scholarly journals Meiotic chromosome pairing in triploid and tetraploid Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Genetics ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 139 (4) ◽  
pp. 1511-1520 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Loidl
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Complex Formation ◽  
Chromosome Segregation ◽  
Chromosome Pairing ◽  
Meiotic Chromosome ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Spore Viability ◽  
Homologous Chromosomes ◽  
Meiotic Chromosome Pairing ◽  
Synaptonemal Complex Formation

Abstract Meiotic chromosome pairing in isogenic triploid and tetraploid strains of yeast and the consequences of polyploidy on meiotic chromosome segregation are studied. Synaptonemal complex formation at pachytene was found to be different in the triploid and in the tetraploid. In the triploid, triple-synapsis, that is, the connection of three homologues at a given site, is common. It can even extend all the way along the chromosomes. In the tetraploid, homologous chromosomes mostly come in pairs of synapsed bivalents. Multiple synapsis, that is, synapsis of more than two homologues in one and the same region, was virtually absent in the tetraploid. About five quadrivalents per cell occurred due to the switching of pairing partners. From the frequency of pairing partner switches it can be deduced that in most chromosomes synapsis is initiated primarily at one end, occasionally at both ends and rarely at an additional intercalary position. In contrast to a considerably reduced spore viability (approximately 40%) in the triploid, spore viability is only mildly affected in the tetraploid. The good spore viability is presumably due to the low frequency of quadrivalents and to the highly regular 2:2 segregation of the few quadrivalents that do occur. Occasionally, however, quadrivalents appear to be subject to 3:1 nondisjunction that leads to spore death in the second generation.

Inferences from genetical evidence on the course of meiotic chromosome pairing in plants

1977 ◽  
Vol 277 (955) ◽  
pp. 313-326 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Chromosome Pairing ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Meiotic Chromosome ◽  
Critical Assessment ◽  
Gene Control ◽  
Meiotic Pairing ◽  
Homologous Chromosomes ◽  
Meiotic Chromosome Pairing ◽  
Combined Use ◽  
Or Gene

Meiotic chromosome pairing is a process that is amenable to genetic and experimental analysis. The combined use of these two approaches allows for the process to be dissected into several finite periods of time in which the developmental stages of pairing can be precisely located. Evidence is now available, in particular in plants, that shows that the pairing of homologous chromosomes, as observed at metaphase I, is affected by events occurring as early as the last premeiotic mitosis; and that the maintenance of this early determined state is subsequently maintained by constituents (presumably proteins) that are sensitive to either colchicine, temperature or gene control. A critical assessment of this evidence in wheat and a comparison of the process of pairing in wheat with the course of meiotic pairing in other plants and animals is presented.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MEIOTIC CHROMOSOME PAIRING IN TETRAPLOID (2n = 28) BROMUS PUMPELLIANUS SCRIBN. SSP. DICKSONII

1972 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 763-771 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. C. Armstrong
Keyword(s):  
Chromosome Pairing ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Chiasma Frequency ◽  
Karyotype Analysis ◽  
Meiotic Chromosome ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Meiotic Chromosome Pairing ◽  
Ring Bivalents ◽  
Bivalent Formation

Bivalent formation was predominant at meiosis in B. pumpellianus ssp. dicksonii. The average in 15 plants ranged from 11.38 to 13.77 bivalents per cell. The high chiasma frequency (23.41-26.74) was a reflection of the high frequency of ring bivalents (9.48-12.42). A low frequency of quadrivalents occurred (0.06-1.22). A karyotype of this species was presented from both a highly contracted and moderately contracted cell and the differences between these two were noted. Four satellites were found, two large and two minute. There were 3-5 submedian and 5-7 median chromosomes depending on the cell studied. In addition two subterminal chromosomes were present. The meiotic and karyotype analysis suggest a deviation from an autotetraploid behaviour, but the presence of quadrivalents and similarities between pairs in the karyotype suggested closely related genomes. Alternatively it was considered that the quadrivalents could be due to translocation heterozygotes. The implications of these results were discussed in relation to the reported meiotic events in the octoploids, B. inermis and B. pumpellianus.

