A means to the ends - analysis of telomere function and dynamics in plant meiosis

达到目的的手段 - 植物减数分裂中端粒功能和动态的分析

• 批准号: 452003411
• 负责人: Professor Dr. Arp Schnittger
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Biozentrum Klein Flottbek und Botanischer Garten
• 依托单位国家: 德国
• 项目类别: Research Grants
• 资助国家: 德国
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/452003411?language=en
• 关键词: means; ends; analysis; telomere; function

Chromosome recombination and their assortment during meiosis are key mechanisms for generating genetic diversity in eukaryotic organisms. Faithfull segregation of homologous chromosomes requires their pairing and synapsis in meiotic prophase I. Work mostly from animals and yeast has indicated that telomeres play an important role for the elaborated chromosome behavior in meiosis. Telomeres form a so-called telomere bouquet and were shown to drive rapid chromosome movements that facilitate pairing. However, given the diversity of telomeres, the knowledge from animals and yeast cannot simply be translated into other species and we only know very little about the molecular underpinnings of chromosome choreography and in particular the role of telomeres in plants. This lack of knowledge also limits biotechnological applications, e.g. the control of pairing and hence introgression of alleles from wild relatives of currently used breeding lines as well as the generation of new polyploid crops. Here, we will take advantage of our combined expertise in telomere biology and live cell imaging of meiosis to generate markers for in vivo labeling of telomeres and use them to perform detailed spatiotemporal analyses of telomere dynamics and chromosome movements in Arabidopsis thaliana. We will further functionally assess the role of telomeres in meiosis by using a unique line that harbors extremely short telomeres. Complementing these approaches, we will identify components of the plant shelterin complex, which will pave way for future deciphering of the molecular machinery underlying chromosome pairing in plants.

染色体重组及其在减数分裂中的分类是真核生物遗传多样性产生的关键机制。同源染色体的忠实分离需要它们在减数分裂前期的配对和突触。主要来自动物和酵母的研究表明，端粒在减数分裂中精细的染色体行为中起着重要作用。端粒形成了所谓的端粒束，并被证明可以驱动染色体的快速运动，从而促进配对。然而，考虑到端粒的多样性，来自动物和酵母的知识不能简单地转化为其他物种，我们对染色体编排的分子基础知之甚少，特别是端粒在植物中的作用。这种知识的缺乏也限制了生物技术的应用，例如，控制配对，从而使目前使用的育种系的野生近缘等位基因渗入，以及产生新的多倍体作物。在这里，我们将利用我们在端粒生物学和减数分裂活细胞成像方面的综合专业知识来生成端粒的体内标记，并利用它们对拟南芥的端粒动力学和染色体运动进行详细的时空分析。我们将进一步评估功能的作用，端粒在减数分裂通过使用一个独特的线，其中包含极短的端粒。作为这些方法的补充，我们将确定植物庇护蛋白复合物的组成部分，这将为未来破译植物染色体配对的分子机制铺平道路。