Chromosome-associated RNA-protein complexes promote pairing of homologous chromosomes during meiosis in Schizosaccharomyces pombe
Journal | Nat. Commun. 10(1):5598 (2019) |
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Title | Chromosome-associated RNA-protein complexes promote pairing of homologous chromosomes during meiosis in Schizosaccharomyces pombe |
Laboratory | Nuclear Dynamics Group |
Abstract
Pairing of homologous chromosomes in meiosis is essential for sexual reproduction. We have previously demonstrated that the fission yeast sme2 RNA, a meiosis-specific long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), accumulates at the sme2 chromosomal loci and mediates their robust pairing in meiosis. However, the mechanisms underlying lncRNA-mediated homologous pairing have remained elusive. In this study, we identify conserved RNA-binding proteins that are required for robust pairing of homologous chromosomes. These proteins accumulate mainly at the sme2 and two other chromosomal loci together with meiosis-specific lncRNAs transcribed from these loci. Remarkably, the chromosomal accumulation of these lncRNA-protein complexes is required for robust pairing. Moreover, the lncRNA-protein complexes exhibit phase separation properties, since 1,6-hexanediol treatment reversibly disassembled these complexes and disrupted the pairing of associated loci. We propose that lncRNA-protein complexes assembled at specific chromosomal loci mediate recognition and subsequent pairing of homologous chromosomes.
Authors | Da-Qiao Ding (1), Kasumi Okamasa (1), Yuki Katou (2), Eriko Oya (3, 4), Jun-Ichi Nakayama (3, 5), Yuji Chikashige (1), Katsuhiko Shirahige (2), Tokuko Haraguchi (1, 6), Yasushi Hiraoka (1, 6)
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PubMed | 31811152 |