Crossovers generated during the repair of programmed meiotic double-strand breaks must be tightly regulated to promote accurate homolog segregation without deleterious outcomes, such as aneuploidy. The Mlh1-Mlh3 (MutLγ) endonuclease complex is critical for crossover resolution, which involves mechanistically unclear interplay between MutLγ and Exo1 and polo kinase Cdc5. Using budding yeast to gain temporal and genetic traction on crossover regulation, we find that MutLγ constitutively interacts with Exo1. Upon commitment to crossover repair, MutLγ-Exo1 associate with recombination intermediates, followed by direct Cdc5 recruitment that triggers MutLγ crossover activity. We propose that Exo1 serves as a central coordinator in this molecular interplay, providing a defined order of interaction that prevents deleterious, premature activation of crossovers. MutLγ associates at a lower frequency near centromeres, indicating that spatial regulation across chromosomal regions reduces risky crossover events. Our data elucidate the temporal and spatial control surrounding a constitutive, potentially harmful, nuclease. We also reveal a critical, noncatalytic role for Exo1, through noncanonical interaction with polo kinase. These mechanisms regulating meiotic crossovers may be conserved across species.

Crossovers generated during the repair of programmed double-strand breaks (DSBs) are essential for fertility to allow accurate homolog segregation during the first meiotic division. Most crossovers arise through the asymmetric cleavage of double-Holliday junction (dHJ) intermediates by the MutLγ endonuclease (Mlh1-Mlh3) and an elusive non-catalytic function of Exo1, and require the Cdc5/PLK1 kinase. Here we show in budding yeast that MutLγ forms a constitutive complex with Exo1, and in meiotic cells transiently contacts the upstream MutSγ (Msh4-Msh5) heterodimer. Once recombination intermediates are committed to the crossover repair pathway, MutLγ-Exo1 associates with sites of DSB hotspots, and Exo1 recruits Cdc5 through a direct interaction that is required for activating MutLγ and crossover formation. Exo1 therefore serves as a non-catalytic matchmaker between Cdc5 and MutLγ. We further show that in vivo, MutLγ associates with the vast majority of DSB hotspots, but at a lower frequency near centromeres, consistent with a strategy to reduce at-risk crossover events in these regions. Our data highlight the tight temporal and spatial control of the activity of this constitutive, potentially harmful, nuclease.

AbstractCrossovers generated during the repair of programmed double-strand breaks (DSBs) during homologous recombination are essential for fertility to allow accurate homolog segregation during the first meiotic division. Most crossovers arise through the cleavage of recombination intermediates by the Mlh1-Mlh3 (MutLγ) endonuclease and an elusive non-catalytic function of Exo1, and require the Polo kinase Cdc5. Here we show in budding yeast that MutLγ forms a constitutive complex with Exo1, and in meiotic cells transiently contacts the Msh4-Msh5 (MutSγ) heterodimer, also required for crossover formation. We further show that MutLγ-Exo1 associates with recombination intermediates once they are committed to the crossover repair pathway, and then Exo1 recruits Cdc5 through a direct interaction that is required for activating MutLγ and crossover formation. Exo1 therefore serves as a non-catalytic matchmaker between Cdc5 and MutLγ. We finally show thatin vivo, MutLγ associates with the vast majority of DSB hotspots, but at a lower frequency near centromeres, consistent with a strategy to reduce at-risk crossover events in these regions. Our data highlight the tight temporal and spatial control of the activity of a constitutive, potentially harmful, nuclease.

Controlling cell division plane orientation is essential for morphogenesis in multicellular organisms. In plant cells, the future cortical division plane is marked before mitotic entry by the preprophase band (PPB). Here, we characterized an Arabidopsis trm (TON1 Recruiting Motif) mutant that impairs PPB formation but does not affect interphase microtubules. Unexpectedly, PPB disruption neither abolished the capacity of root cells to define a cortical division zone nor induced aberrant cell division patterns but rather caused a loss of precision in cell division orientation. Our results advocate for a reassessment of PPB function and division plane determination in plants and show that a main output of this microtubule array is to limit spindle rotations in order to increase the robustness of cell division.

Gene conversions resulting from meiotic recombination are critical in shaping genome diversification and evolution. How the extent of gene conversions is regulated is unknown. Here we show that the budding yeast mismatch repair related MutLβ complex, Mlh1-Mlh2, specifically interacts with the conserved meiotic Mer3 helicase, which recruits it to recombination hotspots, independently of mismatch recognition. This recruitment is essential to limit gene conversion tract lengths genome-wide, without affecting crossover formation. Contrary to expectations, Mer3 helicase activity, proposed to extend the displacement loop (D-loop) recombination intermediate, does not influence the length of gene conversion events, revealing non-catalytical roles of Mer3. In addition, both purified Mer3 and MutLβ preferentially recognize D-loops, providing a mechanism for limiting gene conversion in vivo. These findings show that MutLβ is an integral part of a new regulatory step of meiotic recombination, which has implications to prevent rapid allele fixation and hotspot erosion in populations.

Meiotic crossovers (COs) shape genetic diversity by mixing homologous chromosomes at each generation. CO distribution is a highly regulated process. CO assurance forces the occurrence of at least one obligatory CO per chromosome pair, CO homeostasis smoothes out the number of COs when faced with variation in precursor number and CO interference keeps multiple COs away from each other along a chromosome. In several organisms, it has been shown that cytoskeleton forces are transduced to the meiotic nucleus via KASH- and SUN-domain proteins, to promote chromosome synapsis and recombination. Here we show that the Arabidopsis kinesin AtPSS1 plays a major role in chromosome synapsis and regulation of CO distribution. In Atpss1 meiotic cells, chromosome axes and DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) appear to form normally but only a variable portion of the genome synapses and is competent for CO formation. Some chromosomes fail to form the obligatory CO, while there is an increased CO density in competent regions. However, the total number of COs per cell is unaffected. We further show that the kinesin motor domain of AtPSS1 is required for its meiotic function, and that AtPSS1 interacts directly with WIP1 and WIP2, two KASH-domain proteins. Finally, meiocytes missing AtPSS1 and/or SUN proteins show similar meiotic defects suggesting that AtPSS1 and SUNs act in the same pathway. This suggests that forces produced by the AtPSS1 kinesin and transduced by WIPs/SUNs, are required to authorize complete synapsis and regulate maturation of recombination intermediates into COs. We suggest that a form of homeostasis applies, which maintains the total number of COs per cell even if only a part of the genome is competent for CO formation.

In the absence of cell migration, the orientation of cell divisions is crucial for body plan determination in plants. The position of the division plane in plant cells is set up premitotically via a transient cytoskeletal array, the preprophase band, which precisely delineates the cortical plane of division. Here we describe a protein complex that targets protein phosphatase 2A activity to microtubules, regulating the transition from the interphase to the premitotic microtubule array. This complex, which comprises TONNEAU1 and a PP2A heterotrimeric holoenzyme with FASS as regulatory subunit, is recruited to the cytoskeleton via the TONNEAU1-recruiting motif family of proteins. Despite the acentrosomal nature of plant cells, all members of this complex share similarity with animal centrosomal proteins involved in ciliary and centriolar/centrosomal functions, revealing an evolutionary link between the cortical cytoskeleton of plant cells and microtubule organizers in other eukaryotes.

Land plant cells assemble microtubule arrays without a conspicuous microtubule organizing center like a centrosome. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the TONNEAU1 (TON1) proteins, which share similarity with FOP, a human centrosomal protein, are essential for microtubule organization at the cortex. We have identified a novel superfamily of 34 proteins conserved in land plants, the TON1 Recruiting Motif (TRM) proteins, which share six short conserved motifs, including a TON1-interacting motif present in all TRMs. An archetypal member of this family, TRM1, is a microtubule-associated protein that localizes to cortical microtubules and binds microtubules in vitro. Not all TRM proteins can bind microtubules, suggesting a diversity of functions for this family. In addition, we show that TRM1 interacts in vivo with TON1 and is able to target TON1 to cortical microtubules via its C-terminal TON1 interaction motif. Interestingly, three motifs of TRMs are found in CAP350, a human centrosomal protein interacting with FOP, and the C-terminal M2 motif of CAP350 is responsible for FOP recruitment at the centrosome. Moreover, we found that TON1 can interact with the human CAP350 M2 motif in yeast. Taken together, our results suggest conservation of eukaryotic centrosomal components in plant cells.

In land plants, division plane is determined pre-mitotically, during the transition from G2 to M phase. A conspicuous spatial landmark of division plane determination is a narrow cortical band of microtubules, the preprophase band (PPB), a transient, premitotic array which precisely predicts the cortical region reached by the growing cell plate during cytokinesis. However, cells preparing for division exhibit a number of other cytological features contributing to division site establishment, such as nuclear migration, cytoplasmic modifications, and intra-cytoplasmic cytoskeleton reorganization. The spatial control of division plane is tightly linked to the temporal control of cell division by the cell cycle machinery. In this chapter, we review and discuss recently discovered cellular events and molecular partners potentially involved in division plane establishment and PPB function in land plants.

SAR by NMR: A series of indole compounds derived from 5‐bromo‐1H‐indole‐3‐acetohydroxamic acid were synthesized. Their inhibitory activities were evaluated against purified peptide deformylases (PDFs), and their antibacterial activities against B. subtilis, E. coli (wild type and tolC), and a variety of pathogens were also determined. The potency of the best inhibitors was related to the NMR footprints of the respective acids with 15N‐labeled E. coli Ni‐PDF.

Bacillus subtilis mutants with resistance against peptide deformylase inhibitors were isolated. All showed a bypass of the pathway through mutations in three genes required for formylation of Met-tRNA(fMet), fmt, folD, and glyA. glyA corresponds to a yet uncharacterized locus inducing resistance. The bypass of formylation caused robust fitness reduction but was not accompanied by alterations of the transcription profile. A subtle adaptation of the enzymes of the intermediary metabolism was observed.

