2. Academic Validation
  3. Loss of centromeric RNA activates the spindle assembly checkpoint in mammalian female meiosis I

Loss of centromeric RNA activates the spindle assembly checkpoint in mammalian female meiosis I

  • J Cell Biol. 2021 Oct 4;220(10):e202011153. doi: 10.1083/jcb.202011153.
Tianyu Wu 1,  Simon I R Lane 2,  Stephanie L Morgan 3,  Feng Tang 4,  Keith T Jones 5
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Central Laboratory, Clinical Laboratory, Jing'an District Centre Hospital of Shanghai, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, International Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, the State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
  • 2 Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
  • 3 School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
  • 4 Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.
  • 5 Genome Damage and Stability Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK.
PMID: 34379093 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202011153
Abstract

The repetitive sequences of DNA centromeric regions form the structural basis for kinetochore assembly. Recently they were found to be transcriptionally active in mitosis, with their RNAs providing noncoding functions. Here we explore the role, in mouse oocytes, of transcripts generated from within the minor satellite repeats. Depletion of minor satellite transcripts delayed progression through meiosis I by activation of the spindle assembly checkpoint. Arrested oocytes had poorly congressed chromosomes, and centromeres were frequently split by microtubules. Thus, we have demonstrated that the centromeric RNA plays a specific role in female meiosis I compared with mitosis and is required for maintaining the structural integrity of centromeres. This may contribute to the high aneuploidy rates observed in female meiosis.

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