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STAG 3‐mediated stabilization of REC 8 cohesin complexes promotes chromosome synapsis during meiosis
Author(s) -
Fukuda Tomoyuki,
Fukuda Nanaho,
Agostinho Ana,
HernándezHernández Abrahan,
Kouznetsova Anna,
Höög Christer
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the embo journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 7.484
H-Index - 392
eISSN - 1460-2075
pISSN - 0261-4189
DOI - 10.1002/embj.201387329
Subject(s) - cohesin , synapsis , biology , meiosis ii , meiosis , establishment of sister chromatid cohesion , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , chromosome segregation , synaptonemal complex , sister chromatids , mitosis , chromatid , chromosome , gene
Cohesion between sister chromatids in mitotic and meiotic cells is promoted by a ring‐shaped protein structure, the cohesin complex. The cohesin core complex is composed of four subunits, including two structural maintenance of chromosome ( SMC ) proteins, one α‐kleisin protein, and one SA protein. Meiotic cells express both mitotic and meiosis‐specific cohesin core subunits, generating cohesin complexes with different subunit composition and possibly separate meiotic functions. Here, we have analyzed the in vivo function of STAG 3, a vertebrate meiosis‐specific SA protein. Mice with a hypomorphic allele of Stag3, which display a severely reduced level of STAG 3, are viable but infertile. We show that meiocytes in homozygous mutant Stag3 mice display chromosome axis compaction, aberrant synapsis, impaired recombination and developmental arrest. We find that the three different α‐kleisins present in meiotic cells show different dosage‐dependent requirements for STAG 3 and that STAG 3‐ REC 8 cohesin complexes have a critical role in supporting meiotic chromosome structure and functions.