Meiotic double-strand breaks at the interface of chromosome movement, chromosome remodeling, and reductional division.
Chromosomal processes related to formation and function of meiotic chiasmata have been analyzed in Sordaria macrospora. Double-strand breaks (DSBs), programmed or gamma-rays-induced, are found to promote four major events beyond recombination and accompanying synaptonemal complex formation: (1) juxtaposition of homologs from long-distance interactions to close presynaptic coalignment at midleptotene; (2) structural destabilization of chromosomes at leptotene/zygotene, including sister axis separation and fracturing, as revealed in a mutant altered in the conserved, axis-associated cohesin-related protein Spo76/Pds5p; (3) exit from the bouquet stage, with accompanying global chromosome movements, at zygotene/pachytene (bouquet stage exit is further found to be a cell-wide regulatory transition and DSB transesterase Spo11p is suggested to have a new noncatalytic role in this transition); (4) normal occurrence of both meiotic divisions, including normal sister separation. Functional interactions between DSBs and the spo76-1 mutation suggest that Spo76/Pds5p opposes local destabilization of axes at developing chiasma sites and raise the possibility of a regulatory mechanism that directly monitors the presence of chiasmata at metaphase I. Local chromosome remodeling at DSB sites appears to trigger an entire cascade of chromosome movements, morphogenetic changes, and regulatory effects that are superimposed upon a foundation of DSB-independent processes.
Storlazzi
Aurora
A
Institut de Génétique et Microbiologie, Unite Mixte de Recherche 8621, Université Paris-Sud, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France.
Tessé
Sophie
S
Gargano
Silvana
S
James
Françoise
F
Kleckner
Nancy
N
Zickler
Denise
D
D002843:Chromatin / Q000502:physiology; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000502:physiology; D003434:Crossing Over, Genetic / Q000528:radiation effects; D004249:DNA Damage; D004706:Endodeoxyribonucleases; D004950:Esterases / Q000235:genetics; D008540:Meiosis / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D009154:Mutation; D011839:Radiation, Ionizing; D020037:Sordariales / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects; D000099257:Meiotic Recombination Protein SPO11
D002843:Chromatin; D004706:Endodeoxyribonucleases; D004950:Esterases; D000099257:Meiotic Recombination Protein SPO11