1
|
Carro MDLM, Grimson A, Cohen PE. Small RNAs and their protein partners in animal meiosis. Curr Top Dev Biol 2022; 151:245-279. [PMID: 36681472 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2022.06.001] [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: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Meiosis is characterized by highly regulated transitions in gene expression that require diverse mechanisms of gene regulation. For example, in male mammals, transcription undergoes a global shut-down in early prophase I of meiosis, followed by increasing transcriptional activity into pachynema. Later, as spermiogenesis proceeds, the histones bound to DNA are replaced with transition proteins, which are themselves replaced with protamines, resulting in a highly condensed nucleus with repressed transcriptional activity. In addition, two specialized gene silencing events take place during prophase I: meiotic silencing of unsynapsed chromatin (MSUC), and the sex chromatin specific mechanism, meiotic sex chromosome inactivation (MSCI). Notably, conserved roles for the RNA binding protein (RBP) machinery that functions with small non-coding RNAs have been described as participating in these meiosis-specific mechanisms, suggesting that RNA-mediated gene regulation is critical for fertility in many species. Here, we review roles of small RNAs and their associated RBPs in meiosis-related processes such as centromere function, silencing of unpaired chromatin and meiotic recombination. We will discuss the emerging evidence of non-canonical functions of these components in meiosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- María de Las Mercedes Carro
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States; Cornell Reproductive Sciences Center (CoRe), Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Andrew Grimson
- Cornell Reproductive Sciences Center (CoRe), Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States; Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States.
| | - Paula E Cohen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States; Cornell Reproductive Sciences Center (CoRe), Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Shapiro-Kulnane L, Bautista O, Salz HK. An RNA-interference screen in Drosophila to identify ZAD-containing C2H2 zinc finger genes that function in female germ cells. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2021; 11:6025177. [PMID: 33561227 PMCID: PMC8022714 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkaa016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The zinc finger-associated domain (ZAD) is present in over 90 C2H2 zinc finger (ZNF) proteins. Despite their abundance, only a few ZAD-ZNF genes have been characterized to date. Here, we systematically analyze the function of 68 ZAD-ZNF genes in Drosophila female germ cells by performing an in vivo RNA-interference screen. We identified eight ZAD-ZNF genes required for oogenesis, and based on further characterization of the knockdown phenotypes, we uncovered defects broadly consistent with functions in germ cell specification and/or survival, early differentiation, and egg chamber maturation. These results provide a candidate pool for future studies aimed at functionalization of this large but poorly characterized gene family.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Shapiro-Kulnane
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, 10900 Euclid Ave. Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Oscar Bautista
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, 10900 Euclid Ave. Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Helen K Salz
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, 10900 Euclid Ave. Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wang LI, DeFosse T, Jang JK, Battaglia RA, Wagner VF, McKim KS. Borealin directs recruitment of the CPC to oocyte chromosomes and movement to the microtubules. J Cell Biol 2021; 220:211972. [PMID: 33836043 PMCID: PMC8185691 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202006018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The chromosomes in the oocytes of many animals appear to promote bipolar spindle assembly. In Drosophila oocytes, spindle assembly requires the chromosome passenger complex (CPC), which consists of INCENP, Borealin, Survivin, and Aurora B. To determine what recruits the CPC to the chromosomes and its role in spindle assembly, we developed a strategy to manipulate the function and localization of INCENP, which is critical for recruiting the Aurora B kinase. We found that an interaction between Borealin and the chromatin is crucial for the recruitment of the CPC to the chromosomes and is sufficient to build kinetochores and recruit spindle microtubules. HP1 colocalizes with the CPC on the chromosomes and together they move to the spindle microtubules. We propose that the Borealin interaction with HP1 promotes the movement of the CPC from the chromosomes to the microtubules. In addition, within the central spindle, rather than at the centromeres, the CPC and HP1 are required for homologous chromosome bi-orientation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lin-Ing Wang
