HAL-2 Promotes Homologous Pairing during Caenorhabditis elegans Meiosis by Antagonizing Inhibitory Effects of Synaptonemal Complex Precursors
PLOS GENETICS
Authors: Zhang, Weibin; Miley, Natasha; Zastrow, Michael S.; MacQueen, Amy J.; Sato, Aya; Nabeshima, Kentaro; Martinez-Perez, Enrique; Mlynarczyk-Evans, Susanna; Carlton, Peter M.; Villeneuve, Anne M.
Abstract
During meiosis, chromosomes align with their homologous pairing partners and stabilize this alignment through assembly of the synaptonemal complex (SC). Since the SC assembles cooperatively yet is indifferent to homology, pairing and SC assembly must be tightly coordinated. We identify HAL-2 as a key mediator in this coordination, showing that HAL-2 promotes pairing largely by preventing detrimental effects of SC precursors (SYP proteins). hal-2 mutants fail to establish pairing and lack multiple markers of chromosome movement mediated by pairing centers (PCs), chromosome sites that link chromosomes to cytoplasmic microtubules through nuclear envelope-spanning complexes. Moreover, SYP proteins load inappropriately along individual unpaired chromosomes in hal-2 mutants, and markers of PC-dependent movement and function are restored in hal-2; syp double mutants. These and other data indicate that SYP proteins can impede pairing and that HAL-2 promotes pairing predominantly but not exclusively by counteracting this inhibition, thereby enabling activation and regulation of PC function. HAL-2 concentrates in the germ cell nucleoplasm and colocalizes with SYP proteins in nuclear aggregates when SC assembly is prevented. We propose that HAL-2 functions to shepherd SYP proteins prior to licensing of SC assembly, preventing untimely interactions between SC precursors and chromosomes and allowing sufficient accumulation of precursors for rapid cooperative assembly upon homology verification.
High strain rate response of bio-composites using split Hopkinson pressure bar and digital image correlation technique
INTERNATIONAL WOOD PRODUCTS JOURNAL
Authors: Pandya, Tejas S.; Dave, Maharshi J.; Street, Jason; Blake, Cody; Mitchell, Brian
Abstract
In this research, high strain rate response and energy absorption characteristics under dynamic compression loading of five different bio-composites were studied using a compression split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) and DIC (digital image correlation) technique. This study is to map suitability of plant-based materials instead of petroleum-based plastic as a constituent raw material in composites. Bio-composites panels were made from Southern yellow pine (SYP), Corn starch (CS), and Methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) using a Dieffenbacher hot press. The ability of non-contact DIC analysis served as a valuable tool to measure the strains over a large range of deformation in wood-based bio-composites subjected to high strain rate compressive loading. Among all, Material 2 bio-composite with high manufacturing pressure had highest peak strength, shows that material behaviour at high strain rates is strongly dependent on the manufacturing pressure during fabrication. Presence of corn starch marginally increased the energy absorption capacity.