scholarly journals Defects in Meiotic Recombination Delay Progression Through Pachytene in Mouse Spermatocytes

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
James H. Crichton ◽  
David Read ◽  
Ian R. Adams
Keyword(s):  
Meiotic Recombination ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Chromatin Modifications ◽  
Meiotic Progression ◽  
Chromosome Synapsis ◽  
Successful Execution ◽  
Axis Elongation ◽  
Pachytene Spermatocytes ◽  
Delay Progression ◽  
Histone H1t

AbstractDuring meiosis, recombination, synapsis, chromosome segregation and gene expression are coordinately regulated to ensure successful execution of this specialised cell division. In many model organisms, checkpoint controls can delay meiotic progression to allow defects or errors in these processes to be repaired or corrected. Mouse spermatocytes possess quality control checkpoints that eliminate cells with persistent irreparable defects in chromosome synapsis or recombination, and here we show that a spermatocyte checkpoint regulates progression through pachytene to accommodate delays in meiotic recombination. We have previously show that the appearance of early recombination foci is delayed in Tex19.1-/- spermatocytes during leptotene/zygotene, but some Tex19.1-/- spermatocytes still successfully synapse their chromosomes. Therefore, we have used autosomally synapsed Tex19.1-/- mouse spermatocytes to assess the consequences of delayed recombination on progression through pachytene. We show that these pachytene spermatocytes are enriched for early recombination foci. This skew is not accompanied by cell death and likely reflects delays in the generation and/or maturation of recombination foci. Moreover, patterns of axis elongation, chromatin modifications, and histone H1t expression are also all skewed towards earlier substages of pachytene suggesting these events are co-ordinately regulated. Importantly, the delay in histone H1t expression in response to loss of Tex19.1 does not occur in a Spo11 mutant background, suggesting that histone H1t expression is being delayed by a recombination-dependent checkpoint. These data indicate that a recombination-dependent checkpoint operates in mouse spermatocytes that can alter progression through pachytene to accommodate spermatocytes with some types of recombination defect.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae Checkpoint Genes MEC1, RAD17 and RAD24 Are Required for Normal Meiotic Recombination Partner Choice

Genetics ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 153 (2) ◽  
pp. 607-620 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy M Grushcow ◽  
Teresa M Holzen ◽  
Ken J Park ◽  
Ted Weinert ◽  
Michael Lichten ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Meiotic Recombination ◽  
Mitotic Checkpoint ◽  
Partner Choice ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Spore Viability ◽  
Checkpoint Signaling ◽  
Ectopic Recombination ◽  
Meiotic Progression ◽  
Checkpoint Genes

Abstract Checkpoint gene function prevents meiotic progression when recombination is blocked by mutations in the recA homologue DMC1. Bypass of dmc1 arrest by mutation of the DNA damage checkpoint genes MEC1, RAD17, or RAD24 results in a dramatic loss of spore viability, suggesting that these genes play an important role in monitoring the progression of recombination. We show here that the role of mitotic checkpoint genes in meiosis is not limited to maintaining arrest in abnormal meioses; mec1-1, rad24, and rad17 single mutants have additional meiotic defects. All three mutants display Zip1 polycomplexes in two- to threefold more nuclei than observed in wild-type controls, suggesting that synapsis may be aberrant. Additionally, all three mutants exhibit elevated levels of ectopic recombination in a novel physical assay. rad17 mutants also alter the fraction of recombination events that are accompanied by an exchange of flanking markers. Crossovers are associated with up to 90% of recombination events for one pair of alleles in rad17, as compared with 65% in wild type. Meiotic progression is not required to allow ectopic recombination in rad17 mutants, as it still occurs at elevated levels in ndt80 mutants that arrest in prophase regardless of checkpoint signaling. These observations support the suggestion that MEC1, RAD17, and RAD24, in addition to their proposed monitoring function, act to promote normal meiotic recombination.

scholarly journals Crossover Interference in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Requires a TID1/RDH54- and DMC1-Dependent Pathway

Genetics ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 163 (4) ◽  
pp. 1273-1286 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miki Shinohara ◽  
Kazuko Sakai ◽  
Akira Shinohara ◽  
Douglas K Bishop
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Meiotic Recombination ◽  
Strand Break ◽  
Tetrad Analysis ◽  
Yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Crossover Interference ◽  
Meiotic Progression ◽  
Invasion Stage ◽  
Strand Invasion ◽  
Dependent Pathway

