Rec8 Guides Canonical Spo11 Distribution along Yeast Meiotic Chromosomes

Abstract

Spo11-mediated DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) that initiate meiotic recombination are temporally and spatially controlled. The meiotic cohesin Rec8 has been implicated in regulating DSB formation, but little is known about the features of their interplay. To elucidate this point, we investigated the genome-wide localization of Spo11 in budding yeast during early meiosis by chromatin immunoprecipitation using high-density tiling arrays. We found that Spo11 is dynamically localized to meiotic chromosomes. Spo11 initially accumulated around centromeres and thereafter localized to arm regions as premeiotic S phase proceeded. During this stage, a substantial proportion of Spo11 bound to Rec8 binding sites. Eventually, some of Spo11 further bound to both DSB and Rec8 sites. We also showed that such a change in a distribution of Spo11 is affected by hydroxyurea treatment. Interestingly, deletion of REC8 influences the localization of Spo11 to centromeres and in some of the intervals of the chromosomal arms. Thus, we observed a lack of DSB formation in a region-specific manner. These observations suggest that Rec8 would prearrange the distribution of Spo11 along chromosomes and will provide clues to understanding temporal and spatial regulation of DSB formation.

Mek1 Suppression of Meiotic Double-Strand Break Repair Is Specific to Sister Chromatids, Chromosome Autonomous and Independent of Rec8 Cohesin Complexes

“…rec8D differentially affects the recruitment of Spo11 to chromosomes such that few to no breaks are observed on chromosomes such as VI and VIII (ruling out examination of the HIS2 and ARG4 hotspots), while chromosome III is less affected (Kugou et al 2009). To see whether REC8 is required for meiotic intersister recombination, DSB repair was therefore monitored at YCR048w and HIS4/LEU2 in sir2D rec8D and sir2D mek1D rec8D haploids.…”

“…When REC8 is ectopically expressed in mitotic cells in place of Mcd1, Rec8 does not localize to breaks, suggesting this is a property specific to Mcd1 (Heidinger-Pauli et al 2008). During meiosis, however, rec8D diploids exhibit unrepaired DSBs, raising the possibility that Rec8 cohesin complexes might be required for intersister recombination (Brar et al 2009;Klein et al 1999;Kugou et al 2009). Our work shows, however, that when suppression Figure 5.-DSB repair in various rec8 strains.…”

Cohesins and Cohesin-Regulators in Meiosis

“…In this context the cohesins have also been implicated. In budding yeast the initial centromeric entry of SPO11 depends on REC8 and this subunit of cohesin complex choreographs the distribution of SPO11 to DSBs sites (Kugou et al, 2009). On the other hand, in S. pombe, the Rec8Δ mutant shows a marked reduction of meiosis-specific DNA breakage by REC12 (the S. pombe SPO11 homologue) (Ellermeier & Smith, 2005) and in C. elegans has been proposed that REC-8 could be implicated in limiting the activity of SPO-11 (Hayashi et al, 2007).…”

Replication Protein A2c Coupled with Replication Protein A1c Regulates Crossover Formation during Meiosis in Rice

“…[See online article for color version of this figure.] the formation and distribution of DSBs along chromosomes (Kugou et al, 2009;Kim et al, 2010). REC8 and HOP1 are conserved across diverse species, and their homologs (At-REC8/At-SYN1/At-DIF1 [three names for the same gene] and Os-REC8 for REC8; ASY1 and PAIR2 for HOP1) have also been identified in Arabidopsis and rice.…”