The S. pombe CDK5 Orthologue Pef1 Cooperates with Three Cyclins, Clg1, Pas1 and Psl1, to Promote Pre-Meiotic DNA Replication

Biomolecules. 2021 Jan 12;11(1):89. doi: 10.3390/biom11010089.

Abstract

Meiosis is a specialized cell division process that mediates genetic information transfer to the next generation. Meiotic chromosomal segregation occurs when DNA replication is completed during the pre-meiotic S phase. Here, we show that Schizosaccharomyces pombe Pef1, an orthologue of mammalian cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5), is required to promote pre-meiotic DNA replication. We examined the efficiency of meiotic initiation using pat1-114 mutants and found that, meiotic nuclear divisions did not occur in the pef1Δ pat1-114 strain. Deletion of pef1 also suppressed the expression of DNA replication factors and the phosphorylation of Cdc2 Tyr-15. The double deletion of clg1 and psl1 arrested meiotic initiation in pat1-114 mutant cells, similar to that of pef1-deficient cells. Meiotic progression was also slightly delayed in the pas1-deficient strain. Our results reveal that Pef1 regulates cyclin-coordinated meiotic progression.

Keywords: CDK5; Cdc2; Cyclin; Pef1; Pre-meiotic DNA replication; meiosis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Chromosomes, Fungal / genetics
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 5 / chemistry*
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 5 / metabolism
  • Cyclins / metabolism*
  • DNA Replication*
  • Gene Deletion
  • Meiosis*
  • Models, Biological
  • Phosphorylation
  • Protein Binding
  • Schizosaccharomyces / cytology*
  • Schizosaccharomyces / metabolism*
  • Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins / metabolism*
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid*

Substances

  • Cyclins
  • Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 5