Direct recognition of homology between double helices of DNA in Neurospora crassa.

Citation:

Gladyshev E, Kleckner N. Direct recognition of homology between double helices of DNA in Neurospora crassa. Nat Commun. 2014;5 :3509.

Date Published:

2014

Abstract:

Chromosomal regions of identical or nearly identical DNA sequence can preferentially associate with one another in the apparent absence of DNA breakage. Molecular mechanism(s) underlying such homology-dependent pairing phenomena remain(s) unknown. Using Neurospora crassa repeat-induced point mutation (RIP) as a model system, we show that a pair of DNA segments can be recognized as homologous, if they share triplets of base pairs arrayed with the matching periodicity of 11 or 12 base pairs. This pattern suggests direct interactions between slightly underwound co-aligned DNA duplexes engaging once per turn and over many consecutive turns. The process occurs in the absence of MEI3, the only RAD51/DMC1 protein in N. crassa, demonstrating independence from the canonical homology recognition pathway. A new perspective is thus provided for further analysis of the breakage-independent recognition of homology that underlies RIP and, potentially, other processes where sequence-specific pairing of intact chromosomes is involved.

Key Publications by Subject Area

Chromosomes as Mechanical Objects

• Kleckner, N., Zickler, D., Jones, G.H., Henle, J., Dekker, J. and Hutchinson, J. 2004. A mechanical basis for chromosome function. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 101, 12592-12597.

• Fisher, J.K. and Kleckner, N. 2014. Magnetic Force Micropiston: an integrated force microfluidic device for the application of compressive forces in a confined environment. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 85 023704 (2014)

Mammalian chromosome dynamics

• Liang, Z., Zickler, D., Prentiss, M., Chang, F.S., Witz, G., Maeshima, K. and Kleckner, N. 2015. Chromosomes progress to metaphase in multiple discrete steps via global compaction/expansion cycles. Cell 161: 1124-1137.

E.coli chromosome dynamics

• Fisher, J.K., Bourniquel, A., Witz, G., Weiner, B., Prentiss, M. and Kleckner, N. 2013. Four-dimensional imaging of E. coli organization and dynamics in living cells. Cell 153, 882-895.

• Kleckner, N., Fisher, J.K., Stouf, M., White, M.A., Bates, D. and Witz, G. 2014. The bacterial nucleoid: nature, dynamics and sister segregation. Curr. Opin. Microbiol. 22: 127-137.

Meiotic Crossover Interference

• Zhang, L., Wang, S., Yin, S., Hong, S. Kim, K.P. and Kleckner, N. 2014. Topoisomerase II mediates meiotic crossover interference. Nature 511: 551-556.

• Zhang, L, Espagne, E., De Muyt, A., Zickler, D. and Kleckner, N. 2014. Interference-mediated synaptonemal complex formation with embedded crossover-designation. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 111(47):E5059-68. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1416411111.

• Wang, S., Zickler, D., Kleckner, N. and Zhang, L. 2015. Meiotic crossover patterns: obligatory crossover, interference and homeostasis in a single process. Cell Cycle, 14(3): 305-314.

Homologous Chromosome Pairing

• Zickler, D. and Kleckner, N. 2015. Recombination, pairing and synapsis of homologs in meiosis. In Kowalczykowski, S., Hunter, N. and Heyer, W.-D., DNA Replication (Cold Spring Harbor: Cold Spring Harbor Press) Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2015;7:a016626 doi: 10.1101/CSHPERSPECT.a016626.

• Gladyshev E. and Kleckner, N. 2014. Direct recognition of homology between double helices of DNA in Neurospora crassa. Nat. Commun. 5: 3509 doi: 10.1038/ncomms4509.

• Mirkin, E.V., Chang, F. S. and Kleckner, N. 2013. Dynamic trans interactions in yeast chromosomes. PLoS One 8(9): e75895. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0075895

• Danilowicz, C., Lee, C.H., Kim K., Hatch, K., Coljee, V.W., Kleckner, N. and Prentiss, M. 2009. Single molecule detection of direct, homologous DNA/DNA pairing. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 106, 19,824-19,829.

• Weiner, B.M. and Kleckner, N. 1994. Chromosome pairing via multiple interstitial interactions before and during meiosis in yeast. Cell 77: 977-991.

• Burgess, S.M., Kleckner, N. and Weiner, B.M. 1999. Somatic pairing of homologs in budding yeast: existence and modulation. Genes Dev. 13, 1627-1641.

• Kleckner, N. and Weiner, B.M. 1993. Potential advantages of unstable interactions for pairing of chromosomes in meiotic, somatic and premeiotic cells. Cold Spring Harbor Symp. Quant. Biol. 58: 553-565.

Meiotic Sordaria Chromosomes

• De Muyt A, Zhang, L., Piolot, T., Kleckner, N., Espagne,, E. and Zickler D. 2014. E3 ligase Hei10: a multi-faceted structure-based signaling molecule with roles within and beyond meiosis. Genes Dev 28: 1111-1123.

• Storlazzi, A., Gargano, S., Ruprich-Robert, G., Falque, M., David, M., Kleckner, N. and Zickler, D. 2010. Recombination proteins mediate meiotic spatial chromosome organization and pairing. Cell 141 94-106.

Nancy Kleckner

Herchel Smith Professor of Molecular Biology

Direct recognition of homology between double helices of DNA in Neurospora crassa.

Citation:

Date Published:

Abstract:

Key Publications by Subject Area