Eukaryotic organisms utilize two types of cell division. Mitosis creates genetically identical daughter cells, thereby providing the raw material for growth and differentiation. Meiosis, in contrast, divides the chromosome number of cells in half, producing haploid gametes containing new combinations of alleles. This reduction is essential in keeping the chromosome number constant when two gametes fuse at fertilization. Mitosis and meiosis share many features in common: for example, chromosomes are segregated using microtubule based spindles, sister chromatids are held together by cohesins, and destruction of cohesins occurs via the same proteolytic machinery. Several meiosis-specific processes have evolved, however, to allow two divisions to occur after a single round of DNA replication such that homologous chromosomes, instead of sister chromatids, disjoin to opposite poles at Meiosis I. These include the connection of homologous chromosomes by a combination of crossing over and cohesion, the temporally distinct two step removal of cohesins at Meiosis I and Meiosis II and the mono-orientation of sister kinetochores at Meiosis I. Recent work has shown that these meiosis-specific processes result from the interplay between meiosis-specific proteins and mitotic cell cycle kinases such as CDK, Cdc5 and Cdc7. Using an analog sensitive conditional allele of CDC7, cdc7-as, my lab has shown that CDC7 is essential for meiotic recombination, mono-orientation of sister kinetochores and meiotic progression. The purpose of this grant is to use biochemical, genetic and genomic approaches to understand how Cdc7 regulates meiotic processes at the molecular level.
In Aim 1, we will identify meiotic substrates of Cdc7 using novel strategies recently developed for use with analog sensitive kinases.
In Aim 2, we will investigate how Cdc7 regulates the expression of NDTSO, a meiosis-specific transcription factor that acts a molecular switch to allow exit from pachytene, meiotic progression and differentiation of haploid products into spores.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Program Projects (P01)
Project #
5P01GM088297-05
Application #
8650895
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-CB-Q)
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
2014-04-01
Budget End
2015-03-31
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2014
Total Cost
$343,816
Indirect Cost
$122,267
Name
State University New York Stony Brook
Department
Type
DUNS #
804878247
City
Stony Brook
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
11794
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Chen, Xiangyu; Suhandynata, Ray T; Sandhu, Rima et al. (2015) Phosphorylation of the Synaptonemal Complex Protein Zip1 Regulates the Crossover/Noncrossover Decision during Yeast Meiosis. PLoS Biol 13:e1002329
Lin, Ching-Jung; Smibert, Peter; Zhao, Xiaoyu et al. (2015) An extensive allelic series of Drosophila kae1 mutants reveals diverse and tissue-specific requirements for t6A biogenesis. RNA 21:2103-18
Garg, Angad; Futcher, Bruce; Leatherwood, Janet (2015) A new transcription factor for mitosis: in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, the RFX transcription factor Sak1 works with forkhead factors to regulate mitotic expression. Nucleic Acids Res 43:6874-88
Jin, Liang; Zhang, Kai; Xu, Yifeng et al. (2015) Sequestration of mRNAs Modulates the Timing of Translation during Meiosis in Budding Yeast. Mol Cell Biol 35:3448-58
Ucisik-Akkaya, Esma; Leatherwood, Janet K; Neiman, Aaron M (2014) A genome-wide screen for sporulation-defective mutants in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. G3 (Bethesda) 4:1173-82

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