findings support a model wherein the C. elegans Mi2 complex maintains genomic integrity through reinforcement of a chromatin landscape suitable for homology-driven repair mechanisms.

Time-Course Analysis of Early Meiotic Prophase Events Informs Mechanisms of Homolog Pairing and Synapsis in Caenorhabditis elegans

Segregation of homologous chromosomes during meiosis depends on their ability to reorganize within the nucleus, discriminate among potential partners, and stabilize pairwise associations through assembly of the synaptonemal complex (SC). Here we report a high-resolution time-course analysis of these key early events during Caenorhabditis elegans meiosis. Labeled nucleotides are incorporated specifically into the X chromosomes during the last 2 hr of S phase, a property we exploit to identify a highly synchronous cohort of nuclei. By tracking X-labeled nuclei through early meiotic prophase, we define the sequence and duration of chromosome movement, nuclear reorganization, pairing at pairing centers (PCs), and SC assembly. Appearance of ZYG-12 foci (marking attachment of PCs to the nuclear envelope) and onset of active mobilization occur within an hour after S-phase completion. Movement occurs for nearly 2 hr before stable pairing is observed at PCs, and autosome movement continues for ∼4 hr thereafter. Chromosomes are tightly clustered during a 2-3 hr postpairing window, during which the bulk of SC assembly occurs; however, initiation of SC assembly can precede evident chromosome clustering. SC assembly on autosomes begins immediately after PC pairing is detected and is completed within ∼3.5 hr. For the X chromosomes, PC pairing is contemporaneous with autosomal pairing, but autosomes complete synapsis earlier (on average) than X chromosomes, implying that X chromosomes have a delay in onset and/or a slower rate of SC assembly. Additional evidence suggests that transient association among chromosomes sharing the same PC protein may contribute to partner discrimination.

LINC complexes promote homologous recombination in part through inhibition of nonhomologous end joining

The Caenorhabditis elegans SUN domain protein, UNC-84, functions in nuclear migration and anchorage in the soma. We discovered a novel role for UNC-84 in DNA damage repair and meiotic recombination. Loss of UNC-84 leads to defects in the loading and disassembly of the recombinase RAD-51. Similar to mutations in Fanconi anemia (FA) genes, unc-84 mutants and human cells depleted of Sun-1 are sensitive to DNA cross-linking agents, and sensitivity is rescued by the inactivation of nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ). UNC-84 also recruits FA nuclease FAN-1 to the nucleoplasm, suggesting that UNC-84 both alters the extent of repair by NHEJ and promotes the processing of cross-links by FAN-1. UNC-84 interacts with the KASH protein ZYG-12 for DNA damage repair. Furthermore, the microtubule network and interaction with the nucleoskeleton are important for repair, suggesting that a functional linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) complex is required. We propose that LINC complexes serve a conserved role in DNA repair through both the inhibition of NHEJ and the promotion of homologous recombination at sites of chromosomal breaks.

To Break or Not To Break: Sex Chromosome Hemizygosity During Meiosis in Caenorhabditis

Meiotic recombination establishes connections between homologous chromosomes to promote segregation. Hemizygous regions of sex chromosomes have no homologous chromosome to recombine with, yet must be transmitted through meiosis. An extreme case of hemizygosity exists in the genus Caenorhabditis, where males have a single X chromosome that completely lacks a homologous partner. To determine whether similar strategies have evolved to accommodate hemizygosity of the X during male meiosis in Caenorhabditis with distinct modes of sexual reproduction, we examined induction and processing of meiotic double strand breaks (DSBs) in androdioecious (hermaphrodite/male) Caenorhabditis elegans and C. briggsae, and gonochoristic (female/male) C. remanei and C. brenneri Analysis of the recombinase RAD-51 suggests more meiotic DSBs are induced in gonochoristic vs. androdioecious species. However, in late prophase in all species, chromosome pairs are restructured into bivalents around a single axis, suggesting that the holocentric nature of Caenorhabditis chromosomes dictates a single crossover per bivalent regardless of the number of DSBs induced. Interestingly, RAD-51 foci were readily observed on the X chromosome of androdioecious male germ cells, while very few were detected in gonochoristic male germ cells. As in C. elegans, the X chromosome in C. briggsae male germ cells undergoes transient pseudosynapsis and flexibility in DSB repair pathway choice. In contrast, in C. remanei and C. brenneri male germ cells, the X chromosome does not undergo pseudosynapsis and appears refractory to SPO-11-induced breaks. Together our results suggest that distinct strategies have evolved to accommodate sex chromosome hemizygosity during meiosis in closely related Caenorhabditis species.

Plasticity in the Meiotic Epigenetic Landscape of Sex Chromosomes in Caenorhabditis Species

During meiosis in the heterogametic sex in some species, sex chromosomes undergo meiotic sex chromosome inactivation (MSCI), which results in acquisition of repressive chromatin and transcriptional silencing. In Caenorhabditis elegans, MSCI is mediated by MET-2 methyltransferase deposition of histone H3 lysine 9 dimethylation. Here we examined the meiotic chromatin landscape in germ lines of four Caenorhabditis species; C. remanei and C. brenneri represent ancestral gonochorism, while C. briggsae and C. elegans are two lineages that independently evolved hermaphroditism. While MSCI is conserved across all four species, repressive chromatin modifications are distinct and do not correlate with reproductive mode. In contrast to C. elegans and C. remanei germ cells where X chromosomes are enriched for histone H3 lysine 9 dimethylation, X chromosomes in C. briggsae and C. brenneri germ cells are enriched for histone H3 lysine 9 trimethylation. Inactivation of C. briggsae MET-2 resulted in germ-line X chromosome transcription and checkpoint activation. Further, both histone H3 lysine 9 di- and trimethylation were reduced in Cbr-met-2 mutant germ lines, suggesting that in contrast to C. elegans, H3 lysine 9 di- and trimethylation are interdependent. C. briggsae H3 lysine 9 trimethylation was redistributed in the presence of asynapsed chromosomes in a sex-specific manner in the related process of meiotic silencing of unsynapsed chromatin. However, these repressive marks did not influence X chromosome replication timing. Examination of additional Caenorhabditis species revealed diverse H3 lysine 9 methylation patterns on the X, suggesting that the sex chromosome epigenome evolves rapidly.

Back to the roots: segregation of univalent sex chromosomes in meiosis

In males of many taxa, univalent sex chromosomes normally segregate during the first meiotic division, and analysis of sex chromosome segregation was foundational for the chromosome theory of inheritance. Correct segregation of single or multiple univalent sex chromosomes occurs in a cellular environment where every other chromosome is a bivalent that is being partitioned into homologous chromosomes at anaphase I. The mechanics of univalent chromosome segregation vary among animal taxa. In some, univalents establish syntelic attachment of sister kinetochores to the spindle. In others, amphitelic attachment is established. Here, we review how this problem of segregation of unpaired chromosomes is solved in different animal systems. In addition, we give a short outlook of how mechanistic insights into this process could be gained by explicitly studying model organisms, such as Caenorhabditis elegans.

Meiotic behaviour and sperm aneuploidy in an infertile man with a mosaic 45,X/46,XY karyotype

The meiotic behaviour of the germ cells in 45,X/46,XY men has not been extensively studied. This study investigated the meiotic events and sperm aneuploidy in an azoospermic man with a 45,X/46,XY (50/50) mosaic karyotype to better understand the fate of the 45,X cells and the production of chromosomally abnormal spermatozoa. Combining immunofluorescence techniques and fluorescence in-situ hybridization, meiotic recombination, synapsis, meiotic sex chromosome inactivation (MSCI) and configuration were analysed, as well as sperm aneuploidy in the patient and 10 normal, fertile men. Despite the 50:50 somatic mosaicism in the patient, 25% of pachytene cells analysed were 45,X. Furthermore, 63% of pachytene cells were 46,XY with paired sex chromosomes, and 12% were 46,XY with unpaired sex chromosomes, which displayed abnormal MCSI patterns. Although the patient's testicular spermatozoa showed increased aneuploidy, the majority were of normal constitution. The X:Y sperm ratio was significantly increased compared with the controls (P < 0.001), which may indicate that some 45,X cells gave rise to X-bearing spermatozoa. The findings provide insight into the fate of 45,X/46,XY cells in meiosis, supporting the hypothesis that stringent checkpoints ensure the favourable production of spermatozoa with normal chromosomal constitution despite an individual's abnormal karyotype.

