Recombination nodule mapping and chiasma distribution in spermatocytes of the pigeon, Columba livia

Genome ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 308-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
M I Pigozzi ◽  
A J Solari
Keyword(s):  
Synaptonemal Complex ◽  
Random Distribution ◽  
Phosphotungstic Acid ◽  
Columba Livia ◽  
Complex Karyotype ◽  
Synaptonemal Complexes ◽  
Recombination Nodules ◽  
Chiasma Distribution ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Good Agreement

Pigeon spermatocytes were processed with a drying-down technique and their synaptonemal complex (SC) complements were analyzed by electron microscopy. The synaptonemal complex karyotype of the macrobivalents shows an excellent correspondence with the mitotic karyotype. The number and distribution of recombination nodules (RNs) were scored in complete nuclei stained with phosphotungstic acid. The average number of RNs per nucleus is 64.7. The number of nodules per bivalent shows a clear linear relationship with SC length in the 10 longest synaptonemal complexes, while the microbivalents usually bear a single RN. The location of RNs has a non-random distribution along the largest synaptonemal complexes, with lower frequencies near kinetochores and higher frequencies toward the telomeres. The ZZ bivalent is the fourth in size and shows free recombination, having on average 3.8 RNs. The mean number of nodules per cell and the mean number of nodules in the largest bivalents show very good agreement with the corresponding number of chiasmata scored in metaphase-I spermatocytes. It is concluded that the recombination nodules provide a good check for reciprocal exchanges in this and other species of birds. Additionally, a new morphology for the recombination nodules is presented, consisting of groups of electron-dense particles measuring 43 nm in diameter.Key words: meiosis, chiasmata, recombination nodules, pigeon spermatogenesis.

The synaptonemal complex karyotype from spread spermatocytes of a dipteran (Aedes aegypti)

1983 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 361-369 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annelise Wandall ◽  
Allan Svendsen
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Light Microscopy ◽  
Synaptonemal Complex ◽  
Complex Karyotype ◽  
Synaptonemal Complexes ◽  
Recombination Nodules ◽  
The One ◽  
Mitotic Cells

Synaptonemal complexes (SCs) from the spermatocytes of the mosquito, Aedes aegypti, were spread on a 0.3 M sucrose hypophase and analyzed in the electron microscope. The SC karyotype was similar to the one known from light microscopy of mitotic cells in both relative lengths and in centromere positions. All pachytene nuclei retained their bouquet configuration during spreading; the telomeres were polarized and clustered, and the three centromeric regions were close together. The kinetochores differentiated during pachytene, those of bivalent No. 1 (the sex bivalent) before the others. Recombination nodules were preserved in some spreads; out of 35 nodules, whose distal or proximal location on the SC arms could be determined, 27 were located in the distal one-third of the arms. No SC arm had more than one nodule.

Two kinds of "recombination nodules" in Neurospora crassa

Genome ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 309-317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maja Bojko
Keyword(s):  
Neurospora Crassa ◽  
Synaptonemal Complex ◽  
Nucleolus Organizer ◽  
Crossing Over ◽  
Dramatic Reduction ◽  
Recombination Nodules ◽  
Exchange Event ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Different Origin ◽  
Positive Interference

Two morphological types of recombination nodules, termed early and late, are recognized in Neurospora crassa. Eighty nuclei at different substages were used to determine numbers of nodules per nucleus, distribution of nodules along the nucleolus-organizing chromosome, and distribution of nodules among the two largest chromosomes. Early nodules appear at the synaptonemal complex at early zygotene and increase in number during zygotene until a dramatic reduction occurs at zygotene – pachytene transition. Thereafter early nodules are steadily eliminated until they disappear by diplotene. Late nodules are also present during zygotene. Their number doubles at the zygotene – pachytene transition and stays at this level until diplotene. The total number of nodules is rather constant through zygotene and pachytene. Distribution of bivalents with 0, 1, 2, etc. nodules follows a Poisson distribution at zygotene, but not at pachytene, where variance is less than the mean, indicating positive interference. Nodules are distributed nonrandomly along the nucleolus-organizer bivalent. The pattern differs slightly in nuclei of different origin. Nuclei with unusual synaptonemal complexes sustain normal levels of recombination by having the same amount of nodules as normal nuclei. In abnormal nuclei nodules are preferentially associated with normal segments. It is proposed that early nodules do not participate in any form of recombination but have a role in finding an appropriate site for a crossing-over event. Morphological change to the late type indicates that the site has been reached and the exchange event can be mediated by the late nodule.Key words: recombination nodules, Neurospora crassa, synaptonemal complex.

