The fission yeast heterochromatin protein Rik1 is required for telomere clustering during meiosis

TY - JOUR

T1 - The fission yeast heterochromatin protein Rik1 is required for telomere clustering during meiosis

AU - Tuzon, Creighton T

AU - Borgstrøm, Britta

AU - Weilguny, Dietmar

AU - Egel, Richard

AU - Cooper, Julia Promisel

AU - Nielsen, Olaf

N1 - Keywords: Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; Cloning, Molecular; Gene Deletion; Heterochromatin; Meiosis; Schizosaccharomyces; Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins; Telomere

PY - 2004

Y1 - 2004

N2 - Telomeres share the ability to silence nearby transcription with heterochromatin, but the requirement of heterochromatin proteins for most telomere functions is unknown. The fission yeast Rik1 protein is required for heterochromatin formation at centromeres and the mating-type locus, as it recruits the Clr4 histone methyltransferase, whose modification of histone H3 triggers binding by Swi6, a conserved protein involved in spreading of heterochromatin. Here, we demonstrate that Rik1 and Clr4, but not Swi6, are required along with the telomere protein Taz1 for crucial chromosome movements during meiosis. However, Rik1 is dispensable for the protective roles of telomeres in preventing chromosome end-fusion. Thus, a Swi6-independent heterochromatin function distinct from that at centromeres and the mating-type locus operates at telomeres during sexual differentiation.

AB - Telomeres share the ability to silence nearby transcription with heterochromatin, but the requirement of heterochromatin proteins for most telomere functions is unknown. The fission yeast Rik1 protein is required for heterochromatin formation at centromeres and the mating-type locus, as it recruits the Clr4 histone methyltransferase, whose modification of histone H3 triggers binding by Swi6, a conserved protein involved in spreading of heterochromatin. Here, we demonstrate that Rik1 and Clr4, but not Swi6, are required along with the telomere protein Taz1 for crucial chromosome movements during meiosis. However, Rik1 is dispensable for the protective roles of telomeres in preventing chromosome end-fusion. Thus, a Swi6-independent heterochromatin function distinct from that at centromeres and the mating-type locus operates at telomeres during sexual differentiation.

U2 - 10.1083/jcb.200312061

DO - 10.1083/jcb.200312061

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 15197176

SN - 0021-9525

VL - 165

SP - 759

EP - 765

JO - Journal of Cell Biology

JF - Journal of Cell Biology

IS - 6

ER -