Pseudosynapsis and decreased stringency of meiotic repair pathway choice on the hemizygous sex chromosome of Caenorhabditis elegans males

During meiosis, accurate chromosome segregation relies on homology to mediate chromosome pairing, synapsis, and crossover recombination. Crossovers are dependent upon formation and repair of double-strand breaks (DSBs) by homologous recombination (HR). In males of many species, sex chromosomes are largely hemizygous, yet DSBs are induced along nonhomologous regions. Here we analyzed the genetic requirements for meiotic DSB repair on the completely hemizygous X chromosome of Caenorhabditis elegans males. Our data reveal that the kinetics of DSB formation, chromosome pairing, and synapsis are tightly linked in the male germ line. Moreover, DSB induction on the X is concomitant with a brief period of pseudosynapsis that may allow X sister chromatids to masquerade as homologs. Consistent with this, neither meiotic kleisins nor the SMC-5/6 complex are essential for DSB repair on the X. Furthermore, early processing of X DSBs is dependent on the CtIP/Sae2 homolog COM-1, suggesting that as with paired chromosomes, HR is the preferred pathway. In contrast, the X chromosome is refractory to feedback mechanisms that ensure crossover formation on autosomes. Surprisingly, neither RAD-54 nor BRC-2 are essential for DSB repair on the X, suggesting that unlike autosomes, the X is competent for repair in the absence of HR. When both RAD-54 and the structure-specific nuclease XPF-1 are abrogated, X DSBs persist, suggesting that single-strand annealing is engaged in the absence of HR. Our findings indicate that alteration in sister chromatid interactions and flexibility in DSB repair pathway choice accommodate hemizygosity on sex chromosomes.

Enrichment of H3K9me2 on Unsynapsed Chromatin in Caenorhabditis elegans Does Not Target de Novo Sites

Many organisms alter the chromatin state of unsynapsed chromosomes during meiotic prophase, a phenomenon hypothesized to function in maintaining germline integrity. In Caenorhabditis elegans, histone H3 lysine 9 dimethylation (H3K9me2) is detected by immunolabeling as enriched on unsynapsed meiotic chromosomes. Loss of the SET domain protein, MET-2, greatly reduces H3K9me2 abundance and results in germline mortality. Here, we used him-8 mutations to disable X chromosome synapsis and performed a combination of molecular assays to map the sites of H3K9me2 accumulation, evaluate H3K9me2 abundance in germline vs. whole animals, and evaluate the impact of H3K9me2 loss on the germline transcriptome. Our data indicate that H3K9me2 is elevated broadly across the X chromosome and at defined X chromosomal sites in him-8 adults compared with controls. H3K9me2 levels are also elevated to a lesser degree at sites on synapsed chromosomes in him-8 adults compared with controls. These results suggest that MET-2 activity is elevated in him-8 mutants generally as well as targeted preferentially to the unsynapsed X. Abundance of H3K9me2 and other histone H3 modifications is low in germline chromatin compared with whole animals, which may facilitate genome reprogramming during gametogenesis. Loss of H3K9me2 has a subtle impact on the him-8 germline transcriptome, suggesting H3K9me2 may not be a major regulator of developmental gene expression in C. elegans. We hypothesize H3K9me2 may have a structural function critical for germline immortality, and a greater abundance of these marks may be required when a chromosome does not synapse.

The specification and global reprogramming of histone epigenetic marks during gamete formation and early embryo development in C. elegans

In addition to the DNA contributed by sperm and oocytes, embryos receive parent-specific epigenetic information that can include histone variants, histone post-translational modifications (PTMs), and DNA methylation. However, a global view of how such marks are erased or retained during gamete formation and reprogrammed after fertilization is lacking. To focus on features conveyed by histones, we conducted a large-scale proteomic identification of histone variants and PTMs in sperm and mixed-stage embryo chromatin from C. elegans, a species that lacks conserved DNA methylation pathways. The fate of these histone marks was then tracked using immunostaining. Proteomic analysis found that sperm harbor ∼2.4 fold lower levels of histone PTMs than embryos and revealed differences in classes of PTMs between sperm and embryos. Sperm chromatin repackaging involves the incorporation of the sperm-specific histone H2A variant HTAS-1, a widespread erasure of histone acetylation, and the retention of histone methylation at sites that mark the transcriptional history of chromatin domains during spermatogenesis. After fertilization, we show HTAS-1 and 6 histone PTM marks distinguish sperm and oocyte chromatin in the new embryo and characterize distinct paternal and maternal histone remodeling events during the oocyte-to-embryo transition. These include the exchange of histone H2A that is marked by ubiquitination, retention of HTAS-1, removal of the H2A variant HTZ-1, and differential reprogramming of histone PTMs. This work identifies novel and conserved features of paternal chromatin that are specified during spermatogenesis and processed in the embryo. Furthermore, our results show that different species, even those with diverged DNA packaging and imprinting strategies, use conserved histone modification and removal mechanisms to reprogram epigenetic information.