- Waksman Institute and Department of Genetics, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ
| | - Tyler DeFosse
- Waksman Institute and Department of Genetics, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ
| | - Janet K Jang
- Waksman Institute and Department of Genetics, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ
| | - Rachel A Battaglia
- Waksman Institute and Department of Genetics, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ
| | - Victoria F Wagner
- Waksman Institute and Department of Genetics, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ
| | - Kim S McKim
- Waksman Institute and Department of Genetics, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Molecular basis of reproductive senescence: insights from model organisms. J Assist Reprod Genet 2020; 38:17-32. [PMID: 33006069 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-020-01959-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Reproductive decline due to parental age has become a major barrier to fertility as couples have delayed having offspring into their thirties and forties. Advanced parental age is also associated with increased incidence of neurological and cardiovascular disease in offspring. Thus, elucidating the etiology of reproductive decline is of clinical importance. METHODS Deciphering the underlying processes that drive reproductive decline is particularly challenging in women in whom a discrete oocyte pool is established during embryogenesis and may remain dormant for tens of years. Instead, our understanding of the processes that drive reproductive senescence has emerged from studies in model organisms, both vertebrate and invertebrate, that are the focus of this literature review. CONCLUSIONS Studies of reproductive aging in model organisms not only have revealed the detrimental cellular changes that occur with age but also are helping identify major regulator proteins controlling them. Here, we discuss what we have learned from model organisms with respect to the molecular mechanisms that maintain both genome integrity and oocyte quality.
Collapse
|
5
|
Fonseca Cabral G, Azevedo dos Santos Pinheiro J, Vidal AF, Santos S, Ribeiro-dos-Santos Â. piRNAs in Gastric Cancer: A New Approach Towards Translational Research. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21062126. [PMID: 32204558 PMCID: PMC7139476 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21062126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Gastric cancer is currently the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, usually diagnosed at late stages. The development of new biomarkers to improve its prevention and patient management is critical for disease control. piRNAs are small regulatory RNAs important for gene silencing mechanisms, mainly associated with the silencing of transposable elements. piRNA pathways may also be involved in gene regulation and the deregulation of piRNAs may be an important factor in carcinogenic processes. Thus, several studies suggest piRNAs as potential cancer biomarkers. Translational studies suggest that piRNAs may regulate key genes and pathways associated with gastric cancer progression, though there is no functional annotation in piRNA databases. The impacts of genetic variants in piRNA genes and their influence in gastric cancer development remains elusive, highlighting the gap in piRNA regulatory mechanisms knowledge. Here, we discuss the current state of understanding of piRNA-mediated regulation and piRNA functions and suggest that genetic alterations in piRNA genes may affect their functionality, thus, it may be associated with gastric carcinogenesis. Conclusions: In the era of precision medicine, investigations about genetic and epigenetic mechanisms are essential to further comprehend gastric carcinogenesis and the role of piRNAs as potential biomarkers for translational research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gleyce Fonseca Cabral
- Laboratório de Genética Humana e Médica, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66.075-110, PA, Brazil; (G.F.C.); (J.A.d.S.P.); (A.F.V.); (S.S.)
| | - Jhully Azevedo dos Santos Pinheiro
- Laboratório de Genética Humana e Médica, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66.075-110, PA, Brazil; (G.F.C.); (J.A.d.S.P.); (A.F.V.); (S.S.)
| | - Amanda Ferreira Vidal
- Laboratório de Genética Humana e Médica, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66.075-110, PA, Brazil; (G.F.C.); (J.A.d.S.P.); (A.F.V.); (S.S.)
| | - Sidney Santos
- Laboratório de Genética Humana e Médica, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66.075-110, PA, Brazil; (G.F.C.); (J.A.d.S.P.); (A.F.V.); (S.S.)
- Programa de Pós-Graduacão em Oncologia e Ciências Médicas, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Oncologia, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66.073-000, PA, Brazil
| | - Ândrea Ribeiro-dos-Santos
- Laboratório de Genética Humana e Médica, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66.075-110, PA, Brazil; (G.F.C.); (J.A.d.S.P.); (A.F.V.); (S.S.)
