A visual atlas of meiotic protein dynamics in living fission yeast

Meiosis is a carefully choreographed dynamic process that re-purposes proteins from somatic/vegetative cell division, as well as meiosis-specific factors, to carry out the differentiation and recombination pathway common to sexually reproducing eukaryotes. Studies of individual proteins from a variety of different experimental protocols can make it difficult to compare details between them. Using a consistent protocol in otherwise wild-type fission yeast cells, this report provides an atlas of dynamic protein behaviour of representative proteins at different stages during normal zygotic meiosis in fission yeast. This establishes common landmarks to facilitate comparison of different proteins and shows that initiation of S phase likely occurs prior to nuclear fusion/karyogamy.

Automated summary

Meiosis is a complex process that utilizes proteins from somatic cell division to carry out differentiation and recombination in sexually reproducing eukaryotes. This study in fission yeast cells provides an atlas of dynamic protein behavior during normal meiosis, establishing common landmarks for comparison and suggesting S phase initiation before nuclear fusion.