Abstract Two RecA-like recombinases, Rad51 and Dmc1, function together during double-strand break (DSB)-mediated meiotic recombination to promote homologous strand invasion in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Two partially redundant proteins, Rad54 and Tid1/Rdh54, act as recombinase accessory factors. Here, tetrad analysis shows that mutants lacking Tid1 form four-viable-spore tetrads with levels of interhomolog crossover (CO) and noncrossover recombination similar to, or slightly greater than, those in wild type. Importantly, tid1 mutants show a marked defect in crossover interference, a mechanism that distributes crossover events nonrandomly along chromosomes during meiosis. Previous work showed that dmc1Δ mutants are strongly defective in strand invasion and meiotic progression and that these defects can be partially suppressed by increasing the copy number of RAD54. Tetrad analysis is used to show that meiotic recombination in RAD54-suppressed dmc1Δ cells is similar to that in tid1; the frequency of COs and gene conversions is near normal, but crossover interference is defective. These results support the proposal that crossover interference acts at the strand invasion stage of recombination.

scholarly journals Defects in meiotic recombination delay progression through pachytene in Tex19.1−/− mouse spermatocytes

Chromosoma ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 127 (4) ◽  
pp. 437-459 ◽  
Author(s):  
James H. Crichton ◽  
David Read ◽  
Ian R. Adams
Keyword(s):  
Meiotic Recombination ◽  
Delay Progression

scholarly journals Tex19.1 Regulates Meiotic DNA Double Strand Break Frequency in Mouse Spermatocytes

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
James H. Crichton ◽  
Christopher J. Playfoot ◽  
Marie MacLennan ◽  
David Read ◽  
Howard J. Cooke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ubiquitin Ligase ◽  
Meiotic Recombination ◽  
Homologous Chromosome ◽  
E3 Ubiquitin Ligase ◽  
Double Strand Breaks ◽  
Dna Double Strand Breaks ◽  
Genetic Pathway ◽  
Strand Breaks ◽  
Chromosome Synapsis ◽  
Meiotic Dsbs

AbstractMeiosis relies on the SPO11 endonuclease to generate the recombinogenic DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) required for homologous chromosome synapsis and segregation. The number of meiotic DSBs needs to be sufficient to allow chromosomes to search for and find their homologs, but not excessive to the point of causing genome instability. Here we report that meiotic DSB frequency in mouse spermatocytes is regulated by the mammal-specific gene Tex19.1. We show that the chromosome asynapsis previously reported in Tex19.1-/- spermatocytes is preceded by reduced numbers of recombination foci in leptotene and zygotene. Tex19.1 is required for the generation of normal levels of Spo11-dependent DNA damage during leptotene, but not for upstream events such as MEI4 foci formation or accumulation of H3K4me3 at recombination hotspots. Furthermore, we show that mice carrying mutations in the E3 ubiquitin ligase UBR2, a TEX19.1-interacting partner, phenocopy the Tex19.1-/- recombination defects. These data show that Tex19.1 and Ubr2 are required for mouse spermatocytes to generate sufficient meiotic DSBs to ensure that homology search is consistently successful, and reveal a hitherto unknown genetic pathway regulating meiotic DSB frequency in mammals.Author SummaryMeiosis is a specialised type of cell division that occurs during sperm and egg development to reduce chromosome number prior to fertilisation. Recombination is a key step in meiosis as it facilitates the pairing of homologous chromosomes prior to their reductional division, and generates new combinations of genetic alleles for transmission in the next generation. Regulating the amount of recombination is key for successful meiosis: too much will likely cause mutations, chromosomal re-arrangements and genetic instability, whereas too little causes defects in homologous chromosome pairing prior to the meiotic divisions. This study identifies a genetic pathway requiredto generate robust meiotic recombination in mouse spermatocytes. We show that male mice with mutations in Tex19.1 or Ubr2, which encodes an E3 ubiquitin ligase that interacts with TEX19.1, have defects in generating normal levels of meiotic recombination. We show that the defects in these mutants impact on the recombination process at the stage when programmed DNA double strand breaks are being made. This defect likely contributes to the chromosome synapsis and meiotic progression phenotypes previously described in these mutant mice. This study has implications for our understanding of how this fundamental aspect of genetics and inheritance is controlled.

scholarly journals Effect of Temperature and Maternal Age on Recombination Rate in Cattle

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Botong Shen ◽  
Ellen Freebern ◽  
Jicai Jiang ◽  
Christian Maltecca ◽  
John B. Cole ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Meiotic Recombination ◽  
Recombination Rate ◽  
Fetal Development ◽  
Temperature Effects ◽  
Maternal Age ◽  
Environmental Temperature ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Extrinsic Factors ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