Chiasma redistribution in the presence of different sized supernumerary segments in a grasshopper: dependence on nonhomologous synapsis

Genome ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 682-688 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. L. del Cerro ◽  
J. L. Santos
Keyword(s):  
Synaptonemal Complex ◽  
Synaptonemal Complexes ◽  
Chiasma Distribution ◽  
Length Measurements ◽  
Extra Segment ◽  
Synaptic Process ◽  
Nonhomologous Synapsis

Eight different sized supernumerary segments located at distal ends of the long arms of chromosomes M4, M5, M6, and S8 of the grasshopper Stenobothrus festivus were studied in males with regard to the synaptic process and chiasma distribution in the bivalents that carry them. The M4, M5, and M6 bivalents heterozygous for extra segments were always monochiasmate, in contrast to their bichiasmate condition observed in basic homozygotes. Furthermore, the presence of any of these extra segments led to chiasma redistribution in the carrier bivalents, so that such chiasmata were formed preferentially further away from the extra segment. The intensity of this effect is dependent on the size of the segment. Not all heteromorphic bivalents exhibited synaptonemal complexes with equalized axes at pachytene, but there was always a variable proportion of heterosynapsis around the distal ends of the long arms that was dependent on both the size of the segment and the size of the carrier chromosome. It is proposed that the absence of chiasmata in nonhomologous synapsed regions is responsible for the results obtained. Length measurements of the different extra segments and their carrier chromosomes between pachytene and diplotene indicated that synaptonemal complex is underrepresented in supernumerary heterochromatin.Key words: chiasma distribution, grasshopper, heterosynapsis, supernumerary segment, synaptonemal complex.

Inversion heterozygosity in females of the newt Notophthalmus viridescens and its influence on chiasma distribution

1977 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 131-141
Author(s):  
S.E. Hartley ◽  
H.G. Callan
Keyword(s):  
Synaptonemal Complex ◽  
Chiasma Frequency ◽  
Wild Population ◽  
Paracentric Inversion ◽  
Notophthalmus Viridescens ◽  
Lampbrush Chromosomes ◽  
Female Meiosis ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Recombination Nodules ◽  
Chiasma Distribution

In a wild population of the American newt Notophthalmus viridescens 15 females out of a total of 94 were found to be heterozygous for a paracentric inversion which includes almost the whole of the longer arm of the smallest chromosome (XI). The inversion was recognized in preparations of lampbrush chromosomes because it transfers the sequential loops, which normally lie close to the telomere, to a position neighbouring the centromere. Because of inversion the transcriptional polarity of the sequential loops is reversed vis-a—vis the chromosome as a whole. In normal bivalents XI (both in male and female meiosis) each arm pair generally forms a single chiasma close to the telomeres (proterminal localization). In bivalents XI heterozygous for the inversion no chiasmata are formed between the mutually inverted longer arm pairs, presumably because they fail to synapse, but chiasma frequency in the non-inverted shorter arm pairs is increased, and the normal restraint on chiasma distribution in this arm pair is lifted. An explanation is offered in terms of the availability of recombination nodules, and the time of their association with the synaptonemal complex.

Localized chiasmata and meiotic nodules in the tetraploid onion Allium porrum

Genome ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 770-783 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen M. Stack ◽  
Dick Roelofs
Keyword(s):  
Key Words ◽  
Synaptonemal Complex ◽  
Allium Porrum ◽  
Crossing Over ◽  
High Fertility ◽  
Unusual Behavior ◽  
Synaptonemal Complexes ◽  
Recombination Nodules ◽  
Metaphase I

Allium porrum L. (cultivated leek) (2n = 4x = 32) is a fertile tetraploid that forms bivalents with pericentric chiasmata at metaphase I. To investigate the basis of this unusual behavior for a tetraploid, we describe the karyotype, axial cores, synaptonemal complexes (SCs), and meiotic nodules of A. porrum. The karyotype appears to be autotetraploid. This conclusion is also supported by presynaptic alignment of axial cores in groups of four and partner trades between pairs of SCs. Numerous early nodules are distributed all along axial cores and SCs during zygonema, but they are lost by late zygonema – early pachynema. Late (recombination) nodules (RNs) are present on SCs near kinetochores throughout the remainder of pachynema. This pattern of RNs corresponds to the pattern of pericentric chiasmata. Pachytene quadrivalents usually are resolved into bivalents because partner trades between SC lateral elements rarely occur between RNs on the same segment of SC. Thus, the patterns of crossing-over and partner trades promote balanced disjunction and high fertility in autotetraploid A. porrum. Rare quadrivalents observed at metaphase I must be due to infrequent partner trades between RNs. Polycomplexes, unusual in their number and size, were observed during zygonema. Key words : synaptonemal complex, recombination nodules, localized chiasmata, polycomplex, Allium porrum.

Synaptonemal complexes of triploid (ZZW) chickens: Z–Z pairing predominates over Z–W pairing

Genome ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 718-726 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto J. Solari ◽  
M. H. Thorne ◽  
B. L. Sheldon ◽  
C. B. Gillies
Keyword(s):  
Synaptonemal Complex ◽  
Central Region ◽  
Sex Chromosomes ◽  
W Chromosome ◽  
Synaptonemal Complexes ◽  
Early Pachytene ◽  
Recombination Nodule ◽  
Recombination Nodules ◽  
Central Regions ◽  
Partial Elimination

Twelve triploid, ZZW chickens of ages ranging from day 19 of incubation to 15 days after hatching were used for oocyte analysis. Oocytes show 117 axes per nucleus. At early pachytene, most axes form double synaptonemal complexes (triplets). An average of 27 triplets, 12 bivalents, and 12 univalents was observed. Later, a partial elimination of triplets occurs, as they are converted into typical trivalents or bivalents and univalents. The number of recombination nodules per nucleus (52.7) is similar to that of diploids. These nodules can occur in register in both central regions of a triplet (no lateral interference), and they probably stabilize the central region. Among 31 oocytes, 29 had a regular ZZ bivalent and a W univalent, and only 2 had triple pairing between a ZZ bivalent and a terminal region of the W axis (less than 1 μm in length and having a terminal recombination nodule). Competition for pairing between the gonosomes results in a large (93.5% of cases) predominance of Z–Z pairing, because of a relatively minor homology between the W and Z chromosomes. The prevailing pairing failure of the W chromosome may lead to early oocyte loss.Key words: sex chromosomes, triploids, synaptonemal complex, Z–W pairing, chicken, recombination nodules.

KARYOTYPE, SYNAPTONEMAL COMPLEXES AND POSSIBLE RECOMBINATION NODULES OF THE OOMYCETE FUNGUS SAPROLEGNIA

1982 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 385-396 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenji Tanaka ◽  
I. Brent Heath ◽  
Peter B. Moens
Keyword(s):  
Synaptonemal Complex ◽  
Nuclear Dna ◽  
Central Element ◽  
Nuclear Dna Content ◽  
Mean Value ◽  
Synaptonemal Complexes ◽  
Recombination Nodules ◽  
Section Electron ◽  
Serial Section Electron Microscopy ◽  
Complex Length

Pachytene nuclei of the fungus Saprolegnia ferax (Gruith.) Thuret were analyzed by serial section electron microscopy. These nuclei contained 21 synaptonemal complexes, all of which terminated at both ends on the nuclear envelope. These complexes range from 1.6 μm to 5.5 μm in length and are composed of two rather diffuse lateral elements, lack a continuous central element and contain discontinuous central nodes. These nodes occur at about 1 per μm of synaptonemal complex length, have a diameter of approximately 50 nm, are predominantly short (<200 nm) and appear to occur as multiples of a basic 50 nm length. These nodes are in many respects similar to previously reported recombination nodules. The complexes were not seen to form a bouquet stage. Based on nuclear DNA content and synaptonemal complex length, the chromosomes are calculated to contain 2C values of between 5.2 and 17.3 fg of DNA, with a mean value of 9.3 fg. Thus it seems that Saprolegnia has large chromosomes relative to other fungi and a haploid complement of 21.