Evidence that masking of synapsis imperfections counterbalances quality control to promote efficient meiosis

Reduction in ploidy to generate haploid gametes during sexual reproduction is accomplished by the specialized cell division program of meiosis. Pairing between homologous chromosomes and assembly of the synaptonemal complex at their interface (synapsis) represent intermediate steps in the meiotic program that are essential to form crossover recombination-based linkages between homologs, which in turn enable segregation of the homologs to opposite poles at the meiosis I division. Here, we challenge the mechanisms of pairing and synapsis during C. elegans meiosis by disrupting the normal 1∶1 correspondence between homologs through karyotype manipulation. Using a combination of cytological tools, including S-phase labeling to specifically identify X chromosome territories in highly synchronous cohorts of nuclei and 3D rendering to visualize meiotic chromosome structures and organization, our analysis of trisomic (triplo-X) and polyploid meiosis provides insight into the principles governing pairing and synapsis and how the meiotic program is “wired” to maximize successful sexual reproduction. We show that chromosomes sort into homologous groups regardless of chromosome number, then preferentially achieve pairwise synapsis during a period of active chromosome mobilization. Further, comparisons of synapsis configurations in triplo-X germ cells that are proficient or defective for initiating recombination suggest a role for recombination in restricting chromosomal interactions to a pairwise state. Increased numbers of homologs prolong markers of the chromosome mobilization phase and/or boost germline apoptosis, consistent with triggering quality control mechanisms that promote resolution of synapsis problems and/or cull meiocytes containing synapsis defects. However, we also uncover evidence for the existence of mechanisms that “mask” defects, thus allowing resumption of prophase progression and survival of germ cells despite some asynapsis. We propose that coupling of saturable masking mechanisms with stringent quality controls maximizes meiotic success by making progression and survival dependent on achieving a level of synapsis sufficient for crossover formation without requiring perfect synapsis.

Diploid organisms must produce haploid gametes prior to sexual reproduction in order to maintain a constant number of chromosomes from one generation to the next. Ploidy reduction is accomplished during meiosis and requires crossover recombination-based linkages between homologous chromosomes. Here, we manipulate karyotype in C. elegans to probe the mechanisms that govern stable, pairwise, homologous associations essential for crossover formation. We find that chromosomes sort into homolog groups regardless of number prior to stabilizing interactions (“synapsing”) in a preferentially pairwise manner. Increased numbers of homologs delay meiotic progression and/or boost cell death, reflecting operation of quality control mechanisms that either buy time to correct synapsis problems or eliminate defective cells. Moreover, we found evidence for mechanisms that can “mask” synapsis imperfections, thus allowing resumption of meiotic progression and survival of germ cells when synapsis is “good enough”, albeit imperfect. This strategy would maximize meiotic success by making progression and survival contingent on achieving a level of synapsis sufficient for crossover formation without imposing an onerous and unnecessary requirement for perfect synapsis. We suggest that the regulatory logic of coupling saturable masking mechanisms with stringent quality controls may be employed widely to maximize efficiency of biological circuits.

