Temporal and spatial control of the Sycp1 gene transcription in the mouse meiosis: regulatory elements active in the male are not sufficient for expression in the female gonad
MECHANISMS OF DEVELOPMENT
Authors: Sage, J; Martin, L; Meuwissen, R; Heyting, C; Cuzin, F; Rassoulzadegan, M
Abstract
Transcription controls active at the initial stages of meiosis are clearly key elements in the regulation of germinal differentiation. Transcription of the Sycp1 gene (synaptonemal complex protein 1) starts as early as the leptotene and zygotene stages. Constructs with Sycp1 5' upstream sequences directed the expression of reporter genes to pachytene spermatocytes in transgenic mice. A short fragment encompassing the transcription start (n.t. -54 to +102) was sufficient for stage-specific expression in the adult male and for temporal regulation during development. Upstream enhancer element(s) quantitatively regulating expression were localized in the region between -54 and -260. The gene is normally expressed both in the male and female gonads, but none of the promoter sequences active in the testis allowed the expression of reporter genes during meiosis in the ovary. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Protein SYCP2 Is an Ancient Component of the Metazoan Synaptonemal Complex
CYTOGENETIC AND GENOME RESEARCH
Authors: Fraune, Johanna; Alsheimer, Manfred; Redolfi, Josef; Brochier-Armanet, Celine; Benavente, Ricardo
Abstract
During the first meiotic prophase, chromosome synapsis is mediated by the synaptonemal complex (SC), an evolutionarily conserved meiosis-specific structure. In mammals, 7 SC protein components have been identified so far. Despite some controversy in the past, we have shown that SC proteins are ancient in metazoans and very likely formed an ancestral SC structure in the ancestor of metazoans. Protein components SYCP1, SYCP3, SYCE2, and TEX12 were identified in basal-branching metazoans, while other components (SYCE1 and SYCE3) are more recent elements. However, the evolutionary history of mammalian SYCP2 is not known. Here, we investigated this aspect with the aid of bioinformatic tools as well as with RNA and protein expression analysis. We conclude that SYCP2 belongs to the group of ancient SC proteins that was already present in the common ancestor of metazoans more than 500 million years ago. (C) 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel