2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Differences and similarities between homologous pairing and unpaired silencing of chromosomes during meiosis
| Project/Area Number |
15K06943
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Molecular biology
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| Research Institution | University of Tsukuba (2016-2017)
National Institute of Genetics (2015) |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
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| Keywords | 減数分裂 / 相同対合 / 非対合サイレンシング |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
During meiosis, most chromosomes have homologous partners and undergo homologous pairing mediated by the synaptonemal complex. In some organisms, the remaining unpaired chromosomes are heterochromatinized by unpaired silencing. Using the nematode C. elegans, we analyzed the differences and similarities of regulation of paired and unpaired chromosomes during meiosis.
We found that a cohesin containing COH-3/4 is involved not only in homolog pairing but also in unpaired silencing. In addition, CEC-5 possessing a chromodomain acts as a heterochromatin-specific factor in unpaired silencing. Heterochromatinization of unpaired chromosome is known to be abnormal in some RNAi mutants, such as the csr-1 mutant that corresponds to an Argonaute protein bearing an RNA cleavage activity. A defect in homologous pairing was also observed in the csr-1 mutant. Thus, mechanisms of RNAi, meiotic silencing and homologous pairing appear to overlap partially with each other in this organism.
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| Free Research Field |
分子遺伝学
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