Synapsis in grasshopper bivalents heterozygous for centric shifts

Genome ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 616-622 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. L. del Cerro ◽  
J. L. Santos

Analysis of surface-spread synaptonemal complexes of zygotene and pachytene spermatocytes was carried out on centric-shift heterozygotes of grasshoppers. These rearrangements affected the M7 chromosome in Chorthippus vagans and the M6 and S8 chromosomes in Chorthippus apricarius. The shifts in the latter two chromosomes were also associated with C-heterochromatin variations between homologous chromosomes. Rearranged chromosomes proceeded directly to heterosynapsis without an apparent intervening homosynaptic phase in M7 bivalents of Ch. vagans and M6 bivalents of Ch. apricarius. In the latter case, axial equalization of the heterochromatin polymorphism was also achieved. On the other hand, asynapsis of the intercentromeric regions throughout pachytene was the rule in the centric shift involving the S8 chromosome of Ch. apricarius. In the three cases analysed, the production of unbalanced gametes in the heterozygotes is precluded either by the lack of chiasma formation in heterosynapsed rearranged segments or by the lack of pairing between such segments. Chiasmata were limited to the homologous regions of the heteromorphic bivalents.Key words: synapsis, surface spreading, centric shift, chiasma distribution, meiosis.

Genome ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 930-939 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. White ◽  
G. Jenkins ◽  
J. S. Parker

The ultrastructure and pairing behaviour of the chromosomes of two diploid cytotypes and a triploid of Scilla autumnalis were investigated using the techniques of three-dimensional reconstruction from serial electron micrographs and whole-mount surface spreading of synaptonemal complexes. The diploids, designated AA and B7B7, have karyotypes that are virtually identical in appearance at mitotic metaphase but differ in length by 47% and in DNA content by 66%. All the chromosomes were identified during meiotic prophase in both diploids, enabling construction of accurate karyotypes, which were the same as those derived from root tip metaphases. Chromosome pairing was largely regular with very few structural chromosome rearrangements. These two observations permitted confident interpretations of multivalent configurations observed in polyploids containing multiples of the A and B7 genomes. In the triploid (AB7B7) during meiotic prophase lateral components are associated in groups of three, either as trivalents with several exchanges of pairing partners, or as bivalents and univalents in close alignment. The overall difference in length between A and B7 chromosomes is close to expected, but varies to some degree depending on the extent of pairing between the two chromosome types. Most of the synaptonemal complexes between A and B7 homoeologues are ineffective in terms of chiasma formation, as revealed by the low frequency of multivalents and heteromorphic bivalents at metaphase I. In other words, there is an elimination of multivalents during meiotic prophase in the triploid.Key words: Scilla autumnalis, synaptonemal complex, multivalents, elimination.


Development ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 124 (22) ◽  
pp. 4595-4603 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.J. Dix ◽  
J.W. Allen ◽  
B.W. Collins ◽  
P. Poorman-Allen ◽  
C. Mori ◽  
...  

Spermatogenic cells synthesize a unique 70-kDa heat shock protein (HSP70-2) during prophase of meiosis I, and targeted disruption of the Hsp70-2 gene has shown that this protein is required for spermatogenic cell differentiation in adult mice. HSP70-2 is associated with synaptonemal complexes formed between paired homologous chromosomes during meiotic prophase. The present study focuses on the nearly synchronous first wave of spermatogenesis in 12- to 28-day old juvenile mice to determine more precisely when HSP70-2 is required and what meiotic processes are affected by its absence. Spermatogenesis in homozygous mutant mice (Hsp70-2[−/−]) proceeded normally until day 15 when increasing numbers of pachytene spermatocytes became apoptotic and differentiation of cells beyond the pachytene stage began to falter. Synaptonemal complexes assembled in Hsp70-2(−/−) mice and spermatocytes developed through the final pachytene substage. However, synaptonemal complexes failed to desynapse and normal diplotene spermatocytes were not observed. Metaphase spermatocytes were not seen in tissue sections from testes of Hsp70-2(−/−) mice, and expression of mRNAs and antigens characteristic of late pachytene spermatocytes (e.g., cyclin A1) and development of spermatids did not occur. Thus, HSP70-2 is required for synaptonemal complex desynapsis, and its absence severely impairs the transition of spermatogenic cells through the late meiotic stages and results in apoptosis beginning with the first wave of germ cell development in juvenile mice.


