Structural insight into the central element assembly of the synaptonemal complex.
The key step in meiosis is synaptonemal complex formation, which mediates homologous chromosome alignment and synapsis. False pairing between homologous chromosomes produces infertility. Here, we present a crystal structure of the mouse meiosis-specific protein SYCE3, which is a component of the synaptonemal complex central element. Our studies show that functional SYCE3 most likely forms a dimer or higher order oligomer in cells. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the SYCE3 N-helix interacts with the SYCE1 C-helix, which is another central element component. Our results suggest that helical packing may mediate intra- or inter-association of each central element protein component, thereby playing an essential role in forming the synaptonemal complex central elements.
1] State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China [2] College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China.
Jing
J
Lu
1] State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China [2] College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China.
Yanling
Y
Gu
1] State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China [2] College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China.
Jianrong
J
Feng
College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China.
Weihong
W
Zhou
State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China.
Xue
X
Yang
1] State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China [2] College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China [3] Synergetic Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China.
Yuequan
Y
Shen
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D008540:Meiosis / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D055503:Protein Multimerization; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D013573:Synaptonemal Complex / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism
D009687:Nuclear Proteins