Abstract
Homologous recombination in meiosis is initiated by the programmed induction of double strand breaks (DSBs). Although the Drosophila Spo11 ortholog Mei-W68 is required for the induction of DSBs during meiotic prophase, only one other protein (Mei-P22) has been shown to be required for Mei-W68 to exert this function. We show here that the chromatin-associated protein Trade Embargo (Trem), a C2H2 zinc finger protein, is required to localize Mei-P22 to discrete foci on meiotic chromosomes, and thus to promote the formation of DSBs, making Trem the earliest known function in the process of DSB formation in Drosophila oocytes. We speculate that Trem may act by either directing the binding of Mei-P22 to preferred sites of DSB formation or by altering chromatin structure in a manner that allows Mei-P22 to form foci.
Highlights
Meiosis is a specialized form of cell division that couples one round of DNA replication with two rounds of chromosome segregation, thereby reducing the number of chromosomes by half
The ability of sexually reproducing organisms to produce viable offspring depends on their ability to faithfully execute meiosis
Meiosis is a specialized set of two cell divisions that ensures that each sperm and egg receives only one copy of each pair of chromosomes
Summary
Meiosis is a specialized form of cell division that couples one round of DNA replication with two rounds of chromosome segregation, thereby reducing the number of chromosomes by half. During meiosis I, the process of homologous recombination takes place to ensure chromosomes segregate faithfully at the anaphase I transition. Understanding genes whose products are required for the initiation of homologous recombination has important implications in understanding the process of chromosome segregation during meiosis. In addition to Spo, in Saccharomyces cerevisiae at least nine other proteins (Rec102, Rec104, Ski, Rec114, Mei, Mer, Mre, Rad and Xrs2) have been shown to be required for DSB formation [2]. Many of these proteins have additional roles outside of meiosis, at least four of them are meiosis-specific proteins (Mei, Rec102, Rec104, and Rec114) [1]. Spo is the only protein that a biochemical function has been determined in that it covalently attaches to the ends of DSBs [3,4]
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