Meiosis I chromosome segregation is established through regulation of microtubule–kinetochore interactions

Abstract

During meiosis, a single round of DNA replication is followed by two consecutive rounds of nuclear divisions called meiosis I and meiosis II. In meiosis I, homologous chromosomes segregate, while sister chromatids remain together. Determining how this unusual chromosome segregation behavior is established is central to understanding germ cell development. Here we show that preventing microtubule–kinetochore interactions during premeiotic S phase and prophase I is essential for establishing the meiosis I chromosome segregation pattern. Premature interactions of kinetochores with microtubules transform meiosis I into a mitosis-like division by disrupting two key meiosis I events: coorientation of sister kinetochores and protection of centromeric cohesin removal from chromosomes. Furthermore we find that restricting outer kinetochore assembly contributes to preventing premature engagement of microtubules with kinetochores. We propose that inhibition of microtubule–kinetochore interactions during premeiotic S phase and prophase I is central to establishing the unique meiosis I chromosome segregation pattern.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00117.001

eLife digest

Diploid organisms contain two sets of chromosomes, one set inherited from the mother and the other from the father. Humans, for example, have 23 pairs of chromosomes, and the chromosomes within each pair are said to be homologous because they are similar to each other in a number of ways, including length and shape. When it comes time for one of these cells to duplicate, each chromosome is first replicated to generate a pair of identical chromosomes called sister chromatids, which subsequently separate in a cell division process known as mitosis to produce two identical daughter cells.

While most cells proliferate via mitotic cell division, the germ cells that generate gametes in the form of sperm or eggs undergo a different cell division known as meiosis. This process reduces the number of chromosomes by a factor of two, so that the original number of chromosomes is restored by the fusion of gametes during sexual reproduction. During meiotic cell division, a single round of DNA replication is followed by two consecutive rounds of nuclear division called meiosis I and meiosis II. During meiosis I, homologous chromosomes are separated. Subsequently, during meiosis II, the sister chromatids separate to produce a total of four products, each with half the number of chromosomes as the original cell.

The separation of homologous chromosomes or sister chromatids relies on them being pulled apart by microtubules. One end of each microtubule is attached to a protein-based structure called a kinetochore, which is assembled onto the centromere of each chromosome. The other end of each microtubule is attached to a structure that is called a centrosome in human cells and a spindle pole body in yeast cells. Human cells have two centrosomes, which reside on the opposite poles of the cell, and likewise for the spindle pole bodies in yeast cells. In mitotic cells and in meiosis II, microtubules attach to kinetochores in a way that means the sister chromatids are pulled apart. During meiosis I, on the other hand, they attach to kinetochores in a manner so the homologous chromosomes are pulled apart.

Miller et al. now show how the timing of the interaction between the kinetochore and microtubules is critical to ensure that the homologous chromosomes are separated during meiosis I. They found that premature interactions resulted in the separation of sister chromatids (as happens in mitosis) rather than the separation of homologous chromosomes, as is supposed to happen in meiosis I. They also showed that cells prevent such premature interactions by dismantling the outer regions of the kinetochore and reducing the levels of enzymes called CDKs in the cell. These results demonstrate that preventing premature microtubule–kinetochore interactions is essential for establishing a meiosis I-specific chromosome architecture, and they also provide fresh insights into how the molecular machinery that is responsible for mitotic chromosome segregation can be modulated to achieve meiosis.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00117.002