1
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Marshall WF, Fung JC. Modeling homologous chromosome recognition via nonspecific interactions. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2317373121. [PMID: 38722810 PMCID: PMC11098084 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2317373121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
In many organisms, most notably Drosophila, homologous chromosomes associate in somatic cells, a phenomenon known as somatic pairing, which takes place without double strand breaks or strand invasion, thus requiring some other mechanism for homologs to recognize each other. Several studies have suggested a "specific button" model, in which a series of distinct regions in the genome, known as buttons, can associate with each other, mediated by different proteins that bind to these different regions. Here, we use computational modeling to evaluate an alternative "button barcode" model, in which there is only one type of recognition site or adhesion button, present in many copies in the genome, each of which can associate with any of the others with equal affinity. In this model, buttons are nonuniformly distributed, such that alignment of a chromosome with its correct homolog, compared with a nonhomolog, is energetically favored; since to achieve nonhomologous alignment, chromosomes would be required to mechanically deform in order to bring their buttons into mutual register. By simulating randomly generated nonuniform button distributions, many highly effective button barcodes can be easily found, some of which achieve virtually perfect pairing fidelity. This model is consistent with existing literature on the effect of translocations of different sizes on homolog pairing. We conclude that a button barcode model can attain highly specific homolog recognition, comparable to that seen in actual cells undergoing somatic homolog pairing, without the need for specific interactions. This model may have implications for how meiotic pairing is achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wallace F. Marshall
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, CA94158
| | - Jennifer C. Fung
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA94158
- Center for Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA94158
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2
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Chriss A, Börner GV, Ryan SD. Agent-based modeling of nuclear chromosome ensembles identifies determinants of homolog pairing during meiosis. PLoS Comput Biol 2024; 20:e1011416. [PMID: 38739641 PMCID: PMC11115365 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
During meiosis, pairing of homologous chromosomes (homologs) ensures the formation of haploid gametes from diploid precursor cells, a prerequisite for sexual reproduction. Pairing during meiotic prophase I facilitates crossover recombination and homolog segregation during the ensuing reductional cell division. Mechanisms that ensure stable homolog alignment in the presence of an excess of non-homologous chromosomes have remained elusive, but rapid chromosome movements appear to play a role in the process. Apart from homolog attraction, provided by early intermediates of homologous recombination, dissociation of non-homologous associations also appears to contribute to homolog pairing, as suggested by the detection of stable non-homologous chromosome associations in pairing-defective mutants. Here, we have developed an agent-based model for homolog pairing derived from the dynamics of a naturally occurring chromosome ensemble. The model simulates unidirectional chromosome movements, as well as collision dynamics determined by attractive and repulsive forces arising from close-range physical interactions. Chromosome number and size as well as movement velocity and repulsive forces are identified as key factors in the kinetics and efficiency of homologous pairing in addition to homolog attraction. Dissociation of interactions between non-homologous chromosomes may contribute to pairing by crowding homologs into a limited nuclear area thus creating preconditions for close-range homolog attraction. Incorporating natural chromosome lengths, the model accurately recapitulates efficiency and kinetics of homolog pairing observed for wild-type and mutant meiosis in budding yeast, and can be adapted to nuclear dimensions and chromosome sets of other organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariana Chriss
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - G. Valentin Börner
- Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- Center for Gene Regulation in Health and Disease, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Shawn D. Ryan
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- Center for Applied Data Analysis and Modeling, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
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3
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Chriss A, Börner GV, Ryan SD. Agent-based modeling of nuclear chromosome ensemble identifies determinants of homolog pairing during meiosis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.08.09.552574. [PMID: 38260664 PMCID: PMC10802385 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.09.552574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
