黏连蛋白REC8在减数分裂中的功能和机制

Function and mechanism of cohesin REC8 during meiosis

黏连蛋白(cohesin)是在功能和进化上高度保守的一类多亚基蛋白复合体,在细胞分裂过程中保障姐妹染色单体的黏连及染色质环结构的形成。减数分裂是一种特殊的细胞分裂方式,其经历1次DNA复制后连续进行2次细胞分裂,分别完成同源染色体与姐妹染色单体的分离,这一过程需要黏连蛋白的调控。在减数分裂中,存在1组不同于有丝分裂的特异型黏连蛋白。研究特异型黏连蛋白的功能和机制对于深入认识减数分裂过程中染色体结构与动力学行为具有重要意义。REC8是减数分裂特异型黏连蛋白复合体亚基之一,不但参与姐妹染色单体的黏合,还参与减数分裂染色体特异性事件的调控,对减数分裂的发生不可或缺。本文聚焦于减数分裂特异型黏连蛋白REC8,对其在减数分裂过程中的功能和作用机制进行综述,并从磷酸化修饰、微RNAs(microRNAs,miRNAs)等方面探讨了未来对REC8功能研究的方向。

Cohesin is a functionally and evolutionarily conserved multi-subunit protein complex that is required for sister chromatid cohesion and chromatin loop structure in both mitosis and meiosis.The meiotic cell-cycle consisting of one DNA replication and two successive rounds of chromosome segregation completes the segregation of homologous chromosomes and sister chromatids.Cohesin is crucial for faithful and proper segregations.There is a group of distinctive cohesin subunits that are only expressed in meiotic cells.The study of meiosis-specific cohesin is of great significance for understanding chromosome architecture and dynamics in meiosis.REC8 is a typical meiosis-specific cohesin subunit that plays essential roles in sister chromatid cohesion and meiotic chromosome events.Here,we review the function and mechanism of meiotic cohesin REC8 based on the current study and hypothesize that phosphorylation modification and microRNAs(miRNAs)could be the subsequent research directions of REC8.