- Programa de Pós-Graduacão em Oncologia e Ciências Médicas, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Oncologia, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66.073-000, PA, Brazil
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +55-091-3201-7843
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
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.
Collapse
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.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Female Meiosis: Synapsis, Recombination, and Segregation in Drosophila melanogaster. Genetics 2018; 208:875-908. [PMID: 29487146 PMCID: PMC5844340 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.117.300081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 10/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
A century of genetic studies of the meiotic process in Drosophila melanogaster females has been greatly augmented by both modern molecular biology and major advances in cytology. These approaches, and the findings they have allowed, are the subject of this review. Specifically, these efforts have revealed that meiotic pairing in Drosophila females is not an extension of somatic pairing, but rather occurs by a poorly understood process during premeiotic mitoses. This process of meiotic pairing requires the function of several components of the synaptonemal complex (SC). When fully assembled, the SC also plays a critical role in maintaining homolog synapsis and in facilitating the maturation of double-strand breaks (DSBs) into mature crossover (CO) events. Considerable progress has been made in elucidating not only the structure, function, and assembly of the SC, but also the proteins that facilitate the formation and repair of DSBs into both COs and noncrossovers (NCOs). The events that control the decision to mature a DSB as either a CO or an NCO, as well as determining which of the two CO pathways (class I or class II) might be employed, are also being characterized by genetic and genomic approaches. These advances allow a reconsideration of meiotic phenomena such as interference and the centromere effect, which were previously described only by genetic studies. In delineating the mechanisms by which the oocyte controls the number and position of COs, it becomes possible to understand the role of CO position in ensuring the proper orientation of homologs on the first meiotic spindle. Studies of bivalent orientation have occurred in the context of numerous investigations into the assembly, structure, and function of the first meiotic spindle. Additionally, studies have examined the mechanisms ensuring the segregation of chromosomes that have failed to undergo crossing over.
Collapse
|
8
|
Perkins AT, Bickel SE. Using Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) to Monitor the State of Arm Cohesion in Prometaphase and Metaphase I Drosophila Oocytes. J Vis Exp 2017. [PMID: 29286418 DOI: 10.3791/56802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
In humans, chromosome segregation errors in oocytes are responsible for the majority of miscarriages and birth defects. Moreover, as women age, their risk of conceiving an aneuploid fetus increases dramatically and this phenomenon is known as the maternal age effect. One requirement for accurate chromosome segregation during the meiotic divisions is maintenance of sister chromatid cohesion during the extended prophase period that oocytes experience. Cytological evidence in both humans and model organisms suggests that meiotic cohesion deteriorates during the aging process. In addition, segregation errors in human oocytes are most prevalent during meiosis I, consistent with premature loss of arm cohesion. The use of model organisms is critical for unraveling the mechanisms that underlie age-dependent loss of cohesion. Drosophila melanogaster offers several advantages for studying the regulation of meiotic cohesion in oocytes. However, until recently, only genetic tests were available to assay for loss of arm cohesion in oocytes of different genotypes or under different experimental conditions. Here, a detailed protocol is provided for using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to directly visualize defects in arm cohesion in prometaphase I and metaphase I arrested Drosophila oocytes. By generating a FISH probe that hybridizes to the distal arm of the X chromosome and collecting confocal Z stacks, a researcher can visualize the number of individual FISH signals in three dimensions and determine whether sister chromatid arms are separated. The procedure outlined makes it possible to quantify arm cohesion defects in hundreds of Drosophila oocytes. As such, this method provides an important tool for investigating the mechanisms that contribute to cohesion maintenance as well as the factors that lead to its demise during the aging process.
Collapse
|
9
|
PIWI family emerging as a decisive factor of cell fate: An overview. Eur J Cell Biol 2017; 96:746-757. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2017.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Revised: 09/20/2017] [Accepted: 09/29/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
|
10
|
Meiotic Crossing Over in Maize Knob Heterochromatin. Genetics 2017; 205:1101-1112. [PMID: 28108587 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.116.196089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 01/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
There is ample evidence that crossing over is suppressed in heterochromatin associated with centromeres and nucleolus organizers (NORs). This characteristic has been attributed to all heterochromatin, but the generalization may not be justified. To investigate the relationship of crossing over to heterochromatin that is not associated with centromeres or NORs, we used a combination of fluorescence in situ hybridization of the maize 180-bp knob repeat to show the locations of knob heterochromatin and fluorescent immunolocalization of MLH1 protein and AFD1 protein to show the locations of MLH1 foci on maize synaptonemal complexes (SCs, pachytene chromosomes). MLH1 foci correspond to the location of recombination nodules (RNs) that mark sites of crossing over. We found that MLH1 foci occur at similar frequencies per unit length of SC in interstitial knobs and in the 1 µm segments of SC in euchromatin immediately to either side of interstitial knobs. These results indicate not only that crossing over occurs within knob heterochromatin, but also that crossing over is not suppressed in the context of SC length in maize knobs. However, because there is more DNA per unit length of SC in knobs compared to euchromatin, crossing over is suppressed (but not eliminated) in knobs in the context of DNA length compared to adjacent euchromatin.
Collapse
|
11
|
Maintenance of Heterochromatin by the Large Subunit of the CAF-1 Replication-Coupled Histone Chaperone Requires Its Interaction with HP1a Through a Conserved Motif. Genetics 2016; 205:125-137. [PMID: 27838630 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.116.190785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2016] [Accepted: 10/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In eukaryotic cells, the organization of genomic DNA into chromatin regulates many biological processes, from the control of gene expression to the regulation of chromosome segregation. The proper maintenance of this structure upon cell division is therefore of prime importance during development for the maintenance of cell identity and genome stability. The chromatin assembly factor 1 (CAF-1) is involved in the assembly of H3-H4 histone dimers on newly synthesized DNA and in the maintenance of a higher order structure, the heterochromatin, through an interaction of its large subunit with the heterochromatin protein HP1a. We identify here a conserved domain in the large subunit of the CAF-1 complex required for its interaction with HP1a in the Drosophila fruit fly. Functional analysis reveals that this domain is dispensable for viability but participates in two processes involving heterochromatin: position-effect variegation and long range chromosomal interactions during meiotic prophase. Importantly, the identification in the large subunit of CAF-1 of a domain required for its interaction with HP1 allows the separation of its functions in heterochromatin-related processes from its function in the assembly of H3-H4 dimers onto newly synthesized DNA.
Collapse
|
12
|
Oxidative stress in oocytes during midprophase induces premature loss of cohesion and chromosome segregation errors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:E6823-E6830. [PMID: 27791141 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1612047113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
In humans, errors in meiotic chromosome segregation that produce aneuploid gametes increase dramatically as women age, a phenomenon termed the "maternal age effect." During meiosis, cohesion between sister chromatids keeps recombinant homologs physically attached and premature loss of cohesion can lead to missegregation of homologs during meiosis I. A growing body of evidence suggests that meiotic cohesion deteriorates as oocytes age and contributes to the maternal age effect. One hallmark of aging cells is an increase in oxidative damage caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Therefore, increased oxidative damage in older oocytes may be one of the factors that leads to premature loss of cohesion and segregation errors. To test this hypothesis, we used an RNAi strategy to induce oxidative stress in Drosophila oocytes and measured the fidelity of chromosome segregation during meiosis. Knockdown of either the cytoplasmic or mitochondrial ROS scavenger superoxide dismutase (SOD) caused a significant increase in segregation errors, and heterozygosity for an smc1 deletion enhanced this phenotype. FISH analysis indicated that SOD knockdown moderately increased the percentage of oocytes with arm cohesion defects. Consistent with premature loss of arm cohesion and destabilization of chiasmata, the frequency at which recombinant homologs missegregate during meiosis I is significantly greater in SOD knockdown oocytes than in controls. Together these results provide an in vivo demonstration that oxidative stress during meiotic prophase induces chromosome segregation errors and support the model that accelerated loss of cohesion in aging human oocytes is caused, at least in part, by oxidative damage.
Collapse
|