The ade6-M26 mutation of Schizosaccharomyces pombe created a meiotic recombination hotspot. Previous analyses indicated that the heptamer 5'-ATGACGT-3' was necessary and sufficient for hotspot activity; the Atf1-Pcr1 transcription factor binds to this sequence and activates M26. After finding cases in which the M26 heptamer in ade6 was, surprisingly, not active as a hotspot, we used an in vitro selection method (SELEX) that revealed an 18-bp consensus sequence for Atf1-Pcr1 binding, 5'-GNVTATGACGTCATNBNC-3', containing the M26 heptamer at its core. Using this consensus sequence as a guide, we made mutations on each side of the heptamer at two separate sites in ade6. These mutations increased the intracellular hotspot activity of the heptamer, in some cases by >15-fold. These results show that M26, the eukaryotic recombination hotspot with the most precisely defined nucleotide sequence, is larger than previously thought, and they provide valuable information for clarifying the role of M26, and perhaps other hotspots, in meiotic recombination.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1534/genetics.104.039230 | DOI Listing |
Plant Physiol
December 2024
Arameiosis Lab, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan 430074, China.
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View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Mol Sci
November 2024
Instituto de Biología Funcional y Genómica, IBFG, CSIC-USAL, 37007 Salamanca, Spain.
The cell cycle, essential for growth, reproduction, and genetic stability, is regulated by a complex network of cyclins, Cyclin-Dependent Kinases (CDKs), phosphatases, and checkpoints that ensure accurate cell division. CDKs and phosphatases are crucial for controlling cell cycle progression, with CDKs promoting it and phosphatases counteracting their activity to maintain balance. The nucleolus, as a biomolecular condensate, plays a key regulatory role by serving as a hub for ribosome biogenesis and the sequestration and release of various cell cycle regulators.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTrends Genet
December 2024
Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA. Electronic address:
Meiotic cells introduce numerous programmed DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) into their genome to stimulate crossover recombination. DSB numbers must be high enough to ensure each homologous chromosome pair receives the obligate crossover required for accurate meiotic chromosome segregation. However, every DSB also increases the risk of aberrant or incomplete DNA repair, and thus genome instability.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPlant Biotechnol J
December 2024
State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
The interaction dynamics of homologous chromosomes during meiosis, such as recognition, pairing, synapsis, recombination, and segregation are vital for species fertility and genetic diversity within populations. Meiotic crossover (CO), a prominent feature of meiosis, ensures the faithful segregation of homologous chromosomes and enriches genetic diversity within a population. Nevertheless, visually distinguishing homologous chromosomes and COs remains an intractable challenge in cytological studies, particularly in non-model or plants with small genomes, limiting insights into meiotic dynamics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNucleic Acids Res
December 2024
Department of Integrative Biotechnology, Sungkyunkwan University, 2066 Seobu-ro, Suwon 16419, South Korea.
Double-strand breaks (DSBs) are a formidable threat to genome integrity, potentially leading to cancer and various genetic diseases. The prolonged lifespan of mammalian oocytes increases their susceptibility to DNA damage over time. While somatic cells suppress DSB repair during mitosis, oocytes exhibit a remarkable capacity to repair DSBs during meiotic maturation.
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