Programmed induction of DNA double strand breaks during meiosis setting up communication between DNA and the chromosome structure》.pdf

Available online at Programmed induction of DNA double strand breaks during meiosis: setting up communication between DNA and the chromosome structure ´ 1 2 Valerie Borde and Bernard de Massy During the first meiotic prophase, hundreds of DNA double of recombination intermediates leading to gene conver- strand breaks (DSBs) are deliberately self-inflicted along sions without reciprocal exchanges (noncrossovers, NCOs) chromosomes in order to promote homologous recombination or with reciprocal exchanges (crossovers, COs) [2]. In many between homologs. These DSBs, catalyzed by the evolutionary organisms, proper pairing interactions are thought to conserved Spo11 protein, are highly regulated. Recent studies require a minimum number of repair events between in yeast and mammals have identified key components homologs, and proper segregation requires at least one involved in meiotic DSB formation. In mammals, the DNA CO per chromosome pair. These unique features of hom- binding specificity of PRDM9 determines where DSB occur, ologous recombination during meiosis highlight a key whereas in yeast, Spo11 acts in regions which one important point: DSB formation and repair have to be tightly feature is chromatin accessibility. However, DSB formation regulated to integrate these chromosome-wide controls requires additional proteins located on chromosome axes, and and also to avoid unwanted genome rearrangements. This the Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein, Spp1 has been recently requires a close communication between the events taking identified to make the link between axes and DSB sites. These place at the DNA level and th