Ask about this productRelated genes to: SPO11 antibody
- Gene:
- SPO11 NIH gene
- Name:
- SPO11 initiator of meiotic double stranded breaks
- Previous symbol:
- -
- Synonyms:
- CT35, SPATA43, TOPVIA
- Chromosome:
- 20q13.31
- Locus Type:
- gene with protein product
- Date approved:
- 1999-12-02
- Date modifiied:
- 2019-01-22
Related products to: SPO11 antibody
Related articles to: SPO11 antibody
- Genetic exchange in Leishmania is established, yet the molecular mechanisms enabling hybrid formation in sand flies remain poorly defined. In Leishmania, as in plants and several protists, two paralogs of the conserved meiotic endonuclease SPO11 are present, but their contribution to hybridization is unknown. Here, we dissect the roles of SPO11-1 and SPO11-2 during in vivo sand fly infections using targeted gene deletions, catalytically-dead mutants, expression analyses, and genome-wide characterization of hybrid progeny. We show that both SPO11 paralogs are essential for efficient hybridization: deletion of either paralog in both parents abolishes hybrid recovery, and catalytic inactivation fails to rescue mating. When only one parent lacks SPO11-1 or SPO11-2, hybrid formation is reduced in a strain-dependent manner, revealing asymmetric requirements for each paralog. Genomic analysis of hybrids from SPO11-deficient crosses reveals polyploidy and altered parental genome contributions, including unbalanced and near-balanced triploid configurations, indicating disrupted reductional processes. Together, these results establish SPO11-dependent DNA break formation as a core requirement for Leishmania hybridization and define distinct, strain-specific roles for the two SPO11 paralogs. - Source: PubMed
Publication date: 2026/04/29
Catta-Preta Carolina M Cda Silva Vitor LuizMeneses ClaudioGhosh KashinathSacks David L - Genetic exchange in is established, yet the molecular mechanisms enabling hybrid formation in sand flies remain poorly defined. In , as in plants and several protists, two paralogs of the conserved meiotic endonuclease SPO11 are present, but their contribution to hybridization is unknown. Here, we dissect the roles of SPO11-1 and SPO11-2 during in vivo sand fly infections using targeted gene deletions, catalytically-dead mutants, expression analyses, and genome-wide characterization of hybrid progeny. We show that both SPO11 paralogs are essential for efficient hybridization: deletion of either paralog in both parents abolishes hybrid recovery, and catalytic inactivation fails to rescue mating. When only one parent lacks SPO11-1 or SPO11-2, hybrid formation is reduced in a strain-dependent manner, revealing asymmetric requirements for each paralog. Genomic analysis of hybrids from SPO11-deficient crosses reveals polyploidy and altered parental genome contributions, including unbalanced and near-balanced triploid configurations, indicating disrupted reductional processes. Together, these results establish SPO11-dependent DNA break formation as a core requirement for hybridization and define distinct, strain-specific roles for the two SPO11 paralogs. - Source: PubMed
Publication date: 2026/02/06
Catta-Preta C M CDa Silva V LMeneses CGhosh KSacks D L - Polyploidy frequently originates from meiotic failure, with mis-segregation of homologous chromosomes commonly arising from impaired formation of programmed DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). Meiotic double-stranded break formation protein 4 (Mei4) is essential for recruiting the Sporulation-specific protein 11 (Spo11) nuclease to chromosome axes to initiate DSB formation in yeast and mice, yet its role in fish remains uncharacterized. In this study, zebrafish mutants were generated and exhibited severe defects in synapsis, DSB formation, homologous recombination, and crossover (CO) formation during meiosis in both male and female germ cells. Notably, pronounced sexual dimorphism in responses to Mei4 deficiency was observed during meiotic prophase I, with males exhibiting complete sterility due to meiotic arrest, while females produced numerous aneuploid oocytes and a minority of unreduced eggs due to defective chromosome segregation. Remarkably, crosses between females and wild-type males yielded a substantial number of viable triploid progeny. These findings demonstrate functional conservation of Mei4 in mediating meiotic DSB formation across vertebrates, reveal sex-specific divergence in meiotic responses to recombination failure in this vertebrate model, and highlight a critical role for DSB-dependent crossover failure in the genesis of polyploidy. - Source: PubMed
Miao Li-JunZhou LiChen YanLi ZhiHan XiaoPeng FangYang LeiLi Yu-DieZhang Xiao-JuanLu MengWang Zhong-WeiLi Xi-YinGui Jian-FangWang Yang - is the ancestral member of the () family and is pivotal for gametogenesis and male fertility in most animals. However, there is a dearth of information on molluscan . Here, we identified a counterpart () from the genome of , which has emerged as a cosmopolitan alien species and notorious pest that causes devastating damage to aquatic biodiversity, freshwater ecosystems and crop production in invaded ranges. This study aimed to investigate the biological roles of in male reproduction and to decipher the molecular mechanisms underpinning its modulation via dsRNA-delivered RNA interference (RNAi). The bioinformatic analysis showed that the genomic sequence is 12,934 nt in length, harboring an open reading frame of 294 nt that encodes 97 aa residues, with an RRM domain evolutionarily conserved among molluscan orthologues. Spatiotemporal expression profiling indicated the predominant abundance of Pcbol in adult males and testis tissues. dsPcbol, injected at a dose of 4 μg/per snail for 5 days, yielded optimal silencing at both transcript and translation levels of Pcbol, as revealed by qRT-PCR and Western blotting. Immunofluorescence echoed a pronounced reduction in Pcbol signal intensity following RNAi. In addition to the arrested reproductive gland phenotype, the number of sperm cells substantially dwindled upon dsPcbol treatment relative to the dsGFP control. In biochemical and fecundity assays, depletion triggered a significant decrease in Te/SP/Arg content and suppressed the number of deposited eggs and hatchability. Furthermore, spermatogenic genes like displayed considerable downregulation post silencing, with molecular docking predicting a strong affinity between CDC25 and Pcbol. These molecular modules may interact with Pcbol to mediate knockdown effects on spermatogenesis dysfunction. Collectively, our findings not only confirmed that was indispensable for spermatogenesis and male fertility in a mollusk, but also highlighted the -based male sterile technique (MST), which can be incorporated into precision pest management (PPM) strategies for sustainable control of . - Source: PubMed
Publication date: 2026/03/30
Gu HaotianZhang TianshuYuan YongdaTeng Haiyuan - Progress in malaria control has plateaued, prompting the exploration of additional tools. Here, we characterise two germline-specific promoters, spo11 and vasa1, in the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae. These promoters display distinct temporal and spatial expression patterns, making them well-suited for potential applications in CRISPR-based gene drives and sex ratio distortion systems. Leveraging these unique promoter features, we developed a Sex Distorter Male Drive (SDMD) technology that generates a highly male-biased progeny while spreading through super-Mendelian inheritance. This approach greatly simplifies previous genetic construct designs, potentially improving genetic stability and resilience against the development of target site resistance, a major challenge for the efficacy of genetic strategies. Our findings position SDMD as a promising and potentially resistance-resilient tool for the population suppression of Anopheles mosquitoes in malaria-endemic regions. - Source: PubMed
Publication date: 2026/04/11
Grilli SilviaVertsimakha OksanaMarston LouiseGonzalez Irati AramburuBurt AustinCrisanti AndreaBernardini Federica