Genetic interactions between the chromosome axis-associated protein Hop1 and homologous recombination determinants in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

What is it about?

This study looks at a meiosis-specific component of the chromosome axis called Hop1. Hop1 seems to take a central role in coordinating meiotic recombination events with processes occurring on the chromosome. In fission yeast, which has a very simple meiotic chromosome organization compared to budding yeast and multicellular organisms, Hop1 plays a limited role in regulating meiotic recombination.

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Why is it important?

Genetic pathways driving meiotic chromosome organization and meiotic recombination are rewired during evolution. The fission yeast, which is lacking a synaptonemal complex, but retains remnants of a meiosis-specific chromosome axis, is a great model for probing the roles of conserved meiotic factors such as Hop1. Clearly, Hop1 fulfills an important meiotic function in promoting meiotic DNA break formation and inter-homolog recombination in this organism, but lacks regulatory roles in lieu of the synaptonemal complex, which appears crucial in the majority of organisms performing meiosis with a synaptonemal complex.