Bromodomain and Extra-terminal motif (BET) proteins play a central role in 
transcription regulation and chromatin signalling pathways. They are present in 
unicellular eukaryotes and in this study, the role of the BET protein Bdf1 has 
been explored in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Mutation of Bdf1 bromodomains 
revealed defects on both the formation of spores and the meiotic progression, 
blocking cells at the exit from prophase, before the first meiotic division. 
This phenotype is associated with a massive deregulation of the transcription of 
meiotic genes and Bdf1 bromodomains are required for appropriate expression of 
the key meiotic transcription factor NDT80 and almost all the Ndt80-inducible 
genes, including APC complex components. Bdf1 notably accumulates on the 
promoter of Ndt80 and its recruitment is dependent on Bdf1 bromodomains. In 
addition, the ectopic expression of NDT80 during meiosis partially bypasses this 
dependency. Finally, purification of Bdf1 partners identified two independent 
complexes with Bdf2 or the SWR complex, neither of which was required to 
complete sporulation. Taken together, our results unveil a new role for Bdf1 
-working independently from its predominant protein partners Bdf2 and the SWR1 
complex-as a regulator of meiosis-specific genes.