Meiotic homolog pairing relies on programmed DNA recombination and large-scale chromosome movements, yet, how these genetic and mechanical events are coordinated remains unclear. ZCWPW1 is a histone reader that recognizes PRDM9-deposited chromatin marks. We identify an unexpected role for ZCWPW1 as a regulator of rapid prophase movements (RPMs). Using super-resolution imaging, we show that ZCWPW1 is strongly enriched at subtelomeric regions of mouse spermatocytes, where it stabilizes TRF1, LINC complex components, dynein, and meiosis-specific cohesin (STAG3). Loss of ZCWPW1 disrupts telomere architecture, weakens telomere-LINC-motor coupling, and abolishes chromosome movement, leading to defective synapsis and pairing, and persistence of DSBs. These defects are more severe than, and mechanistically independent of, those observed in Prdm9 -/- spermatocytes. Together, our findings reveal that ZCWPW1 acts independently of PRDM9 as a chromatin-based intranuclear regulator of telomere architecture and telomere-led chromosome movements, thereby linking telomeric chromatin state to nuclear force transmission required for faithful meiotic progression.
Xie et al. (Mon,) studied this question.