Designing tools to investigate the roles of hasp-2 and icp-1 in the regulation mode of meiosis

Abstract

We are investigating the roles of hasp-2 and icp-1 genes in chromosomal segregation of meiosis in Caenorhabditis elegans. HASP-2 and ICP-1 are part of the chromosomal passenger complex (CPC), which is responsible for loss of sister chromatid cohesion in mitosis. HASP-2 is a kinase that phosphorylates histone H3, leading to CPC activation, and ICP-1 is a linkage between other CPC proteins. Using CRISPR/Cas9 technology, we plan to determine if HASP-2 and ICP-1 also play a role in homologous chromosome separation in meiosis I. We plan to use a co-CRISPR strategy with ICP-1 and a coconversion strategy with HASP-2. hasp-2 and icp-1 mutant animals will then be phenotyped to determine the genes’ functions.