During meiosis, pairing of homologous chromosomes (homologs) ensures the formation of haploid gametes from diploid precursor cells, a prerequisite for sexual reproduction. Pairing during meiotic prophase I facilitates crossover recombination and homolog segregation during the ensuing reductional cell division. Mechanisms that ensure stable homolog alignment in the presence of an excess of non-homologous chromosomes have remained elusive, but rapid chromosome movements during prophase I appear to play a role in the process. Apart from homolog attraction, provided by early intermediates of homologous recombination, dissociation of non-homologous associations also appears to contribute to homolog pairing, as suggested by the detection of stable non-homologous chromosome associations in pairing-defective mutants. Here, we have developed an agent-based model for homolog pairing derived from the dynamics of a naturally occurring chromosome ensemble. The model simulates unidirectional chromosome movements, as well as collision dynamics determined by attractive and repulsive forces arising from close-range physical interactions. In addition to homolog attraction, chromosome number and size as well as movement velocity and repulsive forces are identified as key factors in the kinetics and efficiency of homologous pairing. Dissociation of interactions between non-homologous chromosomes may contribute to pairing by crowding homologs into a limited nuclear area thus creating preconditions for close-range homolog attraction. Predictions from the model are readily compared to experimental data from budding yeast, parameters can be adjusted to other cellular systems and predictions from the model can be tested via experimental manipulation of the relevant chromosomal features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariana Chriss
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH 44115
- Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH 44115
| | - G. Valentin Börner
- Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH 44115
- Center for Gene Regulation in Health and Disease, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH 44115
| | - Shawn D. Ryan
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH 44115
- Center for Applied Data Analysis and Modeling, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH 44115
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4
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Fernández-Álvarez A. Beyond tradition: exploring the non-canonical functions of telomeres in meiosis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1278571. [PMID: 38020928 PMCID: PMC10679444 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1278571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The telomere bouquet is a specific chromosomal configuration that forms during meiosis at the zygotene stage, when telomeres cluster together at the nuclear envelope. This clustering allows cytoskeleton-induced movements to be transmitted to the chromosomes, thereby facilitating homologous chromosome search and pairing. However, loss of the bouquet results in more severe meiotic defects than can be attributed solely to recombination problems, suggesting that the bouquet's full function remains elusive. Despite its transient nature and the challenges in performing in vivo analyses, information is emerging that points to a remarkable suite of non-canonical functions carried out by the bouquet. Here, we describe how new approaches in quantitative cell biology can contribute to establishing the molecular basis of the full function and plasticity of the bouquet, and thus generate a comprehensive picture of the telomeric control of meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfonso Fernández-Álvarez
- Institute of Functional Biology and Genomics (IBFG), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
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5
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Marshall WF, Fung JC. Homologous chromosome recognition via nonspecific interactions. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.09.544427. [PMID: 37333079 PMCID: PMC10274854 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.09.544427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
In many organisms, most notably Drosophila, homologous chromosomes in somatic cells associate with each other, a phenomenon known as somatic homolog pairing. Unlike in meiosis, where homology is read out at the level of DNA sequence complementarity, somatic homolog pairing takes place without double strand breaks or strand invasion, thus requiring some other mechanism for homologs to recognize each other. Several studies have suggested a "specific button" model, in which a series of distinct regions in the genome, known as buttons, can associate with each other, presumably mediated by different proteins that bind to these different regions. Here we consider an alternative model, which we term the "button barcode" model, in which there is only one type of recognition site or adhesion button, present in many copies in the genome, each of which can associate with any of the others with equal affinity. An important component of this model is that the buttons are non-uniformly distributed, such that alignment of a chromosome with its correct homolog, compared with a non-homolog, is energetically favored; since to achieve nonhomologous alignment, chromosomes would be required to mechanically deform in order to bring their buttons into mutual register. We investigated several types of barcodes and examined their effect on pairing fidelity. We found that high fidelity homolog recognition can be achieved by arranging chromosome pairing buttons according to an actual industrial barcode used for warehouse sorting. By simulating randomly generated non-uniform button distributions, many highly effective button barcodes can be easily found, some of which achieve virtually perfect pairing fidelity. This model is consistent with existing literature on the effect of translocations of different sizes on homolog pairing. We conclude that a button barcode model can attain highly specific homolog recognition, comparable to that seen in actual cells undergoing somatic homolog pairing, without the need for specific interactions. This model may have implications for how meiotic pairing is achieved.
