Shaping meiotic chromosomes with SUMO: a feedback loop controls the assembly of the synaptonemal complex in budding yeast

• Main Authors: Hideo Tsubouchi, Bilge Argunhan, Tomomi Tsubouchi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shared Science Publishers OG 2016-02-01
• Series: Microbial Cell
• Subjects: budding yeast; chromosome; homologous recombination; meiosis; SUMO; SUMOylation; the synaptonemal complex
• Online Access: http://microbialcell.com/researcharticles/shaping-meiotic-chromosomes-with-sumo-a-feedback-loop-controls-the-assembly-of-the-synaptonemal-complex-in-budding-yeast/

The synaptonemal complex (SC) is a meiosis-specific chromosomal structure in which homologous chromosomes are intimately linked through arrays of specialized proteins called transverse filaments (TF). Widely conserved in eukaryote meiosis, the SC forms during prophase I and is essential for accurate segregation of homologous chromosomes at meiosis I. However, the basic mechanism overlooking formation and regulation of the SC has been poorly understood. By using the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we recently showed that SC formation is controlled through the attachment of multiple molecules of small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) to a regulator of TF assembly. Intriguingly, this SUMOylation is activated by TF, implicating the involvement of a positive feedback loop in the control of SC assembly. We discuss the implication of this finding and possible involvement of a similar mechanism in regulating other processes.