ERA-CAPS 13 Delineating the crossover control networks in plants (DeCOP)

减数分裂是有性生殖所需的一种特殊类型的细胞分裂。它确保了基因组的减少以及在生殖细胞形成之前母本和父本染色体片段的重组。了解控制重组启动的因素和处理重组中间体以形成交叉具有基本的科学兴趣，此外，这些知识将对操纵作物植物减数分裂重组具有重要意义。近年来，植物减数分裂研究主要集中在鉴定减数分裂基因/蛋白质，这些基因/蛋白质参与重组途径或染色体轴和联会复合体的组织，联会复合体是在减数分裂期间在成对同源染色体之间瞬时形成的专门的蛋白质结构。虽然这些研究清楚地表明了这些蛋白质的重要性，但它们的活动如何协调以确保交叉的受控形成在很大程度上仍然是个谜。关键问题涉及如何控制重组，使每对同源染色体至少接受一次遗传交换，以及如何防止任何额外的交换发生在相邻的染色体区域;这种现象被称为交叉干扰。这个合作项目旨在将重点转移到如何重组，染色体组织和重塑被精心安排以控制交叉事件的频率和分布。具体来说，我们试图确定蛋白质网络，确定启动重组和建立时，CO干扰的个人DNA双链断裂的命运。我们的目标是确定新的因素，调节交叉形成和干扰;研究染色体轴相关蛋白在CO成熟和干扰中的作用，确定蛋白磷酸化在协调减数分裂DNA修复和交叉形成中的作用;确定参与交叉形成的最后一步的蛋白质。我们预计该项目中研究的因素和过程将显着增强我们对控制植物交叉形成的网络的理解。因此，我们相信，我们的研究结果将有力地刺激未来的作物育种计划。

Meiosis is a specialized type of cell division required for sexual reproduction. It ensures the reduction of the genome and the recombination of maternal and paternal chromosomal segments prior to the formation of generative cells. Understanding the factors that control the initiation of recombination and processing recombination intermediates to form crossovers is of fundamental scientific interest, moreover this knowledge will have important implications for manipulating meiotic recombination in crop plants. In recent years meiosis research in plants has largely focussed on the identification of meiotic genes/proteins involved in recombination pathways or the organization of the chromosome axes and the synaptonemal complex, a specialized proteinaceous structure transiently formed during meiosis between the pairs of homologous chromosomes. Although these studies clearly demonstrate the importance of these proteins, it remains largely enigmatic how their activities are coordinated to ensure the controlled formation of crossovers. Key questions relate to how recombination is controlled such that each pair of homologous chromosomes receives at least one genetic crossover and how any additional crossovers are prevented from occurring in an adjacent chromosomal region; a phenomenon termed crossover interference.This collaborative project seeks to shift emphasis to focus on how recombination, chromosome organisation and remodelling are orchestrated to control the frequency and distribution of crossover events. Specifically, we seek to identify the protein networks that determine the fate of the individual DNA double-strand breaks that initiate recombination and establish when CO interference is established. We aim to identify novel factors that modulate crossover formation and interference; to investigate the role of chromosome axis-associated proteins in CO maturation and interference, to determine the role of protein phosphorylation in coordinating meiotic DNA repair and crossover formation; to identify proteins involved in the final step of crossover formation. We anticipate the factors and processes studied in the project will significantly enhance our understanding of the networks that govern crossover formation in plants. We therefore believe that our findings will strongly stimulate future crop breeding programmes.