The Fission Yeast Heterochromatin Protein Rik1 Is Required for Telomere Clustering during Meiosis

Telomeres share the ability to silence nearby transcription with heterochromatin, but the requirement of heterochromatin proteins for most telomere functions is unknown. The fission yeast Rik1 protein is required for heterochromatin formation at centromeres and the mating-type locus, as it recruits...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of cell biology 2004-06, Vol.165 (6), p.759-765
Main Authors: Tuzon, Creighton T., Borgstrom, Britta, Weilguny, Dietmar, Egel, Richard, Cooper, Julia Promisel, Nielsen, Olaf
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Asci
Cell division
Cellular biology
Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone - genetics
Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone - physiology
Chromosomes
Cloning, Molecular
Gene Deletion
Heterochromatin
Heterochromatin - physiology
Heterochromatin - ultrastructure
Horsetails
Meiosis
Meiosis - physiology
Proteins
Schizosaccharomyces - cytology
Schizosaccharomyces - ultrastructure
Schizosaccharomyces pombe
Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins - genetics
Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins - physiology
Spores
Sporulation
Telomere - physiology
Telomere - ultrastructure
Telomeres
Yeast
Yeasts
Zygotes
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Summary:Telomeres share the ability to silence nearby transcription with heterochromatin, but the requirement of heterochromatin proteins for most telomere functions is unknown. The fission yeast Rik1 protein is required for heterochromatin formation at centromeres and the mating-type locus, as it recruits the Clr4 histone methyltransferase, whose modification of histone H3 triggers binding by Swi6, a conserved protein involved in spreading of heterochromatin. Here, we demonstrate that Rik1 and Clr4, but not Swi6, are required along with the telomere protein Taz1 for crucial chromosome movements during meiosis. However, Rik1 is dispensable for the protective roles of telomeres in preventing chromosome end-fusion. Thus, a Swi6-independent heterochromatin function distinct from that at centromeres and the mating-type locus operates at telomeres during sexual differentiation.
ISSN:0021-9525
1540-8140
DOI:10.1083/jcb.200312061