QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s):
Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents

First published online 20 November 2002
doi: 10.1242/jcs.00232

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: jcs.00232v1 116/2/259    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Pérez-Hidalgo, L. Articles by San-Segundo, P. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Pérez-Hidalgo, L. Articles by San-Segundo, P. A.

Regulation of meiotic progression by the meiosis-specific checkpoint kinase Mek1 in fission yeast

Centro de Investigación del Cáncer, CSIC/University of Salamanca, Campus Unamuno, 37007 Salamanca, Spain

^* Author for correspondence (e-mail: pedross{at}usal.es)

Accepted 18 October 2002

During the eukaryotic cell cycle, accurate transmission of genetic information to progeny is ensured by the operation of cell cycle checkpoints. Checkpoints are regulatory mechanisms that block cell cycle progression when key cellular processes are defective or chromosomes are damaged. During meiosis, genetic recombination between homologous chromosomes is essential for proper chromosome segregation at the first meiotic division. In response to incomplete recombination, the pachytene checkpoint (also known as the meiotic recombination checkpoint) arrests or delays meiotic cell cycle progression, thus preventing the formation of defective gametes. Here, we describe a role for a meiosis-specific kinase, Mek1, in the meiotic recombination checkpoint in fission yeast. Mek1 belongs to the Cds1/Rad53/Chk2 family of kinases containing forkhead-associated domains, which participate in a number of checkpoint responses from yeast to mammals. We show that defects in meiotic recombination generated by the lack of the fission yeast Meu13 protein lead to a delay in entry into meiosis I owing to inhibitory phosphorylation of the cyclin-dependent kinase Cdc2 on tyrosine 15. Mutation of mek1⁺ alleviates this chekpoint-induced delay, resulting in the formation of largely inviable meiotic products. Experiments involving ectopic overexpression of the mek1⁺ gene indicate that Mek1 inhibits the Cdc25 phosphatase, which is responsible for dephosphorylation of Cdc2 on tyrosine 15. Furthermore, the meiotic recombination checkpoint is impaired in a cdc25 phosphorylation site mutant. Thus, we provide the first evidence of a connection between an effector kinase of the meiotic recombination checkpoint and a crucial cell cycle regulator and present a model for the operation of this meiotic checkpoint in fission yeast.

Key words: Meiosis, Checkpoint, Mek1, Meiotic recombination, Cell cycle, Fission yeast

This article has been cited by other articles:

				E. Doll, M. Molnar, G. Cuanoud, G. Octobre, V. Latypov, K. Ludin, and J. Kohli Cohesin and Recombination Proteins Influence the G1-to-S Transition in Azygotic Meiosis in Schizosaccharomyces pombe Genetics, October 1, 2008; 180(2): 727 - 740. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Li, G. W. Hooker, and G. S. Roeder Saccharomyces cerevisiae Mer2, Mei4 and Rec114 Form a Complex Required for Meiotic Double-Strand Break Formation Genetics, August 1, 2006; 173(4): 1969 - 1981. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Krapp, P. Collin, A. Cokoja, S. Dischinger, E. Cano, and V. Simanis The Schizosaccharomyces pombe septation initiation network (SIN) is required for spore formation in meiosis J. Cell Sci., July 15, 2006; 119(14): 2882 - 2891. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Ogino, K. Hirota, S. Matsumoto, T. Takeda, K. Ohta, K.-i. Arai, and H. Masai Hsk1 kinase is required for induction of meiotic dsDNA breaks without involving checkpoint kinases in fission yeast PNAS, May 23, 2006; 103(21): 8131 - 8136. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. G. Pankratz and S. L. Forsburg Meiotic S-Phase Damage Activates Recombination without Checkpoint Arrest Mol. Biol. Cell, April 1, 2005; 16(4): 1651 - 1660. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Lorenz, J. L. Wells, D. W. Pryce, M. Novatchkova, F. Eisenhaber, R. J. McFarlane, and J. Loidl S. pombe meiotic linear elements contain proteins related to synaptonemal complex components J. Cell Sci., July 1, 2004; 117(15): 3343 - 3351. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Perera, L. Perez-Hidalgo, P. B. Moens, K. Reini, N. Lakin, J. E. Syvaoja, P. A. San-Segundo, and R. Freire TopBP1 and ATR Colocalization at Meiotic Chromosomes: Role of TopBP1/Cut5 in the Meiotic Recombination Checkpoint Mol. Biol. Cell, April 1, 2004; 15(4): 1568 - 1579. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. G. Catlett and S. L. Forsburg Schizosaccharomyces pombe Rdh54 (TID1) Acts with Rhp54 (RAD54) to Repair Meiotic Double-Strand Breaks Mol. Biol. Cell, November 1, 2003; 14(11): 4707 - 4720. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]