Meiosis I Is Established through Division-Specific Translational Control of a Cyclin

• Published in: Cell Vol. 133; no. 2; pp. 280 - 291
• Main Authors: Carlile, Thomas M., Amon, Angelika
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 18.04.2008
• Subjects: 5' Untranslated Regions - metabolism; CELLCYCLE; Chromatids - metabolism; Cyclin B; Cyclins - metabolism; Meiosis; Protein Biosynthesis; Protein Kinases - metabolism; RNA; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Saccharomyces cerevisiae - cytology; Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins - metabolism; RNA; CELLCYCLE
• ISSN: 0092-8674; 1097-4172
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2008.02.032

In budding yeast, key meiotic events such as DNA replication, recombination, and the meiotic divisions are controlled by Clb cyclin-dependent kinases (Clb-CDKs). Using a novel synchronization procedure, we have characterized the activity of these Clb-CDKs and observed a surprising diversity in their regulation during the meiotic divisions. Clb1-CDK activity is restricted to meiosis I, and Clb3-CDK activity to meiosis II, through 5′UTR-mediated translational control of its transcript. The analysis of cells inappropriately producing Clb3-CDKs during meiosis I furthermore defines Clb3 as an inhibitor of the meiosis I chromosome segregation program. Our results demonstrate an essential role for Clb-CDK regulation in establishing the meiotic chromosome segregation pattern.