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Abstract
The raison d'être of meiosis is shuffling of genetic information via Mendelian segregation and, within individual chromosomes, by DNA crossing-over. These outcomes are enabled by a complex cellular program in which interactions between homologous chromosomes play a central role. We first provide a background regarding the basic principles of this program. We then summarize the current understanding of the DNA events of recombination and of three processes that involve whole chromosomes: homolog pairing, crossover interference, and chiasma maturation. All of these processes are implemented by direct physical interaction of recombination complexes with underlying chromosome structures. Finally, we present convergent lines of evidence that the meiotic program may have evolved by coupling of this interaction to late-stage mitotic chromosome morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise Zickler
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Nancy Kleckner
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA;
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2
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Fozard JA, Morgan C, Howard M. Coarsening dynamics can explain meiotic crossover patterning in both the presence and absence of the synaptonemal complex. eLife 2023; 12:e79408. [PMID: 36847348 PMCID: PMC10036115 DOI: 10.7554/elife.79408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The shuffling of genetic material facilitated by meiotic crossovers is a critical driver of genetic variation. Therefore, the number and positions of crossover events must be carefully controlled. In Arabidopsis, an obligate crossover and repression of nearby crossovers on each chromosome pair are abolished in mutants that lack the synaptonemal complex (SC), a conserved protein scaffold. We use mathematical modelling and quantitative super-resolution microscopy to explore and mechanistically explain meiotic crossover pattering in Arabidopsis lines with full, incomplete, or abolished synapsis. For zyp1 mutants, which lack an SC, we develop a coarsening model in which crossover precursors globally compete for a limited pool of the pro-crossover factor HEI10, with dynamic HEI10 exchange mediated through the nucleoplasm. We demonstrate that this model is capable of quantitatively reproducing and predicting zyp1 experimental crossover patterning and HEI10 foci intensity data. Additionally, we find that a model combining both SC- and nucleoplasm-mediated coarsening can explain crossover patterning in wild-type Arabidopsis and in pch2 mutants, which display partial synapsis. Together, our results reveal that regulation of crossover patterning in wild-type Arabidopsis and SC-defective mutants likely acts through the same underlying coarsening mechanism, differing only in the spatial compartments through which the pro-crossover factor diffuses.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A Fozard
- Computational and Systems Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research ParkNorwichUnited Kingdom
| | - Chris Morgan
- Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research ParkNorwichUnited Kingdom
| | - Martin Howard
- Computational and Systems Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research ParkNorwichUnited Kingdom
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3
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Ferreira MTM, Glombik M, Perničková K, Duchoslav M, Scholten O, Karafiátová M, Techio VH, Doležel J, Lukaszewski AJ, Kopecký D. Direct evidence for crossover and chromatid interference in meiosis of two plant hybrids (Lolium multiflorum×Festuca pratensis and Allium cepa×A. roylei). J Exp Bot 2021; 72:254-267. [PMID: 33029645 PMCID: PMC7853598 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/eraa455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Crossing over, in addition to its strictly genetic role, also performs a critical mechanical function, by bonding homologues in meiosis. Hence, it is responsible for an orderly reduction of the chromosome number. As such, it is strictly controlled in frequency and distribution. The well-known crossover control is positive crossover interference which reduces the probability of a crossover in the vicinity of an already formed crossover. A poorly studied aspect of the control is chromatid interference. Such analyses are possible in very few organisms as they require observation of all four products of a single meiosis. Here, we provide direct evidence of chromatid interference. Using in situ probing in two interspecific plant hybrids (Lolium multiflorum×Festuca pratensis and Allium cepa×A. roylei) during anaphase I, we demonstrate that the involvement of four chromatids in double crossovers is significantly more frequent than expected (64% versus 25%). We also provide a physical measure of the crossover interference distance, covering ~30-40% of the relative chromosome arm length, and show that the centromere acts as a barrier for crossover interference. The two arms of a chromosome appear to act as independent units in the process of crossing over. Chromatid interference has to be seriously addressed in genetic mapping approaches and further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Tulio Mendes Ferreira
- Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Department of Biology, Federal University of Lavras, Lavras-MG, Brazil
| | - Marek Glombik
- Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Olomouc, Czech Republic
- National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Perničková
- Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Olomouc, Czech Republic
- National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Duchoslav
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Olga Scholten
- Plant Breeding, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Miroslava Karafiátová
- Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | | | - Jaroslav Doležel
- Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Adam J Lukaszewski
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - David Kopecký
- Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Correspondence:
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4
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Abstract