Matefin/SUN-1 phosphorylation is part of a surveillance mechanism to coordinate chromosome synapsis and recombination with meiotic progression and chromosome movement

Faithful chromosome segregation during meiosis I depends on the establishment of a crossover between homologous chromosomes. This requires induction of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), alignment of homologs, homolog association by synapsis, and repair of DSBs via homologous recombination. The success of these events requires coordination between chromosomal events and meiotic progression. The conserved SUN/KASH nuclear envelope bridge establishes transient linkages between chromosome ends and cytoskeletal forces during meiosis. In Caenorhabditis elegans, this bridge is essential for bringing homologs together and preventing nonhomologous synapsis. Chromosome movement takes place during synapsis and recombination. Concomitant with the onset of chromosome movement, SUN-1 clusters at chromosome ends associated with the nuclear envelope, and it is phosphorylated in a chk-2- and plk-2-dependent manner. Identification of all SUN-1 phosphomodifications at its nuclear N terminus allowed us to address their role in prophase I. Failures in recombination and synapsis led to persistent phosphorylations, which are required to elicit a delay in progression. Unfinished meiotic tasks elicited sustained recruitment of PLK-2 to chromosome ends in a SUN-1 phosphorylation-dependent manner that is required for continued chromosome movement and characteristic of a zygotene arrest. Furthermore, SUN-1 phosphorylation supported efficient synapsis. We propose that signals emanating from a failure to successfully finish meiotic tasks are integrated at the nuclear periphery to regulate chromosome end-led movement and meiotic progression. The single unsynapsed X chromosome in male meiosis is precluded from inducing a progression delay, and we found it was devoid of a population of phosphorylated SUN-1. This suggests that SUN-1 phosphorylation is critical to delaying meiosis in response to perturbed synapsis. SUN-1 may be an integral part of a checkpoint system to monitor establishment of the obligate crossover, inducible only in leptotene/zygotene. Unrepaired DSBs and unsynapsed chromosomes maintain this checkpoint, but a crossover intermediate is necessary to shut it down.

COM-1 promotes homologous recombination during Caenorhabditis elegans meiosis by antagonizing Ku-mediated non-homologous end joining

Successful completion of meiosis requires the induction and faithful repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). DSBs can be repaired via homologous recombination (HR) or non-homologous end joining (NHEJ), yet only repair via HR can generate the interhomolog crossovers (COs) needed for meiotic chromosome segregation. Here we identify COM-1, the homolog of CtIP/Sae2/Ctp1, as a crucial regulator of DSB repair pathway choice during Caenorhabditis elegans gametogenesis. COM-1-deficient germ cells repair meiotic DSBs via the error-prone pathway NHEJ, resulting in a lack of COs, extensive chromosomal aggregation, and near-complete embryonic lethality. In contrast to its yeast counterparts, COM-1 is not required for Spo11 removal and initiation of meiotic DSB repair, but instead promotes meiotic recombination by counteracting the NHEJ complex Ku. In fact, animals defective for both COM-1 and Ku are viable and proficient in CO formation. Further genetic dissection revealed that COM-1 acts parallel to the nuclease EXO-1 to promote interhomolog HR at early pachytene stage of meiotic prophase and thereby safeguards timely CO formation. Both of these nucleases, however, are dispensable for RAD-51 recruitment at late pachytene stage, when homolog-independent repair pathways predominate, suggesting further redundancy and/or temporal regulation of DNA end resection during meiotic prophase. Collectively, our results uncover the potentially lethal properties of NHEJ during meiosis and identify a critical role for COM-1 in NHEJ inhibition and CO assurance in germ cells.

Epigenetic control of germline development

Dynamic regulation of histone modifications and small noncoding RNAs is observed throughout the development of the C. elegans germ line. Histone modifications are differentially regulated in the mitotic vs meiotic germ line, on X chromosomes vs autosomes and on paired chromosomes vs unpaired chromosomes. Small RNAs function in transposon silencing and developmental gene regulation. Histone modifications and small RNAs produced in the germ line can be inherited and impact embryonic development. Disruption of histone-modifying enzymes or small RNA machinery in the germ line can result in sterility due to degeneration of the germ line and/or an inability to produce functional gametes.

Histone methyltransferases MES-4 and MET-1 promote meiotic checkpoint activation in Caenorhabditis elegans

Chromosomes that fail to synapse during meiosis become enriched for chromatin marks associated with heterochromatin assembly. This response, called meiotic silencing of unsynapsed or unpaired chromatin (MSUC), is conserved from fungi to mammals. In Caenorhabditis elegans, unsynapsed chromosomes also activate a meiotic checkpoint that monitors synapsis. The synapsis checkpoint signal is dependent on cis-acting loci called Pairing Centers (PCs). How PCs signal to activate the synapsis checkpoint is currently unknown. We show that a chromosomal duplication with PC activity is sufficient to activate the synapsis checkpoint and that it undergoes heterochromatin assembly less readily than a duplication of a non-PC region, suggesting that the chromatin state of these loci is important for checkpoint function. Consistent with this hypothesis, MES-4 and MET-1, chromatin-modifying enzymes associated with transcriptional activity, are required for the synapsis checkpoint. In addition, a duplication with PC activity undergoes heterochromatin assembly when mes-4 activity is reduced. MES-4 function is required specifically for the X chromosome, while MES-4 and MET-1 act redundantly to monitor autosomal synapsis. We propose that MES-4 and MET-1 antagonize heterochromatin assembly at PCs of unsynapsed chromosomes by promoting a transcriptionally permissive chromatin environment that is required for meiotic checkpoint function. Moreover, we suggest that different genetic requirements to monitor the behavior of sex chromosomes and autosomes allow for the lone unsynapsed X present in male germlines to be shielded from inappropriate checkpoint activation.

Caenorhabditis elegans histone methyltransferase MET-2 shields the male X chromosome from checkpoint machinery and mediates meiotic sex chromosome inactivation

Meiosis is a specialized form of cellular division that results in the precise halving of the genome to produce gametes for sexual reproduction. Checkpoints function during meiosis to detect errors and subsequently to activate a signaling cascade that prevents the formation of aneuploid gametes. Indeed, asynapsis of a homologous chromosome pair elicits a checkpoint response that can in turn trigger germline apoptosis. In a heterogametic germ line, however, sex chromosomes proceed through meiosis with unsynapsed regions and are not recognized by checkpoint machinery. We conducted a directed RNAi screen in Caenorhabditis elegans to identify regulatory factors that prevent recognition of heteromorphic sex chromosomes as unpaired and uncovered a role for the SET domain histone H3 lysine 9 histone methyltransferase (HMTase) MET-2 and two additional HMTases in shielding the male X from checkpoint machinery. We found that MET-2 also mediates the transcriptional silencing program of meiotic sex chromosome inactivation (MSCI) but not meiotic silencing of unsynapsed chromatin (MSUC), suggesting that these processes are distinct. Further, MSCI and checkpoint shielding can be uncoupled, as double-strand breaks targeted to an unpaired, transcriptionally silenced extra-chromosomal array induce checkpoint activation in germ lines depleted for met-2. In summary, our data uncover a mechanism by which repressive chromatin architecture enables checkpoint proteins to distinguish between the partnerless male X chromosome and asynapsed chromosomes thereby shielding the lone X from inappropriate activation of an apoptotic program.

Meiosis results in the generation of non-identical haploid gametes and maintenance of chromosome number during sexual reproduction. Precise meiotic chromosome segregation is essential for life, and in humans errors in this process contribute to aneuploidy or failure in meiosis, which manifests as spontaneous abortions or infertility. Cellular surveillance pathways monitor the steps of meiosis; and, if homologous chromosomes fail to pair and recombine, checkpoint machinery responds by eliciting signals to induce apoptosis. However, in many species males possess a single X chromosome that is transcriptionally silenced, accumulates repressive histone marks, and is not recognized as partnerless by meiotic checkpoints. Here, we used C. elegans to investigate how the male X is precluded from checkpoint signaling and uncovered a role for conserved chromatin-remodeling proteins that block checkpoints and mediate meiotic silencing. Our data elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which chromatin architecture influences both transcriptional silencing and checkpoint response to breaks on unpaired sex chromosomes, and we propose a model by which repressive chromatin modifiers directly block meiotic checkpoints from accessing the male X chromosome.

