title: Linear element-independent meiotic recombination in Schizosaccharomyces pombe.
abstract: Most organisms form protein-rich, linear, ladder-like structures associated with chromosomes during early meiosis, the synaptonemal complex. In Schizosaccharomyces pombe, linear elements (LinEs) are thread-like, proteinacious chromosome-associated structures that form during early meiosis. LinEs are related to axial elements, the synaptonemal complex precursors of other organisms. Previous studies have led to the suggestion that axial structures are essential to mediate meiotic recombination. Rec10 protein is a major component of S. pombe LinEs and is required for their development. In this report we study recombination in a number of rec10 mutants, one of which (rec10-155) does not form LinEs, but is predicted to encode a truncated Rec10 protein. This mutant has levels of crossing over and gene conversion substantially higher than a rec10 null mutant (rec10-175) and forms cytologically detectable Rad51 foci indicative of meiotic recombination intermediates. These data demonstrate that while Rec10 is required for meiotic recombination, substantial meiotic recombination can occur in rec10 mutants that do not form LinEs, indicating that LinEs per se are not essential for all meiotic recombination.
authors.affiliation: North West Research Fund Institute, University of Wales, Bangor, UK.
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Pryce
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Estreicher
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Loidl
authors.forename: Ramsay J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: McFarlane
mesh_terms: D022003:Cell Nucleus Structures / Q000737:chemistry; D015825:Chromosomes, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry; D003434:Crossing Over, Genetic; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D005785:Gene Conversion; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D005819:Genetic Markers; D008540:Meiosis / Q000235:genetics*; D009154:Mutation; D020161:Physical Chromosome Mapping; D051135:Rad51 Recombinase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D012568:Schizosaccharomyces / Q000235:genetics*; D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D005819:Genetic Markers; C096136:REC10 protein, S pombe; C084232:RHP51 protein, S pombe; D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins; D051135:Rad51 Recombinase; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate