Seeding the meiotic DNA break machinery and initiating recombination on chromosome axes.

Programmed DNA double-strand break (DSB) formation is a crucial feature of meiosis in most organisms. DSBs initiate recombination-mediated linking of homologous chromosomes, which enables correct chromosome segregation in meiosis. DSBs are generated on chromosome axes by heterooligomeric focal clusters of DSB-factors.

Seeding the meiotic DNA break machinery and initiating recombination on chromosome axes.

Programmed DNA double-strand break (DSB) formation is a unique meiotic feature that initiates recombination-mediated linking of homologous chromosomes, thereby enabling chromosome number halving in meiosis. DSBs are generated on chromosome axes by heterooligomeric focal clusters of DSB-factors. Whereas DNA-driven protein condensation is thought to assemble the DSB-machinery, its targeting to chromosome axes is poorly understood.

Four-pronged negative feedback of DSB machinery in meiotic DNA-break control in mice.

In most taxa, halving of chromosome numbers during meiosis requires that homologous chromosomes (homologues) pair and form crossovers. Crossovers emerge from the recombination-mediated repair of programmed DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). DSBs are generated by SPO11, whose activity requires auxiliary protein complexes, called pre-DSB recombinosomes.

Proline-rich protein PRR19 functions with cyclin-like CNTD1 to promote meiotic crossing over in mouse.

Orderly chromosome segregation is enabled by crossovers between homologous chromosomes in the first meiotic division. Crossovers arise from recombination-mediated repair of programmed DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). Multiple DSBs initiate recombination, and most are repaired without crossover formation, although one or more generate crossovers on each chromosome.

Mouse ANKRD31 Regulates Spatiotemporal Patterning of Meiotic Recombination Initiation and Ensures Recombination between X and Y Sex Chromosomes.

Orderly segregation of chromosomes during meiosis requires that crossovers form between homologous chromosomes by recombination. Programmed DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) initiate meiotic recombination. We identify ANKRD31 as a key component of complexes of DSB-promoting proteins that assemble on meiotic chromosome axes.