Repairing DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) with homologous chromosomes as templates is the hallmark of meiosis. The critical outcome of meiotic homologous recombination is crossovers, which ensure faithful chromosome segregation and promote genetic diversity of progenies. Crossover patterns are tightly controlled and exhibit three characteristics: obligatory crossover, crossover interference, and crossover homeostasis. Aberrant crossover patterns are the leading cause of infertility, miscarriage, and congenital disease. Crossover recombination occurs in the context of meiotic chromosomes, and it is tightly integrated with and regulated by meiotic chromosome structure both locally and globally. Meiotic chromosomes are organized in a loop-axis architecture. Diverse evidence shows that chromosome axis length determines crossover frequency. Interestingly, short chromosomes show different crossover patterns compared to long chromosomes. A high frequency of human embryos are aneuploid, primarily derived from female meiosis errors. Dramatically increased aneuploidy in older women is the well-known “maternal age effect.” However, a high frequency of aneuploidy also occurs in young women, derived from crossover maturation inefficiency in human females. In addition, frequency of human aneuploidy also shows other age-dependent alterations. Here, current advances in the understanding of these issues are reviewed, regulation of crossover patterns by meiotic chromosomes are discussed, and issues that remain to be investigated are suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunxin Wang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China.,Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Jinan 250012, China.,Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan 250012, China.,National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Yongliang Shang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Yanlei Liu
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Binyuan Zhai
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Xiao Yang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Liangran Zhang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China.,Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China.,Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Jinan 250012, China.,Shandong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Health, Jinan 250012, China.,National Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Reproductive Genetics, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China.,Advanced Medical Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan 250014, China.,State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
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5
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Veller C, Edelman NB, Muralidhar P, Nowak MA. Variation in Genetic Relatedness Is Determined by the Aggregate Recombination Process. Genetics 2020; 216:985-994. [PMID: 33109528 PMCID: PMC7768252 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.120.303680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The genomic proportion that two relatives share identically by descent-their genetic relatedness-can vary depending on the history of recombination and segregation in their pedigree. Previous calculations of the variance of genetic relatedness have defined genetic relatedness as the proportion of total genetic map length (cM) shared by relatives, and have neglected crossover interference and sex differences in recombination. Here, we consider genetic relatedness as the proportion of the total physical genome (bp) shared by relatives, and calculate its variance for general pedigree relationships, making no assumptions about the recombination process. For the relationships of grandparent-grandoffspring and siblings, the variance of genetic relatedness is a simple decreasing function of [Formula: see text], the average proportion of locus pairs that recombine in meiosis. For general pedigree relationships, the variance of genetic relatedness is a function of metrics analogous to [Formula: see text] Therefore, features of the aggregate recombination process that affect [Formula: see text] and analogs also affect variance in genetic relatedness. Such features include the number of chromosomes and heterogeneity in their size, the number of crossovers and their spatial organization along chromosomes, and sex differences in recombination. Our calculations help to explain several recent observations about variance in genetic relatedness, including that it is reduced by crossover interference (which is known to increase [Formula: see text]). Our methods further allow us to calculate the neutral variance of ancestry among F2s in a hybrid cross, enabling precise statistical inference in F2-based tests for various kinds of selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl Veller
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
| | - Nathaniel B Edelman
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
| | - Pavitra Muralidhar
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
| | - Martin A Nowak
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
- Department of Mathematics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
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6
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Smith GR, Nambiar M. New Solutions to Old Problems: Molecular Mechanisms of Meiotic Crossover Control. Trends Genet 2020; 36:337-346. [PMID: 32294414 PMCID: PMC7162993 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2020.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
During scientific investigations, the explanation of remarkably interesting phenomena must often await development of new methods or accrual of new observations that in retrospect can lead to lucid answers to the initial problem. A case in point is the control of genetic recombination during meiosis, which leads to crossovers between chromosomes critical for production of healthy offspring. Crossovers must be properly placed along meiotic chromosomes for their accurate segregation. Here, we review observations on two aspects of meiotic crossover control - crossover interference and repression of crossovers near centromeres, both observed more than 85 years ago. Only recently have relatively simple molecular mechanisms for these phenomena become clear through advances in both methods and understanding the molecular basis of meiotic recombination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerald R Smith
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Mridula Nambiar
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, India
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7
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Shinohara M, Bishop DK, Shinohara A. Distinct Functions in Regulation of Meiotic Crossovers for DNA Damage Response Clamp Loader Rad24(Rad17) and Mec1(ATR) Kinase. Genetics 2019; 213:1255-1269. [PMID: 31597673 PMCID: PMC6893372 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.302427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The number and distribution of meiotic crossovers (COs) are highly regulated, reflecting the requirement for COs during the first round of meiotic chromosome segregation. CO control includes CO assurance and CO interference, which promote at least one CO per chromosome bivalent and evenly-spaced COs, respectively. Previous studies revealed a role for the DNA damage response (DDR) clamp and the clamp loader in CO formation by promoting interfering COs and interhomolog recombination, and also by suppressing ectopic recombination. In this study, we use classical tetrad analysis of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to show that a mutant defective in RAD24, which encodes the DDR clamp loader (RAD17 in other organisms), displayed reduced CO frequencies on two shorter chromosomes (III and V), but not on a long chromosome (chromosome VII). The residual COs in the rad24 mutant do not show interference. In contrast to rad24, mutants defective in the ATR kinase homolog Mec1, including a mec1 null and a mec1 kinase-dead mutant, show slight or few defects in CO frequency. On the other hand, mec1 COs show defects in interference, similar to the rad24 mutant. Our results support a model in which the DDR clamp and clamp-loader proteins promote interfering COs by recruiting pro-CO Zip, Mer, and Msh proteins to recombination sites, while the Mec1 kinase regulates CO distribution by a distinct mechanism. Moreover, CO formation and its control are implemented in a chromosome-specific manner, which may reflect a role for chromosome size in regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miki Shinohara
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, 565-0871, Japan
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kindai University, Nara 631-8505, Japan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Chicago, Illinois 60637
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Illinois 60637
| | - Douglas K Bishop
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Chicago, Illinois 60637
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Illinois 60637
| | - Akira Shinohara
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, 565-0871, Japan
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8
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Termolino P, Falque M, Aiese Cigliano R, Cremona G, Paparo R, Ederveen A, Martin OC, Consiglio FM, Conicella C. Recombination suppression in heterozygotes for a pericentric inversion induces the interchromosomal effect on crossovers in Arabidopsis. Plant J 2019; 100:1163-1175. [PMID: 31436858 PMCID: PMC6973161 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.14505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Revised: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
During meiosis, recombination ensures allelic exchanges through crossovers (COs) between the homologous chromosomes. Advances in our understanding of the rules of COs have come from studies of mutations including structural chromosomal rearrangements that, when heterozygous, are known to impair COs in various organisms. In this work, we investigate the effect of a large heterozygous pericentric inversion on male and female recombination in Arabidopsis. The inversion was discovered in the Atmcc1 mutant background and was characterized through genetic and next-generation sequencing analysis. Reciprocal backcross populations, each consisting of over 400 individuals, obtained from the mutant and the wild type, both crossed with Landsberg erecta, were analyzed genome-wide by 143 single-nucleotide polymorphisms. The negative impact of inversion became evident in terms of CO loss in the rearranged chromosome in both male and female meiosis. No single-CO event was detected within the inversion, consistent with a post-meiotic selection operating against unbalanced gametes. Cytological analysis of chiasmata in F1 plants confirmed that COs were reduced in male meiosis in the chromosome with inversion. Crossover suppression on the rearranged chromosome is associated with a significant increase of COs in the other chromosomes, thereby maintaining unchanged the number of COs per cell. The CO pattern observed in our study is consistent with the interchromosomal (IC) effect as first described in Drosophila. In contrast to male meiosis, in female meiosis no IC effect is visible. This may be related to the greater strength of interference that constrains the CO number in excess of the minimum value imposed by CO assurance in Arabidopsis female meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pasquale Termolino
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources (IBBR)National Research Council of Italy (CNR)80055PorticiItaly
| | - Matthieu Falque
- Génétique Quantitative et Evolution‐Le MoulonInstitut National de la Recherche AgronomiqueUniversité Paris‐SudCNRSAgroParisTechUniversité Paris‐Saclay91190Gif‐sur‐YvetteFrance
| | | | - Gaetana Cremona
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources (IBBR)National Research Council of Italy (CNR)80055PorticiItaly
| | - Rosa Paparo
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources (IBBR)National Research Council of Italy (CNR)80055PorticiItaly
| | - Antoine Ederveen
- Department of Molecular Plant PhysiologyInstitute for Water and Wetland Research (IWWR)Radboud University Nijmegen9102 6500Nijmegenthe Netherlands
| | - Olivier C. Martin
- Génétique Quantitative et Evolution‐Le MoulonInstitut National de la Recherche AgronomiqueUniversité Paris‐SudCNRSAgroParisTechUniversité Paris‐Saclay91190Gif‐sur‐YvetteFrance
