Encodes AtSPO11-2, one of the three Arabidopsis homologues of the archaeal DNA topoisomerase VIA subunit (topo VIA). Required for meiotic recombination. Plants homozygous for atspo11-2 exhibit a severe sterility phenotype. Both male and female meiosis are severely disrupted in the atspo11-2 mutant, and this is associated with severe defects in synapsis during the first meiotic division and reduced meiotic recombination. AtSPO11-1 and AtSPO11-2 have overlapping functions (i.e. both required for meiotic recombination) whereas AtSPO11-3 functions in DNA replication. Required for double-strand break induction.
Computational Description
sporulation 11-2 (SPO11-2); FUNCTIONS IN: DNA topoisomerase (ATP-hydrolyzing) activity, DNA binding, catalytic activity, ATP binding; INVOLVED IN: in 11 processes; LOCATED IN: chromosome; CONTAINS InterPro DOMAIN/s: Spo11/DNA topoisomerase VI, subunit A, N-terminal (InterPro:IPR013049), Spo11/DNA topoisomerase VI, subunit A (InterPro:IPR002815); BEST Arabidopsis thaliana protein match is: Spo11/DNA topoisomerase VI, subunit A protein (TAIR:AT5G02820.1); Has 890 Blast hits to 889 proteins in 304 species: Archae - 214; Bacteria - 14; Metazoa - 169; Fungi - 107; Plants - 162; Viruses - 0; Other Eukaryotes - 224 (source: NCBI BLink).