Elçin Ünal

A Molecular Determinant for the Establishment of Sister Chromatid Cohesion

Chromosome segregation, transcriptional regulation, and repair of DNA double-strand breaks require the cohesin protein complex. Cohesin holds the replicated chromosomes (sister chromatids) together to mediate sister chromatid cohesion. The mechanism of how cohesion is established is unknown. We found that in budding yeast, the head domain of the Smc3p subunit of cohesin is acetylated by the Eco1p acetyltransferase at two evolutionarily conserved residues, promoting the chromatin-bound cohesin to tether sister chromatids. Smc3p acetylation is induced in S phase after the chromatin loading of cohesin and is suppressed in G1 and G2/M. Smc3 head acetylation and its cell cycle regulation provide important insights into the biology and mechanism of cohesion establishment.

Sister Chromatid Cohesion: A Simple Concept with a Complex Reality

In eukaryotes, the process of sister chromatid cohesion holds the two sister chromatids (the replicated chromosomes) together from DNA replication to the onset of chromosome segregation. Cohesion is mediated by cohesin, a four-subunit SMC (structural maintenance of chromosome) complex. Cohesin and cohesion are required for proper chromosome segregation, DNA repair, and gene expression. To carry out these functions, cohesion is regulated by elaborate mechanisms involving a growing list of cohesin auxiliary factors. These factors control the timing and position of cohesin binding to chromatin, activate chromatin-bound cohesin to become cohesive, and orchestrate the orderly dissolution of cohesion. The 45-nm ringlike architecture of soluble cohesin is compatible with dramatically different mechanisms for both chromatin binding and cohesion generation. Solving the mechanism of cohesion and its complex regulation presents significant challenges but offers the potential to provide important insights into higher-order chromosome organization and chromosome biology.

Distinct Targets of the Eco1 Acetyltransferase Modulate Cohesion in S Phase and in Response to DNA Damage

Chromosome segregation and the repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) require cohesin, the protein complex that mediates sister chromatid cohesion. Cohesion requires both a chromatin binding step and a subsequent tethering step called cohesion generation. Here we provide insight into how cohesion generation is restricted to S phase but can be activated in G2/M by a DSB in budding yeast. We show that Wpl1p inhibits cohesion in G2/M. A DSB counteracts Wpl1p and stimulates cohesion generation by first inducing the phosphorylation of the Mcd1p subunit of cohesin. This phosphorylation activates Eco1p-dependent acetylation of Mcd1p, which in turn antagonizes Wpl1p. Previous studies show that Eco1p antagonizes Wpl1p in S phase by acetylating the Smc3p subunit of cohesin. We show that Mcd1p and Smc3p acetylation antagonize Wpl1p only in their proper context. Thus, Eco1p antagonizes Wpl1p in distinct ways to modulate cohesion generation during the cell cycle and after DNA damage.

The Kleisin Subunit of Cohesin Dictates Damage-Induced Cohesion

Cohesin, the protein complex that mediates sister chromatid cohesion, is required for faithful chromosome segregation and efficient repair of double-strand breaks (DSBs). Cohesion generation is normally restricted to S phase. However, in G2/M, a DSB activates cohesion generation near the DSB and genome-wide. Here, using budding yeast, we show that DSB-induced cohesion occurs when cohesin contains the kleisin subunit, Mcd1 (Scc1), but not when Mcd1 is replaced by its meiotic isoform, Rec8. We exploit this divergence to demonstrate that serine 83 of Mcd1 and the Chk1 kinase are critical determinants for DSB-induced cohesion. We propose that a DSB in G2/M activates Mec1 (ATR), which in turn stimulates Chk1-dependent phosphorylation of Mcd1 at serine 83. Serine 83 phosphorylation promotes chromatin-bound cohesin to become cohesive.

Gametogenesis eliminates age-induced cellular damage and resets life span in yeast.

When yeast commits to sex, reversal of age-induced cellular damage rejuvenates its life span. Eukaryotic organisms age, yet detrimental age-associated traits are not passed on to progeny. How life span is reset from one generation to the next is not known. We show that in budding yeast resetting of life span occurs during gametogenesis. Gametes (spores) generated by aged cells show the same replicative potential as gametes generated by young cells. Age-associated damage is no longer detectable in mature gametes. Furthermore, transient induction of a transcription factor essential for later stages of gametogenesis extends the replicative life span of aged cells. Our results indicate that gamete formation brings about rejuvenation by eliminating age-induced cellular damage.

