Open AccessPUF-8 facilitates homologous chromosome pairing by promoting proteasome activity during meiotic entry in C. elegans
Author(s) -
Ganga Anil Kumar,
Kuppuswamy Subramaniam
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.754
H-Index - 325
eISSN - 1477-9129
pISSN - 0950-1991
DOI - 10.1242/dev.163949
Subject(s) - biology , meiosis , homologous chromosome , microbiology and biotechnology , homologous recombination , genetics , pairing , caenorhabditis elegans , proteasome , chromosome segregation , chromosome , gene , superconductivity , physics , quantum mechanics
Pairing of homologous chromosomes is essential for genetic recombination during gametogenesis. In many organisms, chromosome ends are attached to cytoplasmic dynein, and dynein-driven chromosomal movements facilitate the pairing process. Factors that promote / control the cytoskeletal tethering of chromosomes are largely unknown. Here, we show that the conserved RNA-binding protein PUF-8 facilitates the tethering and pairing processes in the C. elegans germline by promoting proteasome activity. We have isolated a hypomorphic allele of pas-1, which encodes a proteasome core subunit, and find that the homologous chromosomes fail to pair in the puf-8; pas-1 double mutant due to failure of chromosome tethering. Our results reveal that the puf-8; pas-1 meiotic defects are caused by the loss of proteasome activity. The axis component HTP-3 accumulates prematurely in the double mutant, and reduction of its activity partially suppresses some of the puf-8; pas-1 meiotic defects, suggesting that HTP-3 may be an important target of proteasome in promoting early meiotic events. In summary, our results reveal a role for proteasome in chromosome tethering and identify PUF-8 as a regulator of proteasome during early meiosis.