MEIOB targets single-strand DNA and is necessary for meiotic recombination.

PLoS genetics 2013

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Meiotic recombination is a mandatory process for sexual reproduction. We identified a protein specifically implicated in meiotic homologous recombination that we named: meiosis specific with OB domain (MEIOB). This protein is conserved among metazoan species and contains single-strand DNA binding sites similar to those of RPA1. Our studies in vitro revealed that both recombinant and endogenous MEIOB can be retained on single-strand DNA. Those in vivo demonstrated the specific expression of Meiob in early meiotic germ cells and the co-localization of MEIOB protein with RPA on chromosome axes. MEIOB localization in Dmc1 (-/-) spermatocytes indicated that it accumulates on resected DNA. Homologous Meiob deletion in mice caused infertility in both sexes, due to a meiotic arrest at a zygotene/pachytene-like stage. DNA double strand break repair and homologous chromosome synapsis were impaired in Meiob (-/-) meiocytes. Interestingly MEIOB appeared to be dispensable for the initial loading of recombinases but was required to maintain a proper number of RAD51 and DMC1 foci beyond the zygotene stage. In light of these findings, we propose that RPA and this new single-strand DNA binding protein MEIOB, are essential to ensure the proper stabilization of recombinases which is required for successful homology search and meiotic recombination.

Citation

Benoit Souquet, Emilie Abby, Roxane Hervé, Friederike Finsterbusch, Sophie Tourpin, Ronan Le Bouffant, Clotilde Duquenne, Sébastien Messiaen, Emmanuelle Martini, Jacqueline Bernardino-Sgherri, Attila Toth, René Habert, Gabriel Livera. MEIOB targets single-strand DNA and is necessary for meiotic recombination. PLoS genetics. 2013;9(9):e1003784