The Ogura cytoplasmic male sterility causing protein, ORF138, was found to be part of a complex with an apparent size of over 750 kDa in the inner membrane of mitochondria of sterile plants. ORF138 did not colocalize with any of the oxidative phosphorylation complexes, nor did its presence modify their apparent size or amount, compared to samples from fertile isogenic plants. We attempted to detect potential proteins or nucleic acids that could be involved in the large ORF138 complex by 2D PAGE, immunoprecipitation and nuclease treatments of native extracts. All our results suggest that the ORF138 protein is the main, if not only, component of this large complex. The capacities of complexes I, II, IV, and ATP synthase were identical in samples from sterile and fertile plants. Isolated mitochondria from sterile plants showed a higher oxygen consumption than those from fertile plants. In vivo respiration measurements suggest that the difference in O(2) consumption measured at the organelle level is compensated at the cell/tissue level, completely in leaves, but only partially in male reproductive organs.

New classes of antibiotics are urgently needed to counter increasing levels of pathogen resistance. Peptide deformylase (PDF) was originally selected as a specific bacterial target, but a human homologue, the inhibition of which causes cell death, was recently discovered. We developed a dual-screening strategy for selecting highly effective compounds with low inhibition effect against human PDF. We selected a new scaffold in vitro that discriminated between human and bacterial PDFs. Analyses of structure-activity relationships identified potent antibiotics such as 2-(5-bromo-1H-indol-3-yl)-N-hydroxyacetamide (6b) with the same mode of action in vivo as previously identified PDF inhibitors but without the apoptotic effects of these inhibitors in human cells.

ORF138 is the mitochondrion-encoded protein responsible for Ogura cytoplasmic male sterility (cms) in radish (Raphanus sativus) and Brassica sp. As a means of developing technical tools for analyzing the mechanism of cms in relation to the structure of the sterility protein, we generated gene constructs for ORF138, the green fluorescent protein GFP and an ORF138-GFP fusion, to give nuclear expression with mitochondrial targeting of the encoded proteins. These genes were introduced into the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and were transiently and stably expressed in plant cells. The targeting of nuclear-encoded ORF138 protein to the mitochondria did not prevent the growth of yeast cells on fermentable or non-fermentable media, but modified the cytological appearance of mitochondria in both yeast and plant cells. However, the production from a nuclear gene and mitochondrial targeting of ORF138 did not induce male sterility in transgenic A. thaliana plants. This may be due to the submitochondrial location of nuclearly expressed ORF138.

In cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS), original mitochondrial genes contribute to sex determinism by provoking pollen abortion. The function of the encoded proteins remains unclear. We studied the ORF138 protein, responsible for the 'Ogura' CMS, which is both used in hybrid seed production and present in natural populations. We analyzed the biochemical and structural properties of this protein in male-sterile plants and in E. coli. We showed that this protein spontaneously forms dimers in vitro. Truncated variants of the protein, containing either the hydrophobic or the hydrophilic moiety, also spontaneously dimerize. By fractionating mitochondria, we showed that ORF138 was strongly associated with the inner mitochondrial membrane of male-sterile plants. Our results also strongly suggest that ORF138 forms oligomers in male-sterile plant mitochondria. In E. coli, ORF138 was associated with the plasma membrane, as shown by membrane fractionation, and formed oligomers. The production of this protein strongly inhibited bacterial growth, but not by inhibiting respiration. The observed toxic effects required both the hydrophilic and hydrophobic moieties of the protein.

La proteine ORF138 (codee par le genome mitochondrial) est une proteine membranaire mitochondriale responsable de la sterilite mâle cytoplasmique (SMC) Ogura. Le phenotype des plantes steriles se manifeste par une degenerescence prematuree du tapis de l'anthere selon un mecanisme encore inconnu alors que la proteine ORF138 est presente dans tous les tissus. Les objectifs du travail de these etaient de developper des outils moleculaires et biochimiques pour obtenir des informations pertinentes sur cette proteine, et permettre l'elaboration d'hypotheses solides quant au mecanisme de sterilite mâle. Nous avons montre que l'association des domaines hydrophobe et hydrophile de la proteine est indispensable a son effet. Un domaine de 15 acides amines dont la structure secondaire est conservee entre 3 proteines de SMC non apparentees a ete mis en evidence et joue egalement un role dans cet effet. Nous avons montre que l'ORF138 est enchâssee dans la membrane interne mitochondriale de colza sous des formes homooligomeriques. Un complexe proteique de taille comprise entre 750 et 900 kDa impliquant l'ORF138 a egalement ete identifie. Nous avons aussi prouve que l'ORF138 peut etre co-purifiee avec des composants nucleoproteiques mitochondriaux de plantes mâle steriles. Une plus forte accumulation de l'alternative oxydase mitochondriale probablement accompagnee d'une activite accrue ont ete observees chez les plantes steriles. La liaison entre stress oxydant et activite alternative oxydase est bien connue, et un lien possible entre un stress oxydant et la mort prematuree du tapis constitue une des pistes les plus prometteuses pour l'elucidation du mecanisme de sterilite.