| | - Federica M. Consiglio
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources (IBBR)National Research Council of Italy (CNR)80055PorticiItaly
| | - Clara Conicella
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources (IBBR)National Research Council of Italy (CNR)80055PorticiItaly
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9
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Abstract
Viable gamete formation requires segregation of homologous chromosomes connected, in most species, by cross-overs. DNA double-strand break (DSB) formation and the resulting cross-overs are regulated at multiple levels to prevent overabundance along chromosomes. Meiotic cells coordinate these events between distant sites, but the physical basis of long-distance chromosomal communication has been unknown. We show that DSB hotspots up to ∼200 kb (∼35 cM) apart form clusters via hotspot-binding proteins Rec25 and Rec27 in fission yeast. Clustering coincides with hotspot competition and interference over similar distances. Without Tel1 (an ATM tumor-suppressor homolog), DSB and crossover interference become negative, reflecting coordinated action along a chromosome. These results indicate that DSB hotspots within a limited chromosomal region and bound by their protein determinants form a clustered structure that, via Tel1, allows only one DSB per region. Such a "roulette" process within clusters explains the observed pattern of crossover interference in fission yeast. Key structural and regulatory components of clusters are phylogenetically conserved, suggesting conservation of this vital regulation. Based on these observations, we propose a model and discuss variations in which clustering and competition between DSB sites leads to DSB interference and in turn produces crossover interference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle R Fowler
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109
| | - Randy W Hyppa
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109
| | - Gareth A Cromie
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109
| | - Gerald R Smith
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109
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10
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Wang J, Sun L, Jiang L, Sang M, Ye M, Cheng T, Zhang Q, Wu R. A high-dimensional linkage analysis model for characterizing crossover interference. Brief Bioinform 2017; 18:382-393. [PMID: 27113727 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbw033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Linkage analysis has played an important role in understanding genome structure and evolution. However, two-point linkage analysis widely used for genetic map construction can rarely chart a detailed picture of genome organization because it fails to identify the dependence of crossovers distributed along the length of a chromosome, a phenomenon known as crossover interference. Multi-point analysis, proven to be more advantageous in gene ordering and genetic distance estimation for dominant markers than two-point analysis, is equipped with a capacity to discern and quantify crossover interference. Here, we review a statistical model for four-point analysis, which, beyond three-point analysis, can characterize crossover interference that takes place not only between two adjacent chromosomal intervals, but also over multiple successive intervals. This procedure provides an analytical tool to elucidate the detailed landscape of crossover interference over the genome and further infer the evolution of genome structure and organization.
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11
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Sun L, Wang J, Sang M, Jiang L, Zhao B, Cheng T, Zhang Q, Wu R. Landscaping Crossover Interference Across a Genome. Trends Plant Sci 2017; 22:894-907. [PMID: 28822625 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2017.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2017] [Revised: 06/09/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
The evolutionary success of eukaryotic organisms crucially depends on the capacity to produce genetic diversity through reciprocal exchanges of each chromosome pair, or crossovers (COs), during meiosis. It has been recognized that COs arise more evenly across a given chromosome than at random. This phenomenon, termed CO interference, occurs pervasively in eukaryotes and may confer a selective advantage. We describe here a multipoint linkage analysis procedure for segregating families to quantify the strength of CO interference over the genome, and extend this procedure to illustrate the landscape of CO interference in natural populations. We further discuss the crucial role of CO interference in amplifying and maintaining genetic diversity through sex-, stress-, and age-induced differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidan Sun
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Ornamental Plants Germplasm Innovation and Molecular Breeding, National Engineering Research Center for Floriculture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Center for Computational Biology, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Mengmeng Sang
- Center for Computational Biology, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Libo Jiang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Ornamental Plants Germplasm Innovation and Molecular Breeding, National Engineering Research Center for Floriculture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Bingyu Zhao
- Department of Horticulture, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Tangran Cheng
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Ornamental Plants Germplasm Innovation and Molecular Breeding, National Engineering Research Center for Floriculture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Qixiang Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Ornamental Plants Germplasm Innovation and Molecular Breeding, National Engineering Research Center for Floriculture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Rongling Wu
- Center for Computational Biology, College of Biological Sciences and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; Center for Statistical Genetics, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, PA 17033, USA.