Meiotic recombination is a fundamental biological process that facilitates meiotic division and promotes genetic diversity. Recombination is phenotypically plastic and affected by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The effect of maternal age on recombination rates has been characterized in a wide range of species, but the effect’s direction remains inconclusive. Additionally, the characterization of temperature effects on recombination has been limited to model organisms. Here we seek to comprehensively determine the impact of genetic and environmental factors on recombination rate in dairy cattle. Using a large cattle pedigree, we identified maternal recombination events within 305,545 three-generation families. By comparing recombination rate between parents of different ages, we found a quadratic trend between maternal age and recombination rate in cattle. In contrast to either an increasing or decreasing trend in humans, cattle recombination rate decreased with maternal age until 65 months and then increased afterward. Combining recombination data with temperature information from public databases, we found a positive correlation between environmental temperature during fetal development of offspring and recombination rate in female parents. Finally, we fitted a full recombination rate model on all related factors, including genetics, maternal age, and environmental temperatures. Based on the final model, we confirmed the effect of maternal age and environmental temperature during fetal development of offspring on recombination rate with an estimated heritability of 10% (SE = 0.03) in cattle. Collectively, we characterized the maternal age and temperature effects on recombination rate and suggested the adaptation of meiotic recombination to environmental stimuli in cattle. Our results provided first-hand information regarding the plastic nature of meiotic recombination in a mammalian species.

scholarly journals ATR is required to complete meiotic recombination in mice

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarai Pacheco ◽  
Andros Maldonado-Linares ◽  
Marina Marcet-Ortega ◽  
Cristina Rojas ◽  
Ana Martínez-Marchal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Meiotic Recombination ◽  
Meiotic Prophase ◽  
Protein A ◽  
Homology Search ◽  
Dna Double Strand Breaks ◽  
Strand Breaks ◽  
Molecular Features ◽  
Chromosome Synapsis ◽  
Meiotic Dsbs

ABSTRACTPrecise execution of recombination during meiosis is essential for forming chromosomally balanced gametes. Meiotic recombination initiates with the formation and resection of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). Binding of replication protein A (RPA) at resected DSBs fosters association of RAD51 and DMC1, the primary effectors of homology search. It is well appreciated that cellular responses to meiotic DSBs are critical for efficient repair and quality control, but molecular features of these responses remain poorly understood, particularly in mammals. Here we provide evidence that the DNA damage response protein kinase ATR is crucial for meiotic recombination and completion of meiotic prophase in mice. Using a hypomorphic Atr mutation and pharmacological inhibition of ATR in vivo and in cultured spermatocytes, we show that ATR, through its effector kinase CHK1, promotes efficient RAD51 and DMC1 assembly at RPA-coated DSB sites and establishment of interhomolog connections during meiosis. Furthermore, our findings suggest that ATR promotes local accumulation of recombination markers on unsynapsed axes during meiotic prophase to favor homologous chromosome synapsis. These data reveal that ATR plays multiple roles in mammalian meiotic recombination.

scholarly journals Dmc1 is a candidate for temperature tolerance during wheat meiosis

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tracie Draeger ◽  
Azahara Martin ◽  
Abdul Kader Alabdullah ◽  
Ali Pendle ◽  
María-Dolores Rey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Temperatures ◽  
Chromosome Pairing ◽  
Meiotic Recombination ◽  
Low Temperatures ◽  
Chinese Spring ◽  
Deletion Mutant ◽  
Meiotic Chromosome ◽  
Wheat Chromosome ◽  
Chromosome Synapsis ◽  
Recombination Gene

AbstractWe have assessed the effects of high and low temperatures on meiotic chromosome synapsis and crossover formation in the hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) variety ‘Chinese Spring’. At low temperatures, asynapsis and chromosome univalence have been observed before in Chinese Spring lines lacking the long arm of chromosome 5D (5DL), which led to the proposal that 5DL carries a gene (Ltp1) that stabilises wheat chromosome pairing at low temperatures. In the current study, Chinese Spring wild type and 5DL interstitial deletion mutant plants were exposed to low (13°C) or high (30°C) temperatures in controlled environment rooms during a period from premeiotic interphase to early meiosis I. A 5DL deletion mutant was identified whose meiotic chromosomes exhibit extremely high levels of asynapsis and chromosome univalence at metaphase I after seven days at 13°C. This suggests that the mutant, which we name ttmei1 (temperature tolerance in meiosis 1) has a deletion of a gene that, like Ltp1, normally stabilises chromosome pairing at low temperatures. Immunolocalisation of the meiotic proteins ASY1 and ZYP1 on ttmei1 mutants showed that low temperature results in a failure to complete synapsis at pachytene. After 24 hours at 30°C, ttmei1 mutants exhibited a reduced number of crossovers and increased univalence, but to a lesser extent than at 13°C. KASP genotyping revealed that ttmei1 has a 4 Mb deletion in 5DL. Of 41 genes within this deletion region, the strongest candidate for the stabilisation of chromosome pairing at low (and possibly high) temperatures is the meiotic recombination gene Dmc1.Key messageThe meiotic recombination gene Dmc1 on wheat chromosome 5D has been identified as a candidate for the maintenance of normal chromosome synapsis and crossover at low and possibly high temperatures.