The initiation of meiotic chromosome pairing: the cytological view

Genome ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 759-778 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josef Loidl
Keyword(s):  
Synaptonemal Complex ◽  
Chromosome Pairing ◽  
Meiotic Chromosome ◽  
Meiotic Pairing ◽  
Cytological Evidence ◽  
Homologous Chromosomes ◽  
Synaptonemal Complex Formation ◽  
Meiotic Synapsis ◽  
The One ◽  
First Contact

Opposing views are held with respect to the time when and the mechanisms whereby homologous chromosomes find each other for meiotic synapsis. On the one hand, some evidence has been presented for somatic homologous associations or some other kind of relationship between chromosomes in somatic cells as a preliminary to meiotic pairing. On the other hand, it is argued by many that homologous contacts are first established at meiotic prophase prior to, or in the course of, synaptonemal complex formation. The present paper reviews the controversial cytological evidence, hypotheses, and ideas on how the first contact between homologous chromosomes comes about.Key words: synapsis, meiosis, presynaptic alignment, homologous recognition, synaptonemal complex, chromosome pairing.

scholarly journals The Role of Centromere Alignment in Meiosis I Segregation of Homologous Chromosomes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Genetics ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 153 (4) ◽  
pp. 1547-1560
Author(s):  
Cesar E Guerra ◽  
David B Kaback
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Chromosome Segregation ◽  
Meiotic Chromosome ◽  
Meiotic Spindle ◽  
Physical Interaction ◽  
Crossing Over ◽  
Homologous Chromosomes ◽  
Chromosome Alignment ◽  
Chromosome I

AbstractDuring meiosis, homologous chromosomes pair and then segregate from each other at the first meiotic division. Homologous centromeres appear to be aligned when chromosomes are paired. The role of centromere alignment in meiotic chromosome segregation was investigated in Saccharomyces cerevisiae diploids that contained one intact copy of chromosome I and one copy bisected into two functional centromere-containing fragments. The centromere on one fragment was aligned with the centromere on the intact chromosome while the centromere on the other fragment was either aligned or misaligned. Fragments containing aligned centromeres segregated efficiently from the intact chromosome, while fragments containing misaligned centromeres segregated much less efficiently from the intact chromosome. Less efficient segregation was correlated with crossing over in the region between the misaligned centromeres. Models that suggest that these crossovers impede proper segregation by preventing either a segregation-promoting chromosome alignment on the meiotic spindle or some physical interaction between homologous centromeres are proposed.

The Fine Structure of Meiotic Chromosome Pairing in Natural and Artificial Lilium Polyploids

1970 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-63
Author(s):  
P. B. MOENS
Keyword(s):  
Fine Structure ◽  
Chromosome Pairing ◽  
Meiotic Prophase ◽  
Meiotic Chromosome ◽  
Lilium Longiflorum ◽  
Structural Level ◽  
Hereditary Material ◽  
Homologous Chromosomes ◽  
Synaptonemal Complexes ◽  
Meiotic Chromosome Pairing

In the autotetraploid Lilium longiflorum (4n = 48), there are 12 sets of 4 homologous chromosomes. Within each set of 4 homologues, switches of pairing partners and crossovers occur at meiotic prophase. At the fine-structural level, the behaviour of the chromosomes is reflected in the switches between the axial cores of the homologous chromosomes. The normal synaptonemal complexes of the autotetraploid are compared with the complexes of the allotriploid L. tigrinum, which have synaptonemal complexes with abnormal lateral elements. The possibility that the deformed lateral elements are the products of heteromorphisms between‘homologues’ is explored in the discussion. The observations on the chromosome cores are interpreted as support for the notion that the cores may be associated with the recombinationally active hereditary material during meiotic prophase.

scholarly journals Nutritional regulation of late meiotic events in Saccharomyces cerevisiae through a pathway distinct from initiation.

1996 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 3222-3232 ◽  
Author(s):  
R H Lee ◽  
S M Honigberg
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Signal Transduction ◽  
Complex Formation ◽  
Stationary Phase ◽  
Chromosome Segregation ◽  
Sporulation Medium ◽  
Nutritional Regulation ◽  
Yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Synaptonemal Complex Formation ◽  
Late Stages

The IME1 gene is essential for initiation of meiosis in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, although it is not required for growth. Here we report that in stationary-phase cultures containing low concentration of glucose, cells overexpressing IME1 undergo the early meiotic events, including DNA replication, commitment to recombination, and synaptonemal complex formation and dissolution. In contrast, later meiotic events, such as chromosome segregation, commitment to meiosis, and spore formation, do not occur. Thus, nutrients can repress the late stages of meiosis independently of their block of initiation. Cells arrested at this midpoint in meiosis are relatively stable and can resume meiotic differentiation if transferred to sporulation conditions. Resumption of meiosis does not require repression of IME1 expression, since IME1 RNA levels stay high after transfer of the arrested cells to sporulation medium. These results suggest that meiosis in S. cerevisiae is a paradigm of a differentiation pathway regulated by signal transduction at both early and late stages.

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