NDJ1P, A MEIOTIC TELOMERE PROTEIN REQUIRED FOR NORMAL CHROMOSOME SYNAPSIS AND SEGREGATION IN YEAST

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene NDJ1 (nondisjunction) encodes a prot ein that accumulates at telomeres during meiotic prophase. Deletion of NDJ1 (ndj1 Delta) caused nondisjunction, impaired distributive segreg ation of linear chromosomes, and disordered the distribution of telome ric Rap1p, but it did not affect distributive segregation of circular plasmids. Induction of meiotic recombination and the extent of crossin g-over were largely normal in ndj1 Delta cells, but formation of axial elements and synapsis were delayed. Thus, Ndj1p may stabilize homolog ous DNA interactions at telomeres, and possibly at other sites, and it is required for a telomere activity in distributive segregation.