Absence of SUN-Domain Protein Slp1 Blocks Karyogamy and Switches
Absence of SUN-domain protein Slp1 blocks PNAS PLUS karyogamy and switches meiotic recombination and synapsis from homologs to sister chromatids Christelle Vasniera, Arnaud de Muyta,b, Liangran Zhangc, Sophie Tesséa, Nancy E. Klecknerc,1, Denise Zicklera,1, and Eric Espagnea,1 aInstitut de Génétique et Microbiologie, Unité Mixte de Recherche 8621, Université Paris-Sud, 91405 Orsay, France; bInstitut Curie, 75248 Paris Cedex 05, France; and cDepartment of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 Contributed by Nancy E. Kleckner, August 18, 2014 (sent for review June 5, 2014) Karyogamy, the process of nuclear fusion is required for two haploid (7). Blast search of the basidiomycete Cryptococcus neoformans gamete nuclei to form a zygote. Also, in haplobiontic organisms, genome identified four of the known KAR genes; interestingly karyogamy is required to produce the diploid nucleus/cell that then only the kar7 mutant showed a defect in vegetative nuclear enters meiosis. We identify sun like protein 1 (Slp1), member of the movement and hyphae mating but not in premeiotic karyogamy mid–Sad1p, UNC-84–domain ubiquitous family, as essential for kary- (8), likely reflecting the different evolution of ascomycetes and ogamy in the filamentous fungus Sordaria macrospora, thus uncov- basidiomycetes. ering a new function for this protein family. Slp1 is required at the Whereas karyogamy studies of fungi have provided significant last step, nuclear fusion, not for earlier events including nuclear insight into the steps and molecules involved, less is known con- movements, recognition, and juxtaposition. Correspondingly, like cerning the outcome of the remaining nonfused haploid nuclei. other family members, Slp1 localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum Such “twin” meiosis has been analyzed in fission yeast in three and also to its extensions comprising the nuclear envelope.
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