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12
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Rog O, Köhler S, Dernburg AF. The synaptonemal complex has liquid crystalline properties and spatially regulates meiotic recombination factors. eLife 2017; 6. [PMID: 28045371 PMCID: PMC5268736 DOI: 10.7554/elife.21455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2016] [Accepted: 01/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The synaptonemal complex (SC) is a polymer that spans ~100 nm between paired homologous chromosomes during meiosis. Its striated, periodic appearance in electron micrographs led to the idea that transverse filaments within this structure ‘crosslink’ the axes of homologous chromosomes, stabilizing their pairing. SC proteins can also form polycomplexes, three-dimensional lattices that recapitulate the periodic structure of SCs but do not associate with chromosomes. Here we provide evidence that SCs and polycomplexes contain mobile subunits and that their assembly is promoted by weak hydrophobic interactions, indicative of a liquid crystalline phase. We further show that in the absence of recombination intermediates, polycomplexes recapitulate the dynamic localization of pro-crossover factors during meiotic progression, revealing how the SC might act as a conduit to regulate chromosome-wide crossover distribution. Properties unique to liquid crystals likely enable long-range signal transduction along meiotic chromosomes and underlie the rapid evolution of SC proteins. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.21455.001 The genetic information in cells is encoded within long molecules of DNA called chromosomes. In most human cells, the two copies of each chromosome – the one inherited from our mother and the one from our father – are physically separated and behave independently. However, in the reproductive cells that give rise to eggs or sperm, each chromosome must pair with its partner. Pairing first occurs at one or more positions along each chromosome. This triggers a protein-based polymer called the “synaptonemal complex” to assemble between the paired chromosomes, and then spread along the interface between the partners until they are fully lined up side-by-side. Chromosomes in reproductive cells must pair in this particular way to exchange genetic information and generate new combinations of traits. The synaptonemal complex was first observed over 60 years ago, but it remains enigmatic. Though its structure is highly ordered and looks very similar in different organisms from yeast to humans, little is known about how this polymer forms or what it does between chromosomes. Some evidence has suggested that the synaptonemal complex helps to regulate how much information can be transferred between each pair of chromosomes, but not all studies have supported this conclusion. Several lines of evidence suggest that the synaptonemal complex might be fundamentally different from other protein-based polymers, such as those that form filamentous skeletal structures within cells, namely actin filaments and microtubules. Now, Rog et al. have tested the idea that the synaptonemal complex might actually have liquid-like properties, despite its highly ordered appearance. The experiments showed that the proteins that make up the synaptonemal complex in yeast, worms and fruit flies are weakly bound to each other and can move around within the assembled structure. These are considered to be defining properties that distinguish liquids from solid materials. Together with its regular, repetitive organization, these findings indicate that the synaptonemal complex behaves like a liquid crystal. This intriguing class of materials has properties between those of conventional liquids and those of solid crystals, and is particularly sensitive to environmental conditions. Rog et al. believe that this discovery helps to explain how signals are transmitted along the length of chromosomes to regulate the transfer of genetic information. In support of this idea, further experiments showed that proteins that are required for this recombination process were also found within the synaptonemal complex. As reproductive cells transition from one stage of their development to the next, these proteins abruptly move to a new location, indicating that a switch-like signal rapidly spreads throughout the synaptonemal complex. Together the findings suggest that the liquid crystal-like properties of the synaptonemal complex allow signals to be transmitted along the interface between pairs of chromosomes. The next challenges are to understand what triggers these signals and to explore whether they are based upon physical or chemical changes within the synaptonemal complex. Further research is also needed to uncover how this information is propagated along the length of a chromosome. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.21455.002
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Affiliation(s)
- Ofer Rog
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, United States.,Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA
| | - Simone Köhler
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, United States
| | - Abby F Dernburg
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, United States.,Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, United States.,California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, Berkeley, United States