Chiasmata and recombination nodules in Lilium longiflorum

Genome ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 486-498 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen M. Stack ◽  
Lorinda K. Anderson ◽  
Jamie D. Sherman
Keyword(s):  
Synaptonemal Complex ◽  
Average Length ◽  
Central Element ◽  
Lilium Longiflorum ◽  
Uranyl Acetate ◽  
Synaptonemal Complexes ◽  
Recombination Nodules ◽  
Acetate Lead ◽  
Complete Set ◽  
Late Diplotene

We determined the frequency of chiasmata at late diplotene in microsporocytes of Lilium longiflorum (lily). Because there are long, intimate associations of homologous chromosomes in addition to short associations that appear to be single chiasmata, the number of chiasmata counted depends on how the long associations are interpreted. Using a defined method, we determined that there was an average of 54.8 ± 6.0 chiasmata per complete set of diplotene bivalents. Recombination nodules are 100-nm ellipsoids that are found on the central element of synaptonemal complexes. There is correlative evidence that strongly indicates recombination nodules are located at the sites of crossing-over in late pachytene. Using spreads of synaptonemal complexes stained with uranyl acetate – lead citrate, we determined that the frequency of recombination nodules was 1/57.2 μm of synaptonemal complex. Using separate silver-stained spreads of synaptonemal complexes from lily microsporocytes, we determined that the average length of a complete set of pachytene synaptonemal complexes was 3149 ± 668 μm. Therefore, an average set of synaptonemal complexes would have 55.1 (3149 ÷ 57.2) recombination nodules, a number that closely matches the average number of chiasmata in a set of late diplotene bivalents.Key words: chiasmata, recombination nodules, synaptonemal complex, Lilium longiflorum.

Synaptonemal complex spreading in Allium cepa and Allium fistulosum. II. Pachytene observations: the SC karyotype and the correspondence of late recombination nodules and chiasmata

Genome ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 399-410 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. M. Albini ◽  
G. H. Jones
Keyword(s):  
Synaptonemal Complex ◽  
Allium Cepa ◽  
Positional Distribution ◽  
Allium Fistulosum ◽  
Dna Amount ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Synaptonemal Complexes ◽  
Recombination Nodules ◽  
Surface Spreading ◽  
Metaphase I

Pachytene synaptonemal complexes and recombination nodules were analysed, by surface spreading, in the closely related species Allium fistulosum and Allium cepa (both 2n = 16), which show highly contrasting patterns of chiasma distribution. Pachytene observations show that all eight pairs of homologues are fully paired in both species, despite the pronounced localisation of chiasmata in A. fistulosum. Synaptonemal complex karyotype analysis reveals similar marker complexes in both species. These are presumed homoeologues, which, possibly due to the uneven distribution of the higher DNA amount found in A. cepa, rank in slightly different positions in the two karyotypes. Darkly staining ellipsoidal late recombination nodules were observed associated with PTA stained pachytene synaptonemal complexes. The positional distribution of late recombination nodules along synaptonemal complexes corresponds almost exactly to the distribution of chiasmata along metaphase I bivalents in the two species. These observations strongly support the proposal that late recombination nodules are involved in reciprocal meiotic recombination. The frequencies of late recombination nodules at pachytene showed deficits (30% in A. fistulosum, 70% in A. cepa) compared to metaphase I chiasma frequencies. It is suggested that the greater deficit of late recombination nodules in A. fistulosum could be related to a longer duration of meiosis in this species resulting from its greater genomic DNA content.Key words: synaptonemal complex, recombination nodules, Allium.

Equal frequencies of recombination nodules in both sexes of the pigeon suggest a basic difference with eutherian mammals

Genome ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 315-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
M I Pigozzi ◽  
A J Solari
Keyword(s):  
Linear Relationship ◽  
Genetic Recombination ◽  
Columba Livia ◽  
The Other ◽  
Crossing Over ◽  
Basic Difference ◽  
Autosomal Bivalents ◽  
Synaptonemal Complexes ◽  
Recombination Nodules ◽  
Chromatin Packing

The total number of recombination nodules (RNs) in the autosomal synaptonemal complexes (SCs) is statistically equivalent in oocytes and spermatocytes from the domestic pigeon Columba livia. The distribution on RNs along the three longest autosomes is also equivalent in oocytes and spermatocytes. The numbers of RNs show a linear relationship when plotted against SC length both in oocytes and spermatocytes. On the other hand, the ZW pair shows a single and strictly localized RN near the synaptic termini, but the ZZ pair shows unrestricted location of RNs (average 3.8). The ZW and ZZ pairs of the pigeon are euchromatic and do not show specific chromatin packing at pachytene in either sex. The lack of sex-specific differences in the number and location of RNs in the autosomal bivalents of C. livia and previous data on the chicken, suggest that the regulation of crossing-over is basically different in birds and mammals.Key words: meiosis, genetic recombination, recombination nodules, pigeon gametogenesis.

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