title: The Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene ECM11 is a positive effector of meiosis.
abstract: Ecm11 is classified as a protein involved in yeast cell wall biogenesis and organization, but in this paper, we provide evidence that it is involved in meiosis as well. Mutants with deleted ECM11 exhibit complex defects in meiosis: replication, recombination and chromosome segregation are affected. The ecm11Delta diploid strains sporulate more slowly and less efficiently than parental strains with wild type copies of ECM11. Fluorescence activated cell sorter scans of DNA content during sporulation showed that meiotic DNA synthesis is initiated at the same time in parental and ecm11Delta strains, but is less efficient in the knockout strain. By recombination tests, we demonstrated that ECM11 is required for crossing-over, but not for gene conversion. In the absence of ECM11 gene product, viability of spores is reduced to 50% and predominantly two viable spores per tetrad are formed. Our results suggest that ECM11 is required in early stages of meiosis where its function is related to DNA replication and crossing-over.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Chemistry, Biosynthesis and Biotransformation of Biologically Active Compounds, University of Ljubljana, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Apolonija Bedina
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Zavec
authors.forename: Urska
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Lesnik
authors.forename: Radovan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Komel
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Comino
mesh_terms: D020090:Chromosome Segregation; D003470:Culture Media; D004261:DNA Replication; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D008540:Meiosis; D009154:Mutation; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins