The Sex Specific Function of CLIP Associating Protein II During Spermatogenesis In Caenorhabditis elegans
Allen Michael Ramsey, Emma Harms, Elida Hernandez
Department of Biology
Faculty Supervisor: Diana Chu
We characterize the unique behavior of CLIP Associated Protein II (CLS-2) during sperm meiosis in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). This highly conserved kinetochore protein is required for successful chromosome segregation, but the full range of functions in still remains unsolved. CLS-2 has a sperm specific localization to the chromosome, unlike mitosis and oocyte meiosis, where CLS-2 localizes to the midzone during anaphase I. This novel localization and its function are the key points we focus on. We have developed population models for both male and hermaphrodite wildtype to understand the baseline order of events and expected timing of events during spermatogenesis. Using targeted, temporary reduction of CLS-2 via the Auxin degron pathway in the germline we demonstrate that having lower CLS-2 levels does not significantly impact anaphase I timing dynamics during hermaphrodite spermatogenesis, whereas the change in male timing dynamics was statistically significant, suggesting a male-specific role in chromosome segregation. This aligned with our hypothesis that lagging X associated CLS-2 played a dynamic role. These results support our model of X associated CLS-2 playing a key role in mediating anaphase I spindle and chromosome segregation dynamics during male sperm meiosis.