title: Identification of chromosome sequence motifs that mediate meiotic pairing and synapsis in C. elegans.
abstract: Caenorhabditis elegans chromosomes contain specialized regions called pairing centres, which mediate homologous pairing and synapsis during meiosis. Four related proteins, ZIM-1, 2, 3 and HIM-8, associate with these sites and are required for their essential functions. Here we show that short sequence elements enriched in the corresponding chromosome regions selectively recruit these proteins in vivo. In vitro analysis using SELEX indicates that the binding specificity of each protein arises from a combination of two zinc fingers and an adjacent domain. Insertion of a cluster of recruiting motifs into a chromosome lacking its endogenous pairing centre is sufficient to restore homologous pairing, synapsis, crossover recombination and segregation. These findings help to illuminate how chromosome sites mediate essential aspects of meiotic chromosome dynamics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, 470 Stanley Hall, MC 3220, Berkeley CA 94720, USA.
authors.forename: Carolyn M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: Xiangdong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jacqueline H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Chretien
authors.forename: Fyodor D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Urnov
authors.forename: Abby F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Dernburg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D023902:Chromosome Pairing / Q000235:genetics*; D003434:Crossing Over, Genetic; D012734:Disorders of Sex Development / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008297:Male; D008540:Meiosis / Q000235:genetics*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D034622:RNA Interference; D052156:SELEX Aptamer Technique; D013573:Synaptonemal Complex / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014960:X Chromosome / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; C507738:HIM-8 protein, C elegans; C516318:Zim-1 protein, C elegans; C516319:Zim-2 protein, C elegans; C516320:Zim-3 protein, C elegans