A small RNA system ensures accurate homologous pairing and unpaired silencing of meiotic chromosomes

ABSTRACT: During meiosis, chromosomes with homologous partners undergo synaptonemal complex (SC)-mediated pairing, while the remaining unpaired chromosomes are heterochromatinized through unpaired silencing. Mechanisms underlying homolog recognition during SC formation are still unclear. Here, we show that the Caenorhabditis elegans Argonaute proteins, CSR-1 and its paralog CSR-2, interacting with 22G-RNAs, are required for synaptonemal complex formation with accurate homology. CSR-1 in nuclei and meiotic cohesin, constituting the SC lateral elements, were associated with non-simple DNA repeats, including minisatellites and transposons, and weakly associated with coding genes. CSR-1-associated CeRep55 minisatellites were expressing 22G-RNAs and long non-coding (lnc) RNAs that colocalized with synapt

SUBMITTER: Dr. Hiroaki Tabara 

PROVIDER: S-SCDT-10_15252-EMBJ_2020105002 | biostudies-other |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other