Biology subjects

Falque, M.

Publications and source records attributed to Falque, M..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2018

Assessing the response of small RNA populations to allopolyploidy using resynthesized Brassica napus allotetraploids

Allopolyploidy, combining interspecific hybridization with whole genome duplication, has had significant impact on plant evolution. Its evolutionary success is related to the rapid and profound genome reorganizations that allow neo-allopolyploids to form and adapt. Nevertheless, how neo-allopolyploid genomes adapt to regulate their expression remains poorly understood. The hypothesis of a major role for small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) in mediating the transcriptional response of neo-allopolyploid genomes has progressively emerged. Generally, 21-nt sRNAs mediate post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS) by mRNA cleavage whereas 24-nt sRNAs repress transcription (transcriptional gene silencing, TGS) through epigenetic modifications. Here, we characterize the global response of sRNAs to allopolyploidy in Brassica, using three independently resynthesized B. napus allotetraploids surveyed at two different generations in comparison with their diploid progenitors. Our results suggest an immediate but transient response of specific sRNA populations to allopolyploidy. These sRNA populations mainly target non-coding components of the genome but also target the transcriptional regulation of genes involved in response to stresses and in metabolism; this suggests a broad role in adapting to allopolyploidy. We finally identify the early accumulation of both 21- and 24-nt sRNAs involved in regulating the same targets, supporting a PTGS-to-TGS shift at the first stages of the neo-allopolyploid formation. We propose that reorganization of sRNA production is an early response to allopolyploidy in order to control the transcriptional reactivation of various non-coding elements and stress-related genes, thus ensuring genome stability during the first steps of neo-allopolyploid formation.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2018

Recombination suppression in heterozygotes for a pericentric inversion induces interchromosomal effect on crossovers in Arabidopsis

During meiosis, recombination ensures the allele exchange through crossovers (COs) between the homologous chromosomes and, additionally, their proper segregation. CO events are under a strict control but molecular mechanisms underlying CO regulation are still elusive. Some advances in this field were made by structural chromosomal rearrangements that are known at heterozygous state to impair COs in various organisms. In this paper, we have investigated the effect that a large pericentric inversion involving chromosome 3 of Arabidopsis thaliana has on male and female recombination. The inversion associated to a T-DNA dependent mutation likely resulted from a side effect of the T-DNA integration. Reciprocal backcross populations, each consisting of over 400 individuals, obtained from the T-DNA mutant and the wild type, both crossed with Landsberg, have been analyzed at genome-wide level by 143 SNPs. We found a strong suppression of COs in the rearranged region in both male and female meiosis. As expected, we did not detect single COs in the inverted region consistently with the post-meiotic selection operating against unbalanced gametes. Cytological analysis of chiasmata in F1 plants confirmed that COs are effectively dropping in chromosome 3 pair. Indeed, CO failure within the inversion is not altogether counterbalanced by CO increase in the regions outside the inversion on chromosome 3. Strikingly, this CO suppression induces a significant increase of COs in chromosome pairs 1, 2 and 5 in male meiosis. We conclude that these chromosomes acquire additional COs thereby compensating the recombination suppression occurring in chromosome 3, similarly to what has been described as interchromosomal (IC) effect in other organisms. In female meiosis, IC effect is not evident. This may be related to the fact that CO number in female is close to the minimum value imposed by the obligatory CO rule.\n\nAuthor SummaryIt is well known that chromosome structure changes in heterozygous condition influence the pattern of meiotic recombination at broad scale. In natural populations, inversions are recognized as the most effective force to reduce COs. In this way, adaptive allele combinations which otherwise would be broken by recombination are maintained. In the present work, we studied the effect on recombination of a large pericentric inversion involving Arabidopsis chromosome 3. The analysis on heterozygous populations provided evidence of strong recombination suppression in chromosome 3. However, the most striking aspect of this study is the finding that the failure of chromosome 3 to recombine is coupled to increased CO frequencies on the other chromosome pairs in male meiosis. These CO compensatory increases are strictly an interchromosomal (IC) effect as was first described in Drosophila. As far as we know, it is the first time IC effect has been reported in plants. Unfortunately, the molecular mechanisms underlying IC effect in the other organisms are still elusive. To understand how a CO change on just one chromosome triggers the global response of the meiocyte to obtain the adequate CO number/cell remains a fascinating question in sexually reproducing species.

genetics↗

bioRxiv2018

Role of cis, trans, and inbreeding effects on meiotic recombination in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Meiotic recombination is a major driver of genome evolution by creating new genetic combinations. To probe the factors driving variability of meiotic recombination, we used a high-throughput method to measure recombination rates in 26 S. cerevisiae strains from different geographic origins and habitats. Fourteen intervals were monitored for each strain, covering chromosomes VI and XI entirely, and part of chromosome I. We found an average number of crossovers per chromosome ranging between 1.0 and 9.5 across strains (\"domesticated\" or not), which is higher than the average between 0.5 and 1.5 found in most organisms. In the different intervals analyzed, recombination showed up to 9-fold variation across strains but global recombination landscapes along chromosomes varied less. We also built an incomplete diallel experiment to measure recombination rates in one region of chromosome XI in 10 different crosses involving five parental strains. Our overall results indicate that recombination rate is increasingly positively correlated with sequence similarity between homologs (i) in DSB rich regions within intervals, (ii) in entire intervals, and (iii) at the whole genome scale. Therefore, these correlations cannot be explained by cis-effects only. In addition, by using a quantitative genetics analysis, we identified an inbreeding effect that reduces recombination rate in homozygous genotypes while other interaction effects (specific combining ability) or additive effects (general combining ability) are found to be weak. Finally, we measured significant crossover interference in some strains, and interference intensity was positively correlated with crossover number.\n\nAuthor SummaryMeiosis is a key process for sexually reproducing organisms by producing gametes with a halved set of genetic material. An essential step of meiosis is the formation of crossovers which are reciprocal exchanges of genetic material between chromosomes inherited from both parents. Crossovers ensure proper chromosome segregation and thus viable gametes. They also create novel genetic diversity which contributes to evolution and permits genetic improvement of agriculturally important species. Most living organisms produce between one and three crossovers per chromosome, and tight regulatory mechanisms control the number of crossovers and their distribution along chromosomes. In spite of their potential importance for biotechnological applications, such mechanisms are still poorly understood.\n\nUsing a high throughput method based on fluorescent markers, we investigated the diversity of recombination in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We observed up to 9-fold differences in numbers of crossovers across hybrids obtained by crossing different strains with a common tester, and this variation was correlated with the degree of DNA sequence similarity between homologous chromosomes. By also investigating homozygotes, we conclude that on the one hand too much sequence divergence impairs recombination in distantly-related hybrids, and on the other hand complete homozygosity is also associated with lower numbers of crossovers.

genetics↗