Genome ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 664-670 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Cuñado ◽  
S. Callejas ◽  
M. J. García ◽  
J. L Santos ◽  
A. Fernández

Chromosome pairing behaviour of the natural allotetraploid Aegilops biuncialis (genome UUMM) and a triploid hybrid Ae. biuncialis × Secale cereale (genome UMR) was analyzed by electron microscopy in surface-spread prophase I nuclei. Synaptonemal-complex analysis at zygotene and pachytene revealed that synapsis in the allotetraploid was mostly between homologous chromosomes, although a few quadrivalents were also formed. Only homologous bivalents were observed at metaphase I. In contrast, homoeologous and heterologous chromosome associations were common at prophase I and metaphase I of the triploid hybrid. It is concluded that the mechanism controlling bivalent formation in Ae. biuncialis acts mainly at zygotene by restricting pairing to homologous chromosomes, but also acts at pachytene by preventing chiasma formation in the homoeologous associations. In the hybrid the mechanism fails at both stages. Key words : Aegilops biuncialis, allotetraploid, intergeneric hybrid, pairing control, synaptonemal complex.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1987 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-46
Author(s):  
Machiko Ikegami ◽  
Yotaro Agata ◽  
Tarek Elkady ◽  
Mikko Hallman ◽  
David Berry ◽  
...  

Natural sheep surfactant, rabbit surfactant, human surfactant, and surfactant TA were compared for in vitro surface properties and for responses of preterm lambs to treatment. Equivalent amounts of sheep, rabbit, and human surfactants were needed to lower the surface tension to less than 10 dynes/cm, whereas four times less surfactant TA similarly lowered the surface tension. Surface-spreading rates were similar for the surfactants. The surface adsorption of the batch of human surfactant tested was much slower than was adsorption of the other surfactants. Ventilation was significantly improved in all surfactant-treated lambs relative to the control lambs, indicating the general efficacy of the surfactant treatments. Overall, surfactant TA had the best in vitro characteristics, yet the preterm lambs treated at birth with surfactant TA had lower Po2 values and higher ventilatory requirements than did the sheep surfactant-treated lambs. The in vivo responses to rabbit surfactant were intermediate between the responses to sheep surfactant and to surfactant TA. Human surfactant resulted in the least effective clinical response. More of the phosphatidylcholine associated with human surfactant and surfactant TA was lost from the alveoli and lung tissue after four hours of ventilation than was lost from sheep or rabbit surfactant-treated lambs. More intravascular radiolabeled albumin leaked into the alveoli of the surfactant TA-treated lambs than sheep or rabbit surfactant-treated. lambs. The four surfactants also had different sensitivities to the effects on minimum surface tensions of the soluble proteins present in alveolar washes. The study demonstrates that the range of clinical responses was not predictable based on the in vitro surface properties that we measured. The surfactants behaved differently with respect to loss from the lungs and sensitivity to soluble proteins. Factors other than surface properties are important for the in vivo responses to surfactant treatments.


Genome ◽  
1987 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 292-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. John

The existing data on the behaviour of multiple chromosome configurations arising from single interchanges between either metacentric–telocentric or telocentric–telocentric nonhomologues in 10 species of acridid grasshoppers are compared with data from four new cases. Two of these new cases involve metacentric–telocentric exchanges but the other two, for the first time in acridids, deal with a reciprocal translocation between two nonhomologous metacentrics. The combined data are used to evaluate the factors that influence multiple orientation in this family of grasshoppers and reemphasize the importance of chiasma frequency and chiasma distribution for multiple behaviour. This conclusion is reinforced by a consideration of the known cases of chain of three multiples originating from the Robertsonian fusion of nonhomologous telocentrics in acridoids. Key words: acridid grasshoppers, multiple chromosome configurations, chiasma distribution, orientation behaviour.


1983 ◽  
Vol 96 (6) ◽  
pp. 1717-1726 ◽  
Author(s):  
L A Ierardi ◽  
S B Moss ◽  
A R Bellvé

Synaptonemal complexes (SCs) have been isolated as integral components of the nuclear matrix from purified mouse pachytene spermatocytes. These nuclear synaptonemal complex-matrices are prepared by extracting Triton X-100-treated nuclei with low (0.2 M) and high (1.0 or 2.0 M) NaCl, DNase I, and RNase A to remove 85% of the nuclear proteins, 97% of the RNA, and 99% of the DNA. Studies with the light and electron microscopes indicate that these matrices, while lacking a distinct lamina, contain nuclear pores interconnected by a fiber network, residual nucleoli, and interchromatin fibers. In addition, the pachytene spermatocyte matrices contain residual XY heterochromatin and the principal components of the SCs, including two lateral elements, a central element, a presumptive centromere, and attachment plaques. These SCs are preserved within the matrix and retain their structural association with the pore-fiber complex, even when subjected to strong dissociating conditions. Nuclear matrices from pachytene spermatocytes and spermatids (steps 1-8), when analyzed by SDS PAGE, contain an array of polypeptides distinct from those of mouse liver nuclear matrices. Proteins of spermatogenic matrices range in Mr from 8,000 to approximately 150,000. The prominent lamina proteins (Mr approximately 60,000-70,000) of somatic nuclear matrices are either absent or represent only a minor part of the spermatogenic matrix. The polypeptide composition of the pachytene spermatocyte and spermatid matrices are similar, although minor quantitative and qualitative differences are evident. These observations suggest that the SC constituents may consist