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6
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Navarro EJ, Marshall WF, Fung JC. Modeling cell biological features of meiotic chromosome pairing to study interlock resolution. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1010252. [PMID: 35696428 PMCID: PMC9232156 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
During meiosis, homologous chromosomes become associated side by side in a process known as homologous chromosome pairing. Pairing requires long range chromosome motion through a nucleus that is full of other chromosomes. It remains unclear how the cell manages to align each pair of chromosomes quickly while mitigating and resolving interlocks. Here, we use a coarse-grained molecular dynamics model to investigate how specific features of meiosis, including motor-driven telomere motion, nuclear envelope interactions, and increased nuclear size, affect the rate of pairing and the mitigation/resolution of interlocks. By creating in silico versions of three yeast strains and comparing the results of our model to experimental data, we find that a more distributed placement of pairing sites along the chromosome is necessary to replicate experimental findings. Active motion of the telomeric ends speeds up pairing only if binding sites are spread along the chromosome length. Adding a meiotic bouquet significantly speeds up pairing but does not significantly change the number of interlocks. An increase in nuclear size slows down pairing while greatly reducing the number of interlocks. Interestingly, active forces increase the number of interlocks, which raises the question: How do these interlocks resolve? Our model gives us detailed movies of interlock resolution events which we then analyze to build a step-by-step recipe for interlock resolution. In our model, interlocks must first translocate to the ends, where they are held in a quasi-stable state by a large number of paired sites on one side. To completely resolve an interlock, the telomeres of the involved chromosomes must come in close proximity so that the cooperativity of pairing coupled with random motion causes the telomeres to unwind. Together our results indicate that computational modeling of homolog pairing provides insight into the specific cell biological changes that occur during meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik J. Navarro
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences and Center of Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Wallace F. Marshall
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Jennifer C. Fung
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences and Center of Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
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7
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Kim HJ, Liu C, Dernburg AF. How and Why Chromosomes Interact with the Cytoskeleton during Meiosis. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13050901. [PMID: 35627285 PMCID: PMC9140367 DOI: 10.3390/genes13050901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
During the early meiotic prophase, connections are established between chromosomes and cytoplasmic motors via a nuclear envelope bridge, known as a LINC (linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton) complex. These widely conserved links can promote both chromosome and nuclear motions. Studies in diverse organisms have illuminated the molecular architecture of these connections, but important questions remain regarding how they contribute to meiotic processes. Here, we summarize the current knowledge in the field, outline the challenges in studying these chromosome dynamics, and highlight distinctive features that have been characterized in major model systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyung Jun Kim
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3200, USA;
| | - Chenshu Liu
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 4000 Jones Bridge Road, Chevy Chase, MD 20815-6789, USA;
| | - Abby F. Dernburg
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3200, USA;
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 4000 Jones Bridge Road, Chevy Chase, MD 20815-6789, USA;
- Correspondence:
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8
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Diffusion and distal linkages govern interchromosomal dynamics during meiotic prophase. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2115883119. [PMID: 35302885 PMCID: PMC8944930 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2115883119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
SignificanceEssential for sexual reproduction, meiosis is a specialized cell division required for the production of haploid gametes. Critical to this process are the pairing, recombination, and segregation of homologous chromosomes (homologs). While pairing and recombination are linked, it is not known how many linkages are sufficient to hold homologs in proximity. Here, we reveal that random diffusion and the placement of a small number of linkages are sufficient to establish the apparent "pairing" of homologs. We also show that colocalization between any two loci is more dynamic than anticipated. Our study provides observations of live interchromosomal dynamics during meiosis and illustrates the power of combining single-cell measurements with theoretical polymer modeling.