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Dreissig S, Fuchs J, Himmelbach A, Mascher M, Houben A. Sequencing of Single Pollen Nuclei Reveals Meiotic Recombination Events at Megabase Resolution and Circumvents Segregation Distortion Caused by Postmeiotic Processes. Front Plant Sci 2017; 8:1620. [PMID: 29018459 PMCID: PMC5623100 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2017.01620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2017] [Accepted: 09/04/2017] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Meiotic recombination is a fundamental mechanism to generate novel allelic combinations which can be harnessed by breeders to achieve crop improvement. The recombination landscape of many crop species, including the major crop barley, is characterized by a dearth of recombination in 65% of the genome. In addition, segregation distortion caused by selection on genetically linked loci is a frequent and undesirable phenomenon in double haploid populations which hampers genetic mapping and breeding. Here, we present an approach to directly investigate recombination at the DNA sequence level by combining flow-sorting of haploid pollen nuclei of barley with single-cell genome sequencing. We confirm the skewed distribution of recombination events toward distal chromosomal regions at megabase resolution and show that segregation distortion is almost absent if directly measured in pollen. Furthermore, we show a bimodal distribution of inter-crossover distances, which supports the existence of two classes of crossovers which are sensitive or less sensitive to physical interference. We conclude that single pollen nuclei sequencing is an approach capable of revealing recombination patterns in the absence of segregation distortion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Dreissig
- Department of Breeding Research, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Seeland, Germany
| | - Jörg Fuchs
- Department of Breeding Research, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Seeland, Germany
| | - Axel Himmelbach
- Department of Genebank, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Seeland, Germany
| | - Martin Mascher
- Domestication Genomics, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Seeland, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- *Correspondence: Martin Mascher
| | - Andreas Houben
- Department of Breeding Research, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, Seeland, Germany
- Andreas Houben
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Hatkevich T, Kohl KP, McMahan S, Hartmann MA, Williams AM, Sekelsky J. Bloom Syndrome Helicase Promotes Meiotic Crossover Patterning and Homolog Disjunction. Curr Biol 2016; 27:96-102. [PMID: 27989672 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.10.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2016] [Revised: 10/25/2016] [Accepted: 10/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In most sexually reproducing organisms, crossover formation between homologous chromosomes is necessary for proper chromosome disjunction during meiosis I. During meiotic recombination, a subset of programmed DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are repaired as crossovers, with the remainder becoming noncrossovers [1]. Whether a repair intermediate is designated to become a crossover is a highly regulated decision that integrates several crossover patterning processes, both along chromosome arms (interference and the centromere effect) and between chromosomes (crossover assurance) [2]. Because the mechanisms that generate crossover patterning have remained elusive for over a century, it has been difficult to assess the relationship between crossover patterning and meiotic chromosome behavior. We show here that meiotic crossover patterning is lost in Drosophila melanogaster mutants that lack the Bloom syndrome helicase. In the absence of interference and the centromere effect, crossovers are distributed more uniformly along chromosomes. Crossovers even occur on the small chromosome 4, which normally never has meiotic crossovers [3]. Regulated distribution of crossovers between chromosome pairs is also lost, resulting in an elevated frequency of homologs that do not receive a crossover, which in turn leads to elevated nondisjunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talia Hatkevich
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, 120 Mason Farm Road, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7264, USA
| | - Kathryn P Kohl
- Department of Biology, Winthrop University, 701 Oakland Avenue, Rock Hill, SC 29733, USA
| | - Susan McMahan
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, 120 South Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA; Integrative Program in Biological and Genome Sciences, 250 Bell Tower Drive, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7100, USA
| | - Michaelyn A Hartmann
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, 120 Mason Farm Road, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7264, USA
| | - Andrew M Williams
- Department of Biology, Winthrop University, 701 Oakland Avenue, Rock Hill, SC 29733, USA
| | - Jeff Sekelsky
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, 120 Mason Farm Road, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7264, USA; Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, 120 South Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA; Integrative Program in Biological and Genome Sciences, 250 Bell Tower Drive, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7100, USA.
