Meiosis I chromosome segregation is established through regulation of microtubule–kinetochore interactions

During meiosis, a single round of DNA replication is followed by two consecutive rounds of nuclear divisions called meiosis I and meiosis II. In meiosis I, homologous chromosomes segregate, while sister chromatids remain together. Determining how this unusual chromosome segregation behavior is estab...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Miller, Matthew P., Unal, Elcin, Brar, Gloria A., Amon, Angelika B
Other Authors: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Biology
Format: Article
Language:en_US
Published: eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd. 2014
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/89177
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2012-7546
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9837-0314
Description
Summary:During meiosis, a single round of DNA replication is followed by two consecutive rounds of nuclear divisions called meiosis I and meiosis II. In meiosis I, homologous chromosomes segregate, while sister chromatids remain together. Determining how this unusual chromosome segregation behavior is established is central to understanding germ cell development. Here we show that preventing microtubule–kinetochore interactions during premeiotic S phase and prophase I is essential for establishing the meiosis I chromosome segregation pattern. Premature interactions of kinetochores with microtubules transform meiosis I into a mitosis-like division by disrupting two key meiosis I events: coorientation of sister kinetochores and protection of centromeric cohesin removal from chromosomes. Furthermore we find that restricting outer kinetochore assembly contributes to preventing premature engagement of microtubules with kinetochores. We propose that inhibition of microtubule–kinetochore interactions during premeiotic S phase and prophase I is central to establishing the unique meiosis I chromosome segregation pattern.