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9
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Lenykó-Thegze A, Fábián A, Mihók E, Makai D, Cseh A, Sepsi A. Pericentromeric chromatin reorganisation follows the initiation of recombination and coincides with early events of synapsis in cereals. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 107:1585-1602. [PMID: 34171148 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The reciprocal exchange of genetic information between homologous chromosomes during meiotic recombination is essential to secure balanced chromosome segregation and to promote genetic diversity. The chromosomal position and frequency of reciprocal genetic exchange shapes the efficiency of breeding programmes and influences crop improvement under a changing climate. In large genome cereals, such as wheat and barley, crossovers are consistently restricted to subtelomeric chromosomal regions, thus preventing favourable allele combinations being formed within a considerable proportion of the genome, including interstitial and pericentromeric chromatin. Understanding the key elements driving crossover designation is therefore essential to broaden the regions available for crossovers. Here, we followed early meiotic chromatin dynamism in cereals through the visualisation of a homologous barley chromosome arm pair stably transferred into the wheat genetic background. By capturing the dynamics of a single chromosome arm at the same time as detecting the undergoing events of meiotic recombination and synapsis, we showed that subtelomeric chromatin of homologues synchronously transitions to an open chromatin structure during recombination initiation. By contrast, pericentromeric and interstitial regions preserved their closed chromatin organisation and become unpackaged only later, concomitant with initiation of recombinatorial repair and the initial assembly of the synaptonemal complex. Our results raise the possibility that the closed pericentromeric chromatin structure in cereals may influence the fate decision during recombination initiation, as well as the spatial development of synapsis, and may also explain the suppression of crossover events in the proximity of the centromeres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Lenykó-Thegze
- Department of Biological Resources, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Centre for Agricultural Research, Brunszvik u. 2, Martonvásár, 2462, Hungary
| | - Attila Fábián
- Department of Biological Resources, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Centre for Agricultural Research, Brunszvik u. 2, Martonvásár, 2462, Hungary
| | - Edit Mihók
- Department of Biological Resources, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Centre for Agricultural Research, Brunszvik u. 2, Martonvásár, 2462, Hungary
| | - Diána Makai
- Department of Biological Resources, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Centre for Agricultural Research, Brunszvik u. 2, Martonvásár, 2462, Hungary
| | - András Cseh
- Department of Molecular Breeding, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Centre for Agricultural Research, Brunszvik u. 2, Martonvásár, 2462, Hungary
| | - Adél Sepsi
- Department of Biological Resources, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Centre for Agricultural Research, Brunszvik u. 2, Martonvásár, 2462, Hungary
- Department of Applied Biotechnology and Food Science (ABÉT), BME, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Műegyetem rkp. 3-9, Budapest, 1111, Hungary
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10
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Child MB, Bateman JR, Jahangiri A, Reimer A, Lammers NC, Sabouni N, Villamarin D, McKenzie-Smith GC, Johnson JE, Jost D, Garcia HG. Live imaging and biophysical modeling support a button-based mechanism of somatic homolog pairing in Drosophila. eLife 2021; 10:64412. [PMID: 34100718 PMCID: PMC8294847 DOI: 10.7554/elife.64412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Three-dimensional eukaryotic genome organization provides the structural basis for gene regulation. In Drosophila melanogaster, genome folding is characterized by somatic homolog pairing, where homologous chromosomes are intimately paired from end to end; however, how homologs identify one another and pair has remained mysterious. Recently, this process has been proposed to be driven by specifically interacting 'buttons' encoded along chromosomes. Here, we turned this hypothesis into a quantitative biophysical model to demonstrate that a button-based mechanism can lead to chromosome-wide pairing. We tested our model using live-imaging measurements of chromosomal loci tagged with the MS2 and PP7 nascent RNA labeling systems. We show solid agreement between model predictions and experiments in the pairing dynamics of individual homologous loci. Our results strongly support a button-based mechanism of somatic homolog pairing in Drosophila and provide a theoretical framework for revealing the molecular identity and regulation of buttons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myron Barber Child
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States.,Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
| | - Jack R Bateman
- Biology Department, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, United States
| | - Amir Jahangiri
- Univ Grenoble Alpes CNRS, Grenoble INP, TIMC-IMAG, Grenoble, France
| | - Armando Reimer
- Biophysics Graduate Group, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
| | - Nicholas C Lammers
- Biophysics Graduate Group, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
| | - Nica Sabouni
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
| | | | | | | | - Daniel Jost
- Univ Grenoble Alpes CNRS, Grenoble INP, TIMC-IMAG, Grenoble, France.,Université de Lyon, ENS de Lyon, Univ Claude Bernard, CNRS, Laboratory of Biology and Modeling of the Cell, Lyon, France
| | - Hernan G Garcia
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States.,Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States.,Biophysics Graduate Group, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States.,Institute for Quantitative Biosciences-QB3, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
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11
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von Diezmann L, Rog O. Single-Molecule Tracking of Chromatin-Associated Proteins in the C. elegans Gonad. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:6162-6170. [PMID: 34097417 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c03040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Biomolecules are distributed within cells by molecular-scale diffusion and binding events that are invisible in standard fluorescence microscopy. These molecular search kinetics are key to understanding nuclear signaling and chromosome organization and can be directly observed by single-molecule tracking microscopy. Here, we report a method to track individual proteins within intact C. elegans gonads and apply it to study the molecular dynamics of the axis, a proteinaceous backbone that organizes meiotic chromosomes. Using either fluorescent proteins or enzymatically ligated dyes, we obtain multisecond trajectories with a localization precision of 15-25 nm in nuclei actively undergoing meiosis. Correlation with a reference channel allows for accurate measurement of protein dynamics, compensating for movements of the nuclei and chromosomes within the gonad. We find that axis proteins exhibit either static binding to chromatin or free diffusion in the nucleoplasm, and we separately quantify the motion parameters of these distinct populations. Freely diffusing axis proteins selectively explore chromatin-rich regions, suggesting they are circumventing the central phase-separated region of the nucleus. This work demonstrates that single-molecule microscopy can infer nanoscale-resolution dynamics within living tissue, expanding the possible applications of this approach.
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12
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Aguilar M, Prieto P. Telomeres and Subtelomeres Dynamics in the Context of Early Chromosome Interactions During Meiosis and Their Implications in Plant Breeding. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:672489. [PMID: 34149773 PMCID: PMC8212018 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.672489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Genomic architecture facilitates chromosome recognition, pairing, and recombination. Telomeres and subtelomeres play an important role at the beginning of meiosis in specific chromosome recognition and pairing, which are critical processes that allow chromosome recombination between homologs (equivalent chromosomes in the same genome) in later stages. In plant polyploids, these terminal regions are even more important in terms of homologous chromosome recognition, due to the presence of homoeologs (equivalent chromosomes from related genomes). Although telomeres interaction seems to assist homologous pairing and consequently, the progression of meiosis, other chromosome regions, such as subtelomeres, need to be considered, because the DNA sequence of telomeres is not chromosome-specific. In addition, recombination operates at subtelomeres and, as it happens in rye and wheat, homologous recognition and pairing is more often correlated with recombining regions than with crossover-poor regions. In a plant breeding context, the knowledge of how homologous chromosomes initiate pairing at the beginning of meiosis can contribute to chromosome manipulation in hybrids or interspecific genetic crosses. Thus, recombination in interspecific chromosome associations could be promoted with the aim of transferring desirable agronomic traits from related genetic donor species into crops. In this review, we summarize the importance of telomeres and subtelomeres on chromatin dynamics during early meiosis stages and their implications in recombination in a plant breeding framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Aguilar
- Área de Fisiología Vegetal, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Pilar Prieto
- Plant Breeding Department, Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Córdoba, Spain
- *Correspondence: Pilar Prieto, ; orcid.org/0000-0002-8160-808X
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13
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Sepsi A, Schwarzacher T. Chromosome-nuclear envelope tethering - a process that orchestrates homologue pairing during plant meiosis? J Cell Sci 2020; 133:133/15/jcs243667. [PMID: 32788229 PMCID: PMC7438012 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.243667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