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15
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Abstract
Meiotic recombination in mammals has been shown to largely cluster into hotspots, which are targeted by the chromatin modifier PRDM9. The canid family, including wolves and dogs, has undergone a series of disrupting mutations in this gene, rendering PRDM9 inactive. Given the importance of PRDM9, it is of great interest to learn how its absence in the dog genome affects patterns of recombination placement. We have used genotypes from domestic dog pedigrees to generate sex-specific genetic maps of recombination in this species. On a broad scale, we find that placement of recombination events in dogs is consistent with that in mice and apes, in that the majority of recombination occurs toward the telomeres in males, while female crossing over is more frequent and evenly spread along chromosomes. It has been previously suggested that dog recombination is more uniform in distribution than that of humans; however, we found that recombination in dogs is less uniform than in humans. We examined the distribution of recombination within the genome, and found that recombination is elevated immediately upstream of the transcription start site and around CpG islands, in agreement with previous studies, but that this effect is stronger in male dogs. We also found evidence for positive crossover interference influencing the spacing between recombination events in dogs, as has been observed in other species including humans and mice. Overall our data suggests that dogs have similar broad scale properties of recombination to humans, while fine scale recombination is similar to other species lacking PRDM9.
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Wang S, Zickler D, Kleckner N, Zhang L. Meiotic crossover patterns: obligatory crossover, interference and homeostasis in a single process. Cell Cycle 2015; 14:305-14. [PMID: 25590558 PMCID: PMC4353236 DOI: 10.4161/15384101.2014.991185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2014] [Revised: 11/18/2014] [Accepted: 11/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
During meiosis, crossover recombination is tightly regulated. A spatial patterning phenomenon known as interference ensures that crossovers are well-spaced along the chromosomes. Additionally, every pair of homologs acquires at least one crossover. A third feature, crossover homeostasis, buffers the system such that the number of crossovers remains steady despite decreases or increases in the number of earlier recombinational interactions. Here we summarize recent work from our laboratory supporting the idea that all 3 of these aspects are intrinsic consequences of a single basic process and suggesting that the underlying logic of this process corresponds to that embodied in a particular (beam-film) model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunxin Wang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology; Harvard University; Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Denise Zickler
- Institut de Génétique et Microbiologie; UMR 8621; Université Paris-Sud; Orsay France
| | - Nancy Kleckner
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology; Harvard University; Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Liangran Zhang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology; Harvard University; Cambridge, MA USA
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17
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Abstract
Meiosis is a specialized cell division program that results in the formation of haploid gametes (i.e., sperm and eggs) from diploid parental cells, and is essential for all sexually reproducing organisms. Crossover formation, the reciprocal exchange of genetic information during recombination, is critical for accurate meiotic chromosome segregation. Misregulation of crossover formation leads to genomic instability and aneuploidy (cells with the incorrect number of chromosomes), resulting in tumorigenesis, birth defects, miscarriages, and infertility in humans. Recently, a shuriken/Swiss army knife-like multi-nuclease complex has been implicated in processing various types of DNA repair intermediates. However, how these nucleases coordinate their functions during repair remained unclear. Our studies in C. elegans revealed genetic redundancies between these nucleases for meiotic crossover formation and that they promote distinct crossover control at different chromosome regions. Specifically, XPF-1 acts redundantly with both MUS-81 and SLX-1 to resolve Holliday junction recombination intermediates into crossover products at designated future crossover sites on chromosome arms. In contrast, SLX-1 is required for suppression of crossovers at the center region of chromosomes. Altogether, our studies have shed light on the interplay between structure-specific endonucleases and uncovered their ability to exert either positive or negative meiotic crossover control on a chromosome region-specific basis.
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Gabdank I, Fire AZ. Gamete-type dependent crossover interference levels in a defined region of Caenorhabditis elegans chromosome V. G3 (Bethesda) 2014; 4:117-20. [PMID: 24240780 DOI: 10.1534/g3.113.008672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
In certain organisms, numbers of crossover events for any single chromosome are limited ("crossover interference") so that double crossover events are obtained at much lower frequencies than would be expected from the simple product of independent single-crossover events. We present a number of observations during which we examined interference over a large region of Caenorhabditis elegans chromosome V. Examining this region for multiple crossover events in heteroallelic configurations with limited dimorphism, we observed high levels of crossover interference in oocytes with only partial interference in spermatocytes.
