Separase cleaves the kinetochore protein Meikin to direct the meiosis I/II transition

To generate haploid gametes, meiotic cells must undergo two consecutive rounds of chromosome segregation without an intervening gap phase. Importantly, because homologous chromosomes are segregated in meiosis I, but sister chromatids are segregated in meiosis II, this requires a dramatic rewiring of the cell division machinery between the two divisions. How meiotic cells coordinate this rapid and substantial change to the cell division machinery is a central mystery at the heart of proper fertility and reproduction. Our work reveals a new paradigm that rewires key cell division processes at the meiosis I/II transition through the action of the protease Separase, which we demonstrate acts by cleaving the meiosis-specific kinetochore protein Meikin. Cleavage of Separase substrates such as cohesin results in their potent and complete inactivation.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctoral

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Biology

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2021

Author dc:creator

• Maier, Nolan Kenji Kwaisun.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Iain Cheeseman.

• Biology.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses may be protected by copyright. Please reuse MIT thesis content according to the MIT Libraries Permissions Policy, which is available through the URL provided.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/130663

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/130663