During prophase I of meiosis, homologous chromosomes pair, synapse and exchange their genetic material through reciprocal homologous recombination, a phenomenon essential for faithful chromosome segregation. Partial sequence identity between non-homologous and heterologous chromosomes can also lead to recombination (ectopic recombination), a highly deleterious process that rapidly compromises genome integrity. To avoid ectopic exchange, homology recognition must be extended from the narrow position of a crossover-competent double-strand break to the entire chromosome. Here, we review advances on chromosome behaviour during meiotic prophase I in higher plants, by integrating centromere- and telomere dynamics driven by cytoskeletal motor proteins, into the processes of homologue pairing, synapsis and recombination. Centromere–centromere associations and the gathering of telomeres at the onset of meiosis at opposite nuclear poles create a spatially organised and restricted nuclear state in which homologous DNA interactions are favoured but ectopic interactions also occur. The release and dispersion of centromeres from the nuclear periphery increases the motility of chromosome arms, allowing meiosis-specific movements that disrupt ectopic interactions. Subsequent expansion of interstitial synapsis from numerous homologous interactions further corrects ectopic interactions. Movement and organisation of chromosomes, thus, evolved to facilitate the pairing process, and can be modulated by distinct stages of chromatin associations at the nuclear envelope and their collective release. Summary: We review plant meiosis, including chromosome tethering at the nuclear periphery that, we propose, defines chromosome dynamics-facilitating DNA sequence-based pairing of homologues
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Affiliation(s)
- Adél Sepsi
- Department of Plant Cell Biology, Centre for Agricultural Research, 2462, Martonvásár, Brunszvik u. 2, Hungary .,BME Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Department of Applied Biotechnology and Food Science (ABÉT), 1111, Budapest, Mu˝ egyetem rkp. 3-9., Hungary
| | - Trude Schwarzacher
- University of Leicester, Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK.,Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China
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14
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Marshall WF, Fung JC. Modeling meiotic chromosome pairing: a tug of war between telomere forces and a pairing-based Brownian ratchet leads to increased pairing fidelity. Phys Biol 2019; 16:046005. [PMID: 30943453 DOI: 10.1088/1478-3975/ab15a7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Meiotic homolog pairing involves associations between homologous DNA regions scattered along the length of a chromosome. When homologs associate, they tend to do so by a processive zippering process, which apparently results from avidity effects. Using a computational model, we show that this avidity-driven processive zippering reduces the selectivity of pairing. When active random forces are applied to telomeres, this drop in selectivity is eliminated in a force-dependent manner. Further simulations suggest that active telomere forces are engaged in a tug-of-war against zippering, which can be interpreted as a Brownian ratchet with a stall force that depends on the dissociation constant of pairing. When perfectly homologous regions of high affinity compete with homeologous regions of lower affinity, the affinity difference can be amplified through this tug of war effect provided the telomere force acts in a range that is strong enough to oppose zippering of homeologs while still permitting zippering of correct homologs. The degree of unzippering depends on the radius of the nucleus, such that complete unzippering of homeologous regions can only take place if the nucleus is large enough to pull the two chromosomes completely apart. A picture of meiotic pairing thus emerges that is fundamentally mechanical in nature, possibly explaining the purpose of active telomere forces, increased nuclear diameter, and the presence of 'Maverick' chromosomes in meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wallace F Marshall
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States of America. Center for Cellular Construction, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States of America
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15
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Bordelet H, Dubrana K. Keep moving and stay in a good shape to find your homologous recombination partner. Curr Genet 2019; 65:29-39. [PMID: 30097675 PMCID: PMC6342867 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-018-0873-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2018] [Revised: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Genomic DNA is constantly exposed to damage. Among the lesion in DNA, double-strand breaks (DSB), because they disrupt the two strands of the DNA double helix, are the more dangerous. DSB are repaired through two evolutionary conserved mechanisms: Non-Homologous End Joining (NHEJ) and Homologous Recombination (HR). Whereas NHEJ simply reseals the double helix with no or minimal processing, HR necessitates the formation of a 3'ssDNA through the processing of DSB ends by the resection machinery and relies on the recognition and pairing of this 3'ssDNA tails with an intact homologous sequence. Despite years of active research on HR, the manner by which the two homologous sequences find each other in the crowded nucleus, and how this modulates HR efficiency, only recently emerges. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of the factors limiting the search of a homologous sequence during HR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hélène Bordelet