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Diener AC. Routine mapping of Fusarium wilt resistance in BC(1) populations of Arabidopsis thaliana. BMC Plant Biol 2013; 13:171. [PMID: 24172069 PMCID: PMC3819736 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2229-13-171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2013] [Accepted: 10/26/2013] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Susceptibility to Fusarium wilt disease varies among wild accessions of Arabidopsis thaliana. Six RESISTANCE TO FUSARIUM OXYSPORUM (RFO) quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling the resistance of accession Columbia-0 (Col-0) and susceptibility of Taynuilt-0 to Fusarium oxysporum forma specialis matthioli (FOM) are detected in a recombinant population derived from a single backcross of the F1 hybrid (BC1). In particular, the RFO1 QTL appears to interact with three other loci, RFO2, RFO4 and RFO6, and is attributed to the gene At1g79670. RESULTS When resistance to FOM was mapped in a new BC(1) population, in which the loss-of-function mutant of At1g79670 replaced wild type as the Col-0 parent, RFO1's major effect and RFO1's interaction with RFO2, RFO4 and RFO6 were absent, showing that At1g79670 alone accounts for the RFO1 QTL. Resistance of two QTLs, RFO3 and RFO5, was independent of RFO1 and was reproduced in the new BC(1) population. In analysis of a third BC1 population, resistance to a second pathogen, F. oxysporum forma specialis conglutinans race 1 (FOC1), was mapped and the major effect locus RFO7 was identified. CONCLUSIONS Natural quantitative resistance to F. oxysporum is largely specific to the infecting forma specialis because different RFO loci were responsible for resistance to FOM and FOC1. The mapping of quantitative disease resistance traits in BC(1) populations, generated from crosses between sequenced Arabidopsis accessions, can be a routine procedure when genome-wide genotyping is efficient, economical and accessible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C Diener
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Terasaki Life Sciences Building, 610 Charles E, Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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Basu-Roy S, Gauthier F, Giraut L, Mézard C, Falque M, Martin OC. Hot regions of noninterfering crossovers coexist with a nonuniformly interfering pathway in Arabidopsis thaliana. Genetics 2013; 195:769-79. [PMID: 24026099 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.113.155549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In most organisms that have been studied, crossovers formed during meiosis exhibit interference: nearby crossovers are rare. Here we provide an in-depth study of crossover interference in Arabidopsis thaliana, examining crossovers genome-wide in >1500 backcrosses for both male and female meiosis. This unique data set allows us to take a two-pathway modeling approach based on superposing a fraction p of noninterfering crossovers and a fraction (1 - p) of interfering crossovers generated using the gamma model characterized by its interference strength nu. Within this framework, we fit the two-pathway model to the data and compare crossover interference strength between chromosomes and then along chromosomes. We find that the interfering pathway has markedly higher interference strength nu in female than in male meiosis and also that male meiosis has a higher proportion p of noninterfering crossovers. Furthermore, we test for possible intrachromosomal variations of nu and p. Our conclusion is that there are clear differences between left and right arms as well as between central and peripheral regions. Finally, statistical tests unveil a genome-wide picture of small-scale heterogeneities, pointing to the existence of hot regions in the genome where crossovers form preferentially without interference.
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Abstract
During meiosis, crossover events generate new allelic combinations, yet the abundance of these genetic exchanges in individual cells has not been measured previously on a genomic level. To perform a genome-wide analysis of recombination, we monitored the assortment of genetic markers in meiotic tetrads from Arabidopsis. By determining the number and distribution of crossovers in individual meiotic cells, we demonstrated (i) surprisingly precise regulation of crossover number in each meiosis, (ii) considerably reduced recombination along chromosomes carrying ribosomal DNA arrays, and (iii) an inversely proportional relationship between recombination frequencies and chromosome size. This use of tetrad analysis also achieved precise mapping of all five Arabidopsis centromeres, localizing centromere functions in the intact chromosomes of a higher eukaryote.
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Affiliation(s)
- G P Copenhaver
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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