Heteromorphic sex chromosomes: navigating meiosis without a homologous partner

Accurate chromosome segregation during meiosis relies on homology between the maternal and paternal chromosomes. Yet by definition, sex chromosomes of the heterogametic sex lack a homologous partner. Recent studies in a number of systems have shed light on the unique meiotic behavior of heteromorphic sex chromosomes, and highlight both the commonalities and differences in divergent species. During meiotic prophase, the homology-dependent processes of pairing, synapsis, and recombination have been modified in many different ways to ensure segregation of heteromorphic sex chromosomes at the first meiotic division. Additionally, an almost universal feature of heteromorphic sex chromosomes during meiosis is transcriptional silencing, or meiotic sex chromosome inactivation, an essential process proposed to prevent expression of genes deleterious to meiosis in the heterogametic sex as well as to shield unpaired sex chromosomes from recognition by meiotic checkpoints. Comparative analyses of the meiotic behavior of sex chromosomes in nematodes, mammals, and birds reveal important conserved features as well as provide insight into sex chromosome evolution.

Checkpoint mechanisms: the puppet masters of meiotic prophase

The coordinated execution of cell cycle processes during meiosis is essential for the production of viable gametes and fertility. Coordination is particularly important during meiotic prophase, when nuclei undergo a dramatic reorganization that requires the precise choreography of chromosome movements, pairing interactions and DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair. Analysis of the underlying regulatory mechanisms has revealed crucial and widespread roles for DNA-damage checkpoint proteins, not only in cell cycle surveillance, but also in controlling many processes uniquely characteristic of meiosis. The resulting regulatory network uses checkpoint machinery to provide an integral coordinating mechanism during every meiotic division and enables cells to safely maintain an error-prone event such as DSB formation as an essential part of the meiotic program.

An asymmetric chromosome pair undergoes synaptic adjustment and crossover redistribution during Caenorhabditis elegans meiosis: implications for sex chromosome evolution

Heteromorphic sex chromosomes, such as the X/Y pair in mammals, differ in size and DNA sequence yet function as homologs during meiosis; this bivalent asymmetry presents special challenges for meiotic completion. In Caenorhabditis elegans males carrying mnT12, an X;IV fusion chromosome, mnT12 and IV form an asymmetric bivalent: chromosome IV sequences are capable of pairing and synapsis, while the contiguous X portion of mnT12 lacks a homologous pairing partner. Here, we investigate the meiotic behavior of this asymmetric neo-X/Y chromosome pair in C. elegans. Through immunolocalization of the axis component HIM-3, we demonstrate that the unpaired X axis has a distinct, coiled morphology while synapsed axes are linear and extended. By showing that loci at the fusion-proximal end of IV become unpaired while remaining synapsed as pachytene progresses, we directly demonstrate the occurrence of synaptic adjustment in this organism. We further demonstrate that meiotic crossover distribution is markedly altered in males with the asymmetric mnT12/+ bivalent relative to controls, resulting in greatly reduced crossover formation near the X;IV fusion point and elevated crossovers at the distal end of the bivalent. In effect, the distal end of the bivalent acts as a neo-pseudoautosomal region in these males. We discuss implications of these findings for mechanisms that ensure crossover formation during meiosis. Furthermore, we propose that redistribution of crossovers triggered by bivalent asymmetry may be an important driving force in sex chromosome evolution.

Meiotic errors activate checkpoints that improve gamete quality without triggering apoptosis in male germ cells

BACKGROUND

Meiotic checkpoints ensure the production of gametes with the correct complement and integrity of DNA; in metazoans, these pathways sense errors and transduce signals to trigger apoptosis to eliminate damaged germ cells. The extent to which checkpoints monitor and safeguard the genome differs between sexes and may contribute to the high frequency of human female meiotic errors. In the C. elegans female germline, DNA damage, chromosome asynapsis, and/or unrepaired meiotic double-strand breaks (DSBs) activate checkpoints that induce apoptosis; conversely, male germ cells do not undergo apoptosis.

RESULTS

Here we show that the recombination checkpoint is in fact activated in male germ cells despite the lack of apoptosis. The 9-1-1 complex and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-related protein kinase ATR, sensors of DNA damage, are recruited to chromatin in the presence of unrepaired meiotic DSBs in both female and male germlines. Furthermore, the checkpoint kinase CHK-1 is phosphorylated and the p53 ortholog CEP-1 induces expression of BH3-only proapoptotic proteins in germlines of both sexes under activating conditions. The core cell death machinery is expressed in female and male germlines; however, CED-3 caspase is not activated in the male germline. Although apoptosis is not triggered, checkpoint activation in males has functional consequences for gamete quality, because there is reduced viability of progeny sired by males with a checkpoint-activating defect in the absence of checkpoint function.

