Widespread transposon co-option in the
            <i>Caenorhabditis</i>
            germline regulatory network

Carelli, Francesco Nicola; Cerrato, Chiara; Yan, Dong; Appert, Alex; Dernburg, Abby F.; Ahringer, Julie

doi:10.1126/sciadv.abo4082

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 62 publications

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“…6) was most certainly unexpected. HIM-17 has been identified as one of the SPO11 accessory factors required to achieve efficient DSB formation 33 , and despite more pleiotropic functions having been identified for this chromatin-associated protein in recent years (including regulation of mitotic proliferation versus meiotic entry 66 , transcriptional control of co-opted promoters 67 , positioning of recombination events 68 ), no involvement in regulating SC dynamics has so far been reported.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distinct intersecting pathways link homolog pairing to initiation of meiotic chromosome synapsis

Blazickova,

Trivedi,

Bowman

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Faithful meiotic segregation requires pairwise alignment of the homologous chromosomes and Synaptonemal Complex assembly (SC) at their interface. Here, we investigate on new factors that promote and coordinate these events during C. elegans meiosis. We identify BRA-2 (BMP Receptor Associated family member 2) as an interactor of HIM-17, previously shown to promote double-strand break formation. We found that loss of bra-2 specifically impairs synapsis licensing without affecting homologs recognition, SC maintenance or chromosome movement. Double mutant analysis revealed a previously unrecognized role for HIM-17 in promoting homolog pairing under dysfunctional SC assembly, without perturbing nuclear envelope recruitment of factors required for chromosome movement. We provide evidence that bra-2 and him-17 act in distinct pathways, exerting partially redundant functions in SC licensing, as well as separable roles in regulating homologs pairing. Altogether, our findings unveil novel mechanisms that ensure stabilization of homologous chromosome interaction via SC licensing upon homology assessment.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distinct intersecting pathways link homolog pairing to initiation of meiotic chromosome synapsis

Blazickova,

Trivedi,

Bowman

et al. 2024

Preprint

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show abstract

“…In C. elegans, the Cer1 Gag protein and VLPs act in the horizontal transfer of the memory of pathogen avoidance to naïve animals [94]. Co-option of transposons as regulatory sequences in C. elegans is widespread; a third of the germlinespecific promoters have been co-opted from two miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements (MITEs) [95]. A protein with DNA-binding domains related to a transposase protein regulates these promoters.…”

Section: Other Mechanisms Of Transposon Regulation: Adaptation and Do...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Activity and Silencing of Transposable Elements in C. elegans

Fischer

2024

DNA

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Since the discovery of transposable elements (TEs) in maize in the 1940s by Barbara McClintock transposable elements have been described as junk, as selfish elements with no benefit to the host, and more recently as major determinants of genome structure and genome evolution. TEs are DNA sequences that are capable of moving to new sites in the genome and making additional copies of themselves while doing so. To limit the propagation of TEs, host silencing mechanisms are directed at transposon-encoded genes that are required for mobilization. The mutagenic properties of TEs, the potential of TEs to form new genes and affect gene expression, together with the host silencing mechanisms, shape eukaryotic genomes and drive genome evolution. While TEs constitute more than half of the genome in many higher eukaryotes, transposable elements in the nematode C. elegans form a relatively small proportion of the genome (approximately 15%). Genetic studies of transposon silencing, and the discovery of RNA interference (RNAi) in C. elegans, propelled Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) to the forefront of studies of RNA-based mechanisms that silence TEs. Here, I will review the transposable elements that are present and active in the C. elegans genome, and the host defense mechanisms that silence these elements.

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“…In C. elegans, the Cer1 Gag protein and VLPs act in the horizontal transfer of memory of pathogen avoidance to naïve animals [87]. Co-option of transposons as regulatory sequences in C. elegans is widespread: a third of the germ-line specific promoters have been co-opted from two miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements (MITEs) [88]. A protein with DNA-binding domains related to a transposase protein regulates these promoters.…”

Section: Other Mechanisms Of Transposon Regulation: Adaptation and Do...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Activity and Silencing of Transposable Elements in C. <em>elegans</em>

Fischer

2024

Preprint

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Since the discovery of transposable elements (TEs) in Maize in the 1940s by Barbara McClintock [1] transposable elements have been described as junk, as selfish elements with no benefit to the host, and more recently as major determinants of genome structure and genome evolution. TEs are DNA sequences that are capable of moving to new sites in the genome and make additional copies while doing so. To limit the propagation of TEs, host silencing mechanisms are directed at transposon-encoded genes that are required for mobilization. The mutagenic properties of TEs, the potential of TEs to form new genes and affect gene expression, together with the host silencing mechanisms shape eukaryotic genomes and drive genome evolution. While TEs constitute more than half of the genome in many higher eukaryotes, transposable elements in the nematode C. ele-gans form a relatively small proportion of genome, about 15% [2]. Genetic studies of transposon silencing and the discovery of RNAi in C. elegans, propelled C. elegans to the forefront of studies of RNA-based mechanisms that silence TEs. Here, I will review the transposable elements that are present and active in the C. elegans genome, and the host defense mechanisms that silence these elements.

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Widespread transposon co-option in the Caenorhabditis germline regulatory network

Cited by 5 publications

References 62 publications

Distinct intersecting pathways link homolog pairing to initiation of meiotic chromosome synapsis

Distinct intersecting pathways link homolog pairing to initiation of meiotic chromosome synapsis

Activity and Silencing of Transposable Elements in C. elegans

Activity and Silencing of Transposable Elements in C. <em>elegans</em>

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