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Direct visualization reveals kinetics of meiotic chromosome synapsis

Journal Article · · Cell Reports
 [1];  [2]
  1. Univ. of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA (United States); Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD (United States)
  2. Univ. of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA (United States); Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, Berkeley, CA (United States)
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The synaptonemal complex (SC) is a conserved protein complex that stabilizes interactions along homologous chromosomes (homologs) during meiosis. The SC regulates genetic exchanges between homologs, thereby enabling reductional division and the production of haploid gametes. Here, we directly observe SC assembly (synapsis) by optimizing methods for long-term fluorescence recording in C. elegans. We report that synapsis initiates independently on each chromosome pair at or near pairing centers—specialized regions required for homolog associations. Once initiated, the SC extends rapidly and mostly irreversibly to chromosome ends. Quantitation of SC initiation frequencies and extension rates reveals that initiation is a rate-limiting step in homolog interactions. Eliminating the dynein-driven chromosome movements that accompany synapsis severely retards SC extension, revealing a new role for these conserved motions. This work provides the first opportunity to directly observe and quantify key aspects of meiotic chromosome interactions and will enable future in vivo analysis of germline processes.
Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
Howard Hughes Medical Inst., Chevy Chase, MD (United States); National Inst. of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD (United States). NIH National Center for Research Resources (NCRR)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
1215415
Journal Information:
Cell Reports, Journal Name: Cell Reports Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 10; ISSN 2211-1247
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Cited By (16)

Spindle assembly checkpoint proteins regulate and monitor meiotic synapsis in C. elegans journal October 2015
LINC complexes promote homologous recombination in part through inhibition of nonhomologous end joining journal December 2016
Regulating chromosomal movement by the cochaperone FKB-6 ensures timely pairing and synapsis journal January 2017
The BRCA1-BARD1 complex associates with the synaptonemal complex and pro-crossover factors and influences RAD-51 dynamics during Caenorhabditis elegans meiosis journal March 2018
The auxin-inducible degradation (AID) system enables versatile conditional protein depletion in C. elegans journal November 2015
Nuclear Envelope-Associated Chromosome Dynamics during Meiotic Prophase I journal January 2018
The synaptonemal complex has liquid crystalline properties and spatially regulates meiotic recombination factors journal January 2017
Live cell analyses of synaptonemal complex dynamics and chromosome movements in cultured mouse testis tubules and embryonic ovaries journal March 2018
Meiotic chromosomes in motion: a perspective from Mus musculus and Caenorhabditis elegans journal March 2019
Meiotic chromosome movement: what’s lamin got to do with it? journal January 2019
Time-course analysis of early meiotic prophase events informs mechanisms of homolog pairing and synapsis in Caenorhabditis elegans journal May 2017
Meiotic budding yeast assemble bundled triple helices but not ladders posted_content May 2021
N-terminal acetylation promotes synaptonemal complex assembly in C. elegans journal November 2016
A network of nuclear envelope proteins and cytoskeletal force generators mediates movements of and within nuclei throughout Caenorhabditis elegans development journal September 2019
A first genetic portrait of synaptonemal complex variation journal August 2019
Time-Course Analysis of Early Meiotic Prophase Events Informs Mechanisms of Homolog Pairing and Synapsis in Caenorhabditis elegans journal July 2017

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