Co-evolving CENP-A and CAL1 Domains Mediate Centromeric CENP-A Deposition across Drosophila Species.
Centromeres mediate the conserved process of chromosome segregation, yet centromeric DNA and the centromeric histone, CENP-A, are rapidly evolving. The rapid evolution of Drosophila CENP-A loop 1 (L1) is thought to modulate the DNA-binding preferences of CENP-A to counteract centromere drive, the preferential transmission of chromosomes with expanded centromeric satellites. Consistent with this model, CENP-A from Drosophila bipectinata (bip) cannot localize to Drosophila melanogaster (mel) centromeres. We show that this result is due to the inability of the mel CENP-A chaperone, CAL1, to deposit bip CENP-A into chromatin. Co-expression of bip CENP-A and bip CAL1 in mel cells restores centromeric localization, and similar findings apply to other Drosophila species. We identify two co-evolving regions, CENP-A L1 and the CAL1 N terminus, as critical for lineage-specific CENP-A incorporation. Collectively, our data show that the rapid evolution of L1 modulates CAL1-mediated CENP-A assembly, suggesting an alternative mechanism for the suppression of centromere drive.
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
Leah
L
Rosin
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA; Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA. Electronic address: barbara.mellone@uconn.edu.
Barbara G
BG
Mellone
D000818:Animals; D002503:Centromere / Q000378:metabolism*; D000076247:Centromere Protein A; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism; D020090:Chromosome Segregation / Q000502:physiology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004330:Drosophila / Q000378:metabolism*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism*; D008938:Mitosis / Q000502:physiology
C558282:Cal1 protein, Drosophila; D000076247:Centromere Protein A; D002843:Chromatin; C427237:Cid protein, Drosophila; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D006657:Histones