A Multi-Step Pathway for the Establishment of Sister Chromatid Cohesion

The cohesion of sister chromatids is mediated by cohesin, a protein complex containing members of the structural maintenance of chromosome (Smc) family. How cohesins tether sister chromatids is not yet understood. Here, we mutate SMC1, the gene encoding a cohesin subunit of budding yeast, by random insertion dominant negative mutagenesis to generate alleles that are highly informative for cohesin assembly and function. Cohesins mutated in the Hinge or Loop1 regions of Smc1 bind chromatin by a mechanism similar to wild-type cohesin, but fail to enrich at cohesin-associated regions (CARs) and pericentric regions. Hence, the Hinge and Loop1 regions of Smc1 are essential for the specific chromatin binding of cohesin. This specific binding and a subsequent Ctf7/Eco1-dependent step are both required for the establishment of cohesion. We propose that a cohesin or cohesin oligomer tethers the sister chromatids through two chromatin-binding events that are regulated spatially by CAR binding and temporally by Ctf7 activation, to ensure cohesins crosslink only sister chromatids.

Meiosis I chromosome segregation is established through regulation of microtubule–kinetochore interactions

During meiosis, a single round of DNA replication is followed by two consecutive rounds of nuclear divisions called meiosis I and meiosis II. In meiosis I, homologous chromosomes segregate, while sister chromatids remain together. Determining how this unusual chromosome segregation behavior is established is central to understanding germ cell development. Here we show that preventing microtubule–kinetochore interactions during premeiotic S phase and prophase I is essential for establishing the meiosis I chromosome segregation pattern. Premature interactions of kinetochores with microtubules transform meiosis I into a mitosis-like division by disrupting two key meiosis I events: coorientation of sister kinetochores and protection of centromeric cohesin removal from chromosomes. Furthermore we find that restricting outer kinetochore assembly contributes to preventing premature engagement of microtubules with kinetochores. We propose that inhibition of microtubule–kinetochore interactions during premeiotic S phase and prophase I is central to establishing the unique meiosis I chromosome segregation pattern. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00117.001

Intersection Between the Regulators of Sister Chromatid Cohesion Establishment and Maintenance in Budding Yeast Indicates a Multi-Step Mechanism

Sister chromatid cohesion is established during S phase and maintained until anaphase. The cohesin complex (Mcd1p/Scc1p, Smc1p, Smc3p Irr1p/Scc3p in budding yeast) serves a structural role as it is required at all times when cohesion exists. Pds5p co-localizes temporally and spatially with cohesin on chromosomes but is thought to serve as a regulator of cohesion maintenance during mitosis. In contrast, Ctf7p/Eco1p is required during S phase for establishment but is not required during mitosis. Here we provide genetic and biochemical evidence that the pathways of cohesion establishment and maintenance are intimately linked. Our results show that mutants in ctf7 and pds5 are synthetically lethal. Moreover, over-expression of either CTF7 or PDS5 exhibits reciprocal suppression of the other mutant’s temperature sensitivity. The suppression by CTF7 is specific for pds5 mutants as CTF7 over-expression increases the temperature sensitivity of an mcd1 mutant but has no effect on smc1 or smc3 mutants. Three additional findings provide new insights into the process of cohesion establishment. First, over-expression of ctf7 alleles deficient in acetylase activity exhibit significantly reduced suppression of the pds5 mutant but exacerbated toxicity to the mcd1 mutant. Second, using chromosome spreads and chromatin immuno-precipitation, we find neither cohesin complex nor Pds5p chromosomal localization is altered in ctf7 mutants. Finally, biochemical analysis reveals that Ctf7p and Pds5p co-immunoprecipitate, which physically links these regulators of cohesion establishment and maintenance. We propose a model whereby Ctf7p and Pds5p co-operate to facilitate efficient establishment by mediating changes in cohesin complex on chromosomes after its deposition.

Meiosis I: when chromosomes undergo extreme makeover.

The ultimate success of cell division relies on the accurate partitioning of the genetic material. Errors in this process occur in nearly all tumors and are the leading cause of miscarriages and congenital birth defects in humans. Two cell divisions, mitosis and meiosis, use common as well as unique mechanisms to ensure faithful chromosome segregation. In mitosis, alternating rounds of DNA replication and chromosome segregation preserve the chromosome complement of the progenitor cell. In contrast, during meiosis two consecutive rounds of nuclear division, meiosis I and meiosis II, follow a single round of DNA replication to reduce the chromosome complement by half. Meiosis likely evolved through changes to the mitotic cell division program. This review will focus on the recent findings describing the modifications that transform mitosis into meiosis.

Gamete formation resets the aging clock in yeast.

Gametogenesis is a process whereby a germ cell differentiates into haploid gametes. We found that, in budding yeast, replicatively aged cells remove age-induced cellular damage during gametogenesis. Importantly, gametes of aged cells have the same replicative potential as those derived from young cells, indicating that life span resets during gametogenesis. Here, we explore the potential mechanisms responsible for gametogenesis-induced rejuvenation and discuss putative analogous mechanisms in higher eukaryotes.