scholarly journals Cyclin B3 is dispensable for mouse spermatogenesis

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehmet E. Karasu ◽  
Scott Keeney
Keyword(s):  
Homologous Chromosome ◽  
Histological Analysis ◽  
Seminiferous Tubules ◽  
Specific Expression ◽  
Cyclin Dependent Kinases ◽  
Meiotic Progression ◽  
Chromosome Synapsis ◽  
Cyclin E2 ◽  
Sexual Production ◽  
Cyclin B3

AbstractCyclins, as regulatory partners of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), control the switch-like cell cycle transitions that orchestrate orderly duplication and segregation of genomes. Compared to mitosis, relatively little is known about how cyclin-CDK complexes control meiosis, the specialized cell division that generates gametes for sexual production. Mouse cyclin B3 was previously shown to have expression restricted to the beginning of meiosis, making it a candidate to regulate meiotic events. Indeed, female mice lacking cyclin B3 are sterile because oocytes arrest at the metaphase-to-anaphase transition of meiosis I. However, whether cyclin B3 functions during spermatogenesis was untested. Here, we found that males lacking cyclin B3 are fertile and show no detectable defects in spermatogenesis based on histological analysis of seminiferous tubules. Cytological analysis further showed no detectable defects in homologous chromosome synapsis or meiotic progression, and suggested that recombination is initiated and completed efficiently. Moreover, absence of cyclin B3 did not exacerbate previously described meiotic defects in mutants deficient for cyclin E2, suggesting a lack of redundancy between these cyclins. Thus, unlike in females, cyclin B3 is not essential for meiosis in males despite its prominent meiosis-specific expression.

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

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qianyan Li ◽  
Takamune T. Saito ◽  
Alison J. Deshong ◽  
Marina Martinez Garcia ◽  
Saravanapriah Nadarajan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Damage ◽  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Tumor Suppressor ◽  
Homologous Recombination ◽  
Synaptonemal Complex ◽  
Meiotic Recombination ◽  
Dna Damage Repair ◽  
Chromosome Synapsis ◽  
Brca1 Mutations ◽  
Damage Repair

AbstractBreast 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. In Caenorhabditis elegans BRCA1/BRC-1 and BARD1/BRD-1 orthologs are not essential, but function in DNA damage repair and homologous recombination, as well as in meiosis. In proliferating germ cells and in early meiotic prophase, BRC-1 and BRD-1 are nucleoplasmic, with enrichment at foci that partially overlap with the recombinase RAD-51. In mid-pachytene, BRC-1 and BRD-1 are observed on tracks, before concentrating to the short arms of bivalents, co-localizing with a central region component of the synaptonemal complex. We found that BRD-1 is essential for BRC-1 to associate with chromatin and the synaptonemal complex, but BRC-1 is not required for BRD-1 localization; the complex fails to properly localize in the absence of either meiotic recombination or chromosome synapsis. Inactivation of BRC-1/BRD-1 enhances the embryonic lethality of mutants that perturb chromosome synapsis and crossover recombination, suggesting that BRC-1/BRD-1 plays an important role in monitoring recombination in the context of the synaptonemal complex. We discovered that BRC-1/BRD-1 stabilizes the RAD51 filament when the formation of a crossover-intermediate is disrupted. Further, in the absence of BRC-1/BRD-1 crossover distribution is altered, and under meiotic dysfunction, crossover numbers are perturbed. Together, our studies indicate that BRC-1/BRD-1 localizes to the synaptonemal complex where it serves a checkpoint function to monitor and modulate meiotic recombination.Project SummaryOur genomes are passed down from one generation to the next through the specialized cell division program of meiosis. Meiosis is highly regulated to coordinate both the large scale chromosomal and fine scale DNA events to ensure fidelity. We analyzed the role of the tumor suppressor BRCA1/BARD1 complex in meiosis in the worm, Caenorhabditis elegans. We find that BRCA1/BARD1 localizes dynamically to the proteinaeous structure that aligns maternal and paternal chromosomes, where it regulates crossover recombination. Although BRCA1/BARD1 mutants have only subtle meiotic defects, we show that this complex plays a critical role in meiotic recombination when meiosis is perturbed. These results highlight the complexity of ensuring accurate transmission of the genome and uncover the requirement for this conserved complex in meiosis. As women carrying BRCA1 mutations with no indication of cancer have fertility defects, our results provide insight into why BRCA1 mutations impact reproductive success.

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