The CYCLIN-A CYCA1;2/TAM Is Required for the Meiosis I to Meiosis II Transition and Cooperates with OSD1 for the Prophase to First Meiotic Division Transition

Meiosis halves the chromosome number because its two divisions follow a single round of DNA replication. This process involves two cell transitions, the transition from prophase to the first meiotic division (meiosis I) and the unique meiosis I to meiosis II transition. We show here that the A-type cyclin CYCA1;2/TAM plays a major role in both transitions in Arabidopsis. A series of tam mutants failed to enter meiosis II and thus produced diploid spores and functional diploid gametes. These diploid gametes had a recombined genotype produced through the single meiosis I division. In addition, by combining the tam-2 mutation with AtSpo11-1 and Atrec8, we obtained plants producing diploid gametes through a mitotic-like division that were genetically identical to their parents. Thus tam alleles displayed phenotypes very similar to that of the previously described osd1 mutant. Combining tam and osd1 mutations leads to a failure in the prophase to meiosis I transition during male meiosis and to the production of tetraploid spores and gametes. This suggests that TAM and OSD1 are involved in the control of both meiotic transitions

Characterization of two APC/C regulators involved in cell cycle control and cohesion during meiosis in Arabidopsis thaliana

La méiose est la division cellulaire qui aboutit à la production de gamètes haploïdes. Lors de la méiose, un unique évènement de réplication est suivi de deux divisions afin de réduire la ploïdie. Lors de ces deux divisions, la cohésion entre chromatides sœurs est éliminée de façon séquentielle pour permettre la succession de deux ségrégations de chromosomes équilibrées. La progression du ‘’cycle méiotique’’ est contrôlée par des régulateurs communs à la mitose et à la méiose mais également par des mécanismes nécessitant des protéines spécifiques à la méiose. L’objectif de de mon travail de thèse était de décrypter les mécanismes moléculaires permettant l’enchainement de deux divisions équilibrées pour la production de gamètes haploïdes. Nous avons pu montrer que la protéine OSD1 inhibait l’APC/C pour permettre la progression méiotique. Nous avons également mis en évidence un réseau fonctionnel, comprenant OSD1, CYCA1;2/TAM et TDM, indispensable à trois étapes clés de la progression méiotique chez Arabidopsis ; la transition prophase-méiose I, la transition méiose I-méiose II et la sortie de méiose. Ces travaux ont également permis de caractériser chez Arabidopsis les deux paralogues de Shugoshin, qui sont des protéines conservées et impliquées dans la protection de la cohésion centromérique. Nous avons également identifié Patronus comme un nouveau protecteur de la cohésion centromérique en méiose. Les résultats obtenus suggèrent que Patronus est un régulateur de l’APC/C qui permet d’empêcher l’élimination de la cohésion centromérique en interkinèse méiotique.Meiosis is a specialized type of cell division that generates haploid gametes. At meiosis, two divisions follow a single DNA replication event leading to ploidy halving. A stepwise sister chromatids cohesion release also occurs to allow the two successive balanced rounds of chromosome segregation. In addition to general cell-cycle regulators, meiosis requires specific proteins. The aim of this thesis was to understand the molecular mechanisms leading to two successive balanced chromosome segregations. We show that OSD1 promotes meiotic progression through APC/C inhibition and we identified a functional network between OSD1, CYCA1;2/TAM and TDM in Arabidopsis. This functional network controls three key steps of meiotic progression; the prophase-meiosis I transition, the meiosis I-meiosis II transition and the meiosis exit. In addition, we characterized the two Arabidopsis thaliana Shugoshin paralogs, which are conserved proteins involved in sister chromatid cohesion protection. We also identified Patronus, an uncharacterized protein, as a novel protector of meiotic centromeric cohesion. We suggest that Patronus is a novel APC/C regulator that prevents cohesins release during meiotic interkinesis. This work identified two APC/C regulators essential for meiosis in Arabidopsis thaliana

Etude de deux régulateurs de l’APC/C et de leurs rôles dans le contrôle du cycle cellulaire et de la cohésion lors de la méiose chez Arabidopsis thaliana

Meiosis is a specialized type of cell division that generates haploid gametes. At meiosis, two divisions follow a single DNA replication event leading to ploidy halving. A stepwise sister chromatids cohesion release also occurs to allow the two successive balanced rounds of chromosome segregation. In addition to general cell-cycle regulators, meiosis requires specific proteins. The aim of this thesis was to understand the molecular mechanisms leading to two successive balanced chromosome segregations. We show that OSD1 promotes meiotic progression through APC/C inhibition and we identified a functional network between OSD1, CYCA1;2/TAM and TDM in Arabidopsis. This functional network controls three key steps of meiotic progression; the prophase-meiosis I transition, the meiosis I-meiosis II transition and the meiosis exit. In addition, we characterized the two Arabidopsis thaliana Shugoshin paralogs, which are conserved proteins involved in sister chromatid cohesion protection. We also identified Patronus, an uncharacterized protein, as a novel protector of meiotic centromeric cohesion. We suggest that Patronus is a novel APC/C regulator that prevents cohesins release during meiotic interkinesis. This work identified two APC/C regulators essential for meiosis in Arabidopsis thaliana.La méiose est la division cellulaire qui aboutit à la production de gamètes haploïdes. Lors de la méiose, un unique évènement de réplication est suivi de deux divisions afin de réduire la ploïdie. Lors de ces deux divisions, la cohésion entre chromatides sœurs est éliminée de façon séquentielle pour permettre la succession de deux ségrégations de chromosomes équilibrées. La progression du ‘’cycle méiotique’’ est contrôlée par des régulateurs communs à la mitose et à la méiose mais également par des mécanismes nécessitant des protéines spécifiques à la méiose. L’objectif de de mon travail de thèse était de décrypter les mécanismes moléculaires permettant l’enchainement de deux divisions équilibrées pour la production de gamètes haploïdes. Nous avons pu montrer que la protéine OSD1 inhibait l’APC/C pour permettre la progression méiotique. Nous avons également mis en évidence un réseau fonctionnel, comprenant OSD1, CYCA1;2/TAM et TDM, indispensable à trois étapes clés de la progression méiotique chez Arabidopsis ; la transition prophase-méiose I, la transition méiose I-méiose II et la sortie de méiose. Ces travaux ont également permis de caractériser chez Arabidopsis les deux paralogues de Shugoshin, qui sont des protéines conservées et impliquées dans la protection de la cohésion centromérique. Nous avons également identifié Patronus comme un nouveau protecteur de la cohésion centromérique en méiose. Les résultats obtenus suggèrent que Patronus est un régulateur de l’APC/C qui permet d’empêcher l’élimination de la cohésion centromérique en interkinèse méiotique

Etude de deux régulateurs de l'APC/C et de leurs rôles dans le contrôle du cycle cellulaire et de la cohésion lors de la méiose chez Arabidopsis thaliana

La méiose est la division cellulaire qui aboutit à la production de gamètes haploïdes. Lors de la méiose, un unique évènement de réplication est suivi de deux divisions afin de réduire la ploïdie. Lors de ces deux divisions, la cohésion entre chromatides sœurs est éliminée de façon séquentielle pour permettre la succession de deux ségrégations de chromosomes équilibrées. La progression du cycle méiotique est contrôlée par des régulateurs communs à la mitose et à la méiose mais également par des mécanismes nécessitant des protéines spécifiques à la méiose. L objectif de de mon travail de thèse était de décrypter les mécanismes moléculaires permettant l enchainement de deux divisions équilibrées pour la production de gamètes haploïdes. Nous avons pu montrer que la protéine OSD1 inhibait l APC/C pour permettre la progression méiotique. Nous avons également mis en évidence un réseau fonctionnel, comprenant OSD1, CYCA1;2/TAM et TDM, indispensable à trois étapes clés de la progression méiotique chez Arabidopsis ; la transition prophase-méiose I, la transition méiose I-méiose II et la sortie de méiose. Ces travaux ont également permis de caractériser chez Arabidopsis les deux paralogues de Shugoshin, qui sont des protéines conservées et impliquées dans la protection de la cohésion centromérique. Nous avons également identifié Patronus comme un nouveau protecteur de la cohésion centromérique en méiose. Les résultats obtenus suggèrent que Patronus est un régulateur de l APC/C qui permet d empêcher l élimination de la cohésion centromérique en interkinèse méiotique.Meiosis is a specialized type of cell division that generates haploid gametes. At meiosis, two divisions follow a single DNA replication event leading to ploidy halving. A stepwise sister chromatids cohesion release also occurs to allow the two successive balanced rounds of chromosome segregation. In addition to general cell-cycle regulators, meiosis requires specific proteins. The aim of this thesis was to understand the molecular mechanisms leading to two successive balanced chromosome segregations. We show that OSD1 promotes meiotic progression through APC/C inhibition and we identified a functional network between OSD1, CYCA1;2/TAM and TDM in Arabidopsis. This functional network controls three key steps of meiotic progression; the prophase-meiosis I transition, the meiosis I-meiosis II transition and the meiosis exit. In addition, we characterized the two Arabidopsis thaliana Shugoshin paralogs, which are conserved proteins involved in sister chromatid cohesion protection. We also identified Patronus, an uncharacterized protein, as a novel protector of meiotic centromeric cohesion. We suggest that Patronus is a novel APC/C regulator that prevents cohesins release during meiotic interkinesis. This work identified two APC/C regulators essential for meiosis in Arabidopsis thaliana.PARIS11-SCD-Bib. électronique (914719901) / SudocSudocFranceF

Centromeric cohesion is protected twice at meiosis, by SHUGOSHINs at anaphase 1 and by PATRONUS at interkinesis

Background: At meiosis, two successive rounds of chromosome segregation lead to ploidy halving. This is achieved through a stepwise release of sister chromatid cohesion, along chromosome arms to allow homolog segregation at anaphase I and at centromeres to allow sister chromatid segregation at anaphase II. Cohesins, the protein complex that ensures cohesion, must then be protected at centromeres throughout meiosis, until the onset of anaphase II. Members of the Shugoshin protein family have been shown to protect centromeric cohesins at anaphase I, but much less is known about the protection of cohesion during interkinesis, the stage between meiosis I and meiosis II. Results: Here, we (1) show that both Arabidopsis SHUGOSHINs paralogs are required for complete protection of centromeric cohesins during meiosis I, without. apparent somatic function, and (2) identified PATRONUS (PANS1), a novel protein required for protection of meiotic centromeric cohesion. Although AtSGO1 and AtSGO2 protect centromeric cohesion during anaphase I, PANS1 is required at a later stage, during interkinesis. Additionally, we identified PANS2, a paralog of PANS1, whose mutation is synthetically lethal with pans1 suggesting that PANS genes are also essential for mitosis. PANS1 interacts directly with the CDC27b and the CDC20.1 subunit of the Anaphase Promoting Complex (APC/C), in a manner suggesting that PANS1 could be both a regulator and a target of the APC/C. Conclusions: This study reveals that centromeric cohesion is actively protected at two successive stages of meiosis, by SHUGOSHINs at anaphase I and by PATRONUS at interkinesis

The kinesin AtPSS1 promotes synapsis and is required for proper crossover distribution in meiosis.

Meiotic crossovers (COs) shape genetic diversity by mixing homologous chromosomes at each generation. CO distribution is a highly regulated process. CO assurance forces the occurrence of at least one obligatory CO per chromosome pair, CO homeostasis smoothes out the number of COs when faced with variation in precursor number and CO interference keeps multiple COs away from each other along a chromosome. In several organisms, it has been shown that cytoskeleton forces are transduced to the meiotic nucleus via KASH- and SUN-domain proteins, to promote chromosome synapsis and recombination. Here we show that the Arabidopsis kinesin AtPSS1 plays a major role in chromosome synapsis and regulation of CO distribution. In Atpss1 meiotic cells, chromosome axes and DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) appear to form normally but only a variable portion of the genome synapses and is competent for CO formation. Some chromosomes fail to form the obligatory CO, while there is an increased CO density in competent regions. However, the total number of COs per cell is unaffected. We further show that the kinesin motor domain of AtPSS1 is required for its meiotic function, and that AtPSS1 interacts directly with WIP1 and WIP2, two KASH-domain proteins. Finally, meiocytes missing AtPSS1 and/or SUN proteins show similar meiotic defects suggesting that AtPSS1 and SUNs act in the same pathway. This suggests that forces produced by the AtPSS1 kinesin and transduced by WIPs/SUNs, are required to authorize complete synapsis and regulate maturation of recombination intermediates into COs. We suggest that a form of homeostasis applies, which maintains the total number of COs per cell even if only a part of the genome is competent for CO formation

The HEM Lines: a new library of homozygous Arabidopsis thaliana EMS mutants and its potential to detect meiotic phenotypes

Genetic screens have been crucial for deciphering many important biological processes, including meiosis. In Arabidopsis thaliana, previous forward screens have likely identified almost all the meiotic genes that when mutated lead to a pronounced decrease in fertility. However, the increasing number of genes identified in reverse genetics studies that play crucial roles in meiosis, but do not exhibit strong phenotypes when mutated, suggests that there are still many genes with meiotic function waiting to be discovered. In this study, we produced 897 A. thaliana homozygous mutant lines using Ethyl Methyl Sulfonate (EMS) mutagenesis followed by either single seed descent or haploid doubling. Whole genome sequencing of a subset of lines showed an average of 696 homozygous mutations per line, 195 of which (28%) modify a protein sequence. To test the power of this library, we carried out a forward screen looking for meiotic defects by observing chromosomes at metaphase I of male meiosis. Among the 649 lines analyzed, we identified 43 lines with meiotic defects. Of these, 21 lines had an obvious candidate causal mutation, namely a STOP or splicing site mutation in a gene previously shown to play a role in meiosis (ATM, MLH3, MLH1, MER3, HEI10, FLIP, ASY4, FLIP, PRD2, REC8, FANCL, and PSS1). Interestingly, this was the first time that six of these genes were identified in a forward screen in Arabidopsis (MLH3, MLH1, SGO1, PSS1, FANCL, and ASY4). These results illustrate the potential of this mutant population for screening for any qualitative or quantitative phenotype. Thus, this new mutant library is a powerful tool for functional genomics in A. thaliana. The HEM (Homozygote EMS Mutants) lines are available at the Versailles Arabidopsis stock center

Synthetic clonal reproduction through seeds

Cloning through seeds has potential revolutionary applications in agriculture, because it would allow vigorous hybrids to be propagated indefinitely. However, asexual seed formation or apomixis, avoiding meiosis and fertilization, is not found in the major food crops. To develop de novo synthesis of apomixis, we crossed Arabidopsis MiMe and dyad mutants that produce diploid clonal gametes to a strain whose chromosomes are engineered to be eliminated after fertilization. Up to 34% of the progeny were clones of their parent, demonstrating the conversion of clonal female or male gametes into seeds. We also show that first-generation cloned plants can be cloned again. Clonal reproduction through seeds can therefore be achieved in a sexual plant by manipulating two to four conserved genes

OSD1 promotes meiotic progression via APC/C inhibition and forms a regulatory network with TDM and CYCA1;2/TAM

Cell cycle control is modified at meiosis compared to mitosis, because two divisions follow a single DNA replication event. Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) promote progression through both meiosis and mitosis, and a central regulator of their activity is the APC/C (Anaphase Promoting Complex/Cyclosome) that is especially required for exit from mitosis. We have shown previously that OSD1 is involved in entry into both meiosis I and meiosis II in Arabidopsis thaliana; however, the molecular mechanism by which OSD1 controls these transitions has remained unclear. Here we show that OSD1 promotes meiotic progression through APC/C inhibition. Next, we explored the functional relationships between OSD1 and the genes known to control meiotic cell cycle transitions in Arabidopsis. Like osd1, cyca1;2/tam mutation leads to a premature exit from meiosis after the first division, while tdm mutants perform an aberrant third meiotic division after normal meiosis I and II. Remarkably, while tdm is epistatic to tam, osd1 is epistatic to tdm. We further show that the expression of a non-destructible CYCA1;2/TAM provokes, like tdm, the entry into a third meiotic division. Finally, we show that CYCA1;2/TAM forms an active complex with CDKA; 1 that can phosphorylate OSD1 in vitro. We thus propose that a functional network composed of OSD1, CYCA1;2/TAM, and TDM controls three key steps of meiotic progression, in which OSD1 is a meiotic APC/C inhibitor