Control of meiotic pairing and recombination by chromosomally tethered 26 S proteasome

Abstract

Proteasomes and SUMO wrestle chromosomes Meiosis is the double cell division that generates haploid gametes from diploid parental cells. Pairing of homologous chromosomes during the first meiotic division ensures that each gamete receives a complete set of chromosomes. The proteasome, on the other hand, is a molecular machine that degrades proteins tagged for destruction within the cell (see the Perspective by Zetka). Ahuja et al. show that the proteasome is also involved in ensuring that homologous chromosomes pair with each other during meiosis. Rao et al. show that the SUMO (small ubiquitin-like modifier) protein, ubiquitin, and the proteasome localize to the axes between homologous chromosomes. In this location, they help mediate chromosome pairing and recombination between homologs. Science , this issue p. 349 , p. 408 ; see also p. 403