CONCLUSIONS

We propose that the recombination checkpoint functions in male germ cells to promote repair of meiotic recombination intermediates, thereby improving the fidelity of chromosome transmission in the absence of apoptosis.

The C. elegans adult male germline: stem cells and sexual dimorphism

The hermaphrodite Caenorhabditis elegans germline has become a classic model for stem cell regulation, but the male C. elegans germline has been largely neglected. This work provides a cellular analysis of the adult C. elegans male germline, focusing on its predicted stem cell region in the distal gonad. The goals of this study were two-fold: to establish the C. elegans male germline as a stem cell model and to identify sex-specific traits of potential relevance to the sperm/oocyte decision. Our results support two major conclusions. First, adult males do indeed possess a population of germline stem cells (GSCs) with properties similar to those of hermaphrodite GSCs (lack of cell cycle quiescence and lack of reproducibly oriented divisions). Second, germ cells in the mitotic region, including those most distal within the niche, exhibit sex-specific behaviors (e.g. cell cycle length) and therefore have acquired sexual identity. Previous studies demonstrated that some germ cells are not committed to a sperm or oocyte cell fate, even in adults. We propose that germ cells can acquire sexual identity without being committed to a sperm or oocyte cell fate.

Meiosis: making a break for it

The perpetuation of most eukaryotic species requires differentiation of pluripotent progenitors into egg and sperm and subsequent fusion of these gametes to form a new zygote. Meiosis is a distinguishing feature of gamete formation as it leads to the twofold reduction in chromosome number thereby maintaining ploidy across generations. This process increases offspring diversity through the random segregation of chromosomes and the exchange of genetic material between homologous parental chromosomes, known as meiotic crossover recombination. These exchanges require the establishment of unique and dynamic chromatin configurations that facilitate cohesion, homolog pairing, synapsis, double strand break formation and repair. The precise orchestration of these events is critical for gamete survival as demonstrated by the majority of human aneuploidies that can be traced to defects in the first meiotic division (Hassold T, Hall H, Hunt P: The origin of human aneuploidy: where we have been, where we are going. Hum Mol Genet 2007, 16 Spec No. 2:R203-R208.). This review will focus on recent advances in our understanding of key meiotic events and how coordination of these events is occurring.

Crossover invariance determined by partner choice for meiotic DNA break repair

Crossovers between meiotic homologs are crucial for their proper segregation, and crossover number and position are carefully controlled. Crossover homeostasis in budding yeast maintains crossovers at the expense of noncrossovers when double-strand DNA break (DSB) frequency is reduced. The mechanism of maintaining constant crossover levels in other species has been unknown. Here we investigate in fission yeast a different aspect of crossover control--the near invariance of crossover frequency per kb of DNA despite large variations in DSB intensity across the genome. Crossover invariance involves the choice of sister chromatid versus homolog for DSB repair. At strong DSB hotspots, intersister repair outnumbers interhomolog repair approximately 3:1, but our genetic and physical data indicate the converse in DSB-cold regions. This unanticipated mechanism of crossover control may operate in many species and explain, for example, the large excess of DSBs over crossovers and the repair of DSBs on unpaired chromosomes in diverse species.

Meiotic silencing in Caenorhabditis elegans

In many animals and some fungi, mechanisms have been described that target unpaired chromosomes and chromosomal regions for silencing during meiotic prophase. These phenomena, collectively called "meiotic silencing," target sex chromosomes in the heterogametic sex, for example, the X chromosome in male nematodes and the XY-body in male mice, and also target any other chromosomes that fail to synapse due to mutation or chromosomal rearrangement. Meiotic silencing phenomena are hypothesized to maintain genome integrity and perhaps function in setting up epigenetic control of embryogenesis. This review focuses on meiotic silencing in the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, including its mechanism and function(s), and its relationship to other gene silencing processes in the germ line. One hallmark of meiotic silencing in C. elegans is that unpaired/unsynapsed chromosomes and chromosomal regions become enriched for a repressive histone modification, dimethylation of histone H3 on lysine 9 (H3K9me2). Accumulation and proper targeting of H3K9me2 rely on activity of an siRNA pathway, suggesting that histone methyltransferase activity may be targeted/regulated by a small RNA-based transcriptional silencing mechanism.