English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Free Plan

To maintain the integrity of the genome, meiotic DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) need to form by the meiosis-specific nuclease Spo11 and be repaired by homologous recombination. One class of products formed by recombination are crossovers, which are required for proper chromosome segregation in the first meiotic division. The synaptonemal complex (SC) is a protein structure that connects homologous chromosomes during meiotic prophase I. The proper assembly of the SC is important for recombination, crossover formation, and the subsequent chromosome segregation. Here we identify the components of Cullin RING E3 ubiquitin ligase 4 (CRL4) that play a role in SC assembly in  Caenorhabditis elegans . Mutants of the CRL4 complex ( cul-4 ,  ddb-1 , and  gad-1 ) show defects in SC assembly manifested in the formation of polycomplexes (PCs), impaired progression of meiotic recombination, and reduction in crossover numbers. PCs that are formed in  cul-4  mutants lack the mobile properties of wild type SC, but are likely not a direct target of ubiquitination. In  C .  elegans , SC assembly does not require recombination and there is no evidence that PC formation is regulated by recombination as well. However, in one  cul-4  mutant PC formation is dependent upon early meiotic recombination, indicating that proper assembly of the SC can be diminished by recombination in some scenarios. Lastly, our studies suggest that CUL-4 deregulation leads to transposition of the Tc3 transposable element, and defects in formation of SPO-11-mediated DSBs. Our studies highlight previously unknown functions of CRL4 in  C .  elegans  meiosis and show that CUL-4 likely plays multiple roles in meiosis that are essential for maintaining genome integrity.

CRL4 regulates recombination and synaptonemal complex aggregation in the Caenorhabditis elegans germline