High impact information on mei4

• Strains with a mei4 mutation are blocked at a late prophase stage [1].
• Rec8p was present in an unphosphorylated form early in meiotic prophase but was phosphorylated prior to meiosis I, as demonstrated by analysis of the mei4 mutant blocked before meiosis I [2].
• The mei4 disruptant failed to complete meiosis-I but could proliferate normally. mei4+ was transcribed only in meiosis-proficient diploid cells after premeiotic DNA replication [3].
• Because mei4+ is known to be required for DSB formation and cdc25+ is required for activation of meiotic cell divisions, we propose an intriguing possibility that the Rad3-Cds1 meiotic checkpoint pathway may target transcription of these factors [4].
• On the other hand, the transcriptional induction of the mei4+ transcription factor and cdc25+ phosphatase, which is significantly suppressed by hydroxyurea in the wild-type cells, occurs almost to a normal level in cds1delta cells even in the presence of hydroxyurea [4].

Biological context of mei4

• The Schizosaccharomyces pombe mei4(+) gene encoding a forkhead transcription factor is necessary for the progression of meiosis and sporulation [5].
• Furthermore, expression of a reporter gene driven by the authentic mei4 promoter was induced in vegetative cells by ectopic overproduction of Mei4p [5].
• These mutants define four complementation groups and are named dot1 to dot4-defective organization of telomeres. dot3 and dot4 are allelic to mat1-Mm and mei4, respectively [6].
• We also found that the forkhead DNA-binding domain of Mei4p binds to the FLEX-like element in the putative promoter region of mei4 and that the maximum induction level of mei4 mRNA required functional mei4 activity [5].
• Gene mei4 was linked to cdc2 (0.6 cM) on chromosome II [7].

Anatomical context of mei4

• Zygotes of mei4 mutants had one elongated nucleus containing thick electron-dense filaments (linear elements) [7].

References