title: Distinct properties of the XY pseudoautosomal region crucial for male meiosis.
abstract: Meiosis requires that each chromosome find its homologous partner and undergo at least one crossover. X-Y chromosome segregation hinges on efficient crossing-over in a very small region of homology, the pseudoautosomal region (PAR). We find that mouse PAR DNA occupies unusually long chromosome axes, potentially as shorter chromatin loops, predicted to promote double-strand break (DSB) formation. Most PARs show delayed appearance of RAD51/DMC1 foci, which mark DSB ends, and all PARs undergo delayed DSB-mediated homologous pairing. Analysis of Spo11β isoform-specific transgenic mice revealed that late RAD51/DMC1 foci in the PAR are genetically distinct from both early PAR foci and global foci and that late PAR foci promote efficient X-Y pairing, recombination, and male fertility. Our findings uncover specific mechanisms that surmount the unique challenges of X-Y recombination.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biology Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
authors.forename: Liisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kauppi
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barchi
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Baudat
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Romanienko
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keeney
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jasin
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002843:Chromatin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D023902:Chromosome Pairing; D020090:Chromosome Segregation; D003434:Crossing Over, Genetic; D053903:DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded; D004706:Endodeoxyribonucleases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008297:Male; D008540:Meiosis; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D028044:Phosphate-Binding Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D051135:Rad51 Recombinase / Q000378:metabolism; D014960:X Chromosome / Q000502:physiology*; D014998:Y Chromosome / Q000502:physiology*; D000099257:Meiotic Recombination Protein SPO11
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D002843:Chromatin; D004706:Endodeoxyribonucleases; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D028044:Phosphate-Binding Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D051135:Rad51 Recombinase; D000099257:Meiotic Recombination Protein SPO11; C513032:Dmc1 protein, mouse; C495154:Rad51 protein, mouse