Biology subjects

Keating, L.

Publications and source records attributed to Keating, L..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Set mediates chromosome alignment and Cohesin cleavage independently of direct PP2A-B56-binding in oocyte meiosis

Set promotes cohesion removal in mitosis by evicting phosphorylated Histone H1 and counteracting Sgo1. In addition, Set promotes chromosome alignment by counteracting Aurora B activation. The underlying molecular mechanisms through which Set performs these activities remain insufficiently characterized, but roles of Set as a Histone chaperone and PP2A inhibitor have been proposed. Building on our previous observations that Set promotes pericentromeric Cohesin removal in oocyte meiosis II, we generated an oocyte-specific conditional knock-out of Set to address its functions in meiosis. Similar to mitosis, Set depletion caused chromosome alignment and cohesion defects. We found that Set is required for accurate error correction by localizing Aurora B/C, and for efficient cleavage of the meiosis-specific Cohesin subunit Rec8 by Separase. Paired chromosomes and sister chromatids were often incompletely separated, likely a primary cause of missegregation. Set performed both its roles in a Sgo2-dependent manner, but, unexpectedly, independently of interaction with PP2A-B56. In line with a role of Set as a Histone chaperone, accumulation of phosphorylated Histone H1 in Set knock-out oocytes occurs concomitantly with reduction of oocyte-specific H1foo on chromosome arms, indicating that Set is required to create the optimal chromatin environment for efficient Rec8 cleavage by Separase in meiosis.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2020

Kinetochore individualization in meiosis I is required for centromeric cohesin removal in meiosis II

Partitioning of the genome in meiosis occurs through two highly specialized cell divisions, named meiosis I and II. Step-wise cohesin removal is required for chromosome segregation in meiosis I, and sister chromatid segregation in meiosis II. In meiosis I, mono-oriented sister kinetochores appear as fused together when examined by high resolution confocal microscopy, whereas they are clearly separated in meiosis II, when attachments are bipolar. It has been proposed that bipolar tension applied by the spindle is responsible for the physical separation of sister kinetochores, removal of cohesin protection and chromatid separation in meiosis II. We show here that this is not the case, and initial separation of sister kinetochores occurs already in anaphase I, when attachments are still monopolar, and independently of pericentromeric Sgo2 removal. This kinetochore individualization occurs also independently of spindle forces applied on sister kinetochores, but importantly, depends on cleavage activity of Separase. Crucially, without kinetochore individualization by Separase in meiosis I, oocytes separate bivalents into chromosomes and not sister chromatids in meiosis II, showing that whether centromeric cohesin is removed or not is determined by the kinetochore structure prior to meiosis II.

cell biology↗