- Laboratoire Instabilité et Organisation Nucléaire, iRCM, IBFJ, DRF, CEA. 2 INSERM, U967. 3 Université Paris Diderot et Paris Saclay, UMR967, Fontenay-aux-roses, 92265, France
| | - Karine Dubrana
- Laboratoire Instabilité et Organisation Nucléaire, iRCM, IBFJ, DRF, CEA. 2 INSERM, U967. 3 Université Paris Diderot et Paris Saclay, UMR967, Fontenay-aux-roses, 92265, France.
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16
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Blokhina YP, Nguyen AD, Draper BW, Burgess SM. The telomere bouquet is a hub where meiotic double-strand breaks, synapsis, and stable homolog juxtaposition are coordinated in the zebrafish, Danio rerio. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1007730. [PMID: 30653507 PMCID: PMC6336226 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Meiosis is a cellular program that generates haploid gametes for sexual reproduction. While chromosome events that contribute to reducing ploidy (homologous chromosome pairing, synapsis, and recombination) are well conserved, their execution varies across species and even between sexes of the same species. The telomere bouquet is a conserved feature of meiosis that was first described nearly a century ago, yet its role is still debated. Here we took advantage of the prominent telomere bouquet in zebrafish, Danio rerio, and super-resolution microscopy to show that axis morphogenesis, synapsis, and the formation of double-strand breaks (DSBs) all take place within the immediate vicinity of telomeres. We established a coherent timeline of events and tested the dependence of each event on the formation of Spo11-induced DSBs. First, we found that the axis protein Sycp3 loads adjacent to telomeres and extends inward, suggesting a specific feature common to all telomeres seeds the development of the axis. Second, we found that newly formed axes near telomeres engage in presynaptic co-alignment by a mechanism that depends on DSBs, even when stable juxtaposition of homologous chromosomes at interstitial regions is not yet evident. Third, we were surprised to discover that ~30% of telomeres in early prophase I engage in associations between two or more chromosome ends and these interactions decrease in later stages. Finally, while pairing and synapsis were disrupted in both spo11 males and females, their reproductive phenotypes were starkly different; spo11 mutant males failed to produce sperm while females produced offspring with severe developmental defects. Our results support zebrafish as an important vertebrate model for meiosis with implications for differences in fertility and genetically derived birth defects in males and females. Inherent to reproduction is the transmission of genetic information from one generation to the next. In sexually reproducing organisms, each parent contributes an equal amount of genetic information, packaged in chromosomes, to the offspring. Diploid organisms, like humans, have two copies of every chromosome, while their haploid gametes (e.g. eggs and sperm) have only one. This reduction in ploidy depends on the segregation of chromosomes during meiosis, resulting in gametes with one copy of each chromosome. Missegregation of the chromosomes in the parents leads to abnormal chromosome numbers in the offspring, which is usually lethal or has detrimental developmental effects. While it has been known for over a century that homologous chromosomes pair and recombine to facilitate proper segregation, how homologs find their partners has remained elusive. A structure that has been central to the discussion of homolog pairing is the bouquet, or the dynamic clustering of telomeres during early stages of meiosis. Here we use zebrafish to show that the telomere bouquet is the site where key events leading to homologous chromosome pairing are coordinated. Furthermore, we show that deletion of spo11, a gene required for proper recombination in most studied organisms, resulted in very different effects in males and females where males were sterile while females produced deformed progeny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yana P. Blokhina
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, United States of America
- Integrative Genetics and Genomics Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, CA, United States of America
| | - An D. Nguyen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, United States of America
| | - Bruce W. Draper
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, United States of America
| | - Sean M. Burgess
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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17
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Fung JC. Kinetochores: Importance of Being Fashionably Late. Cell Syst 2017; 4:585-586. [PMID: 28662384 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2017.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
A model explains how a critical delay before microtubules detach from kinetochores during cell division might be achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer C Fung
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Science and the Center of Reproductive Science, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-2240, USA.
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18
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Lawrimore J, Barry TM, Barry RM, York AC, Friedman B, Cook DM, Akialis K, Tyler J, Vasquez P, Yeh E, Bloom K. Microtubule dynamics drive enhanced chromatin motion and mobilize telomeres in response to DNA damage. Mol Biol Cell 2017; 28:1701-1711. [PMID: 28450453 PMCID: PMC5469612 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e16-12-0846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2016] [Revised: 03/28/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanisms that drive DNA damage-induced chromosome mobility include relaxation of external tethers to the nuclear envelope and internal chromatin–chromatin tethers. Together with microtubule dynamics, these can mobilize the genome in response to DNA damage. Chromatin exhibits increased mobility on DNA damage, but the biophysical basis for this behavior remains unknown. To explore the mechanisms that drive DNA damage–induced chromosome mobility, we use single-particle tracking of tagged chromosomal loci during interphase in live yeast cells together with polymer models of chromatin chains. Telomeres become mobilized from sites on the nuclear envelope and the pericentromere expands after exposure to DNA-damaging agents. The magnitude of chromatin mobility induced by a single double-strand break requires active microtubule function. These findings reveal how relaxation of external tethers to the nuclear envelope and internal chromatin–chromatin tethers, together with microtubule dynamics, can mobilize the genome in response to DNA damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josh Lawrimore
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Timothy M Barry
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Raymond M Barry
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Alyssa C York
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Brandon Friedman
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Diana M Cook
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Kristen Akialis
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Jolien Tyler
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Paula Vasquez
- Department of Mathematics, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208
| | - Elaine Yeh
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Kerry Bloom
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
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19
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Vasquez PA, Hult C, Adalsteinsson D, Lawrimore J, Forest MG, Bloom K. Entropy gives rise to topologically associating domains. Nucleic Acids Res 2016; 44:5540-9. [PMID: 27257057 PMCID: PMC4937343 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkw510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2015] [Revised: 05/06/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigate chromosome organization within the nucleus using polymer models whose formulation is closely guided by experiments in live yeast cells. We employ bead-spring chromosome models together with loop formation within the chains and the presence of nuclear bodies to quantify the extent to which these mechanisms shape the topological landscape in the interphase nucleus. By investigating the genome as a dynamical system, we show that domains of high chromosomal interactions can arise solely from the polymeric nature of the chromosome arms due to entropic interactions and nuclear confinement. In this view, the role of bio-chemical related processes is to modulate and extend the duration of the interacting domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula A Vasquez
- Department of Mathematics, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29808, USA
| | - Caitlin Hult
- Department of Mathematics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - David Adalsteinsson
- Department of Mathematics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Josh Lawrimore
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Mark G Forest
- Department of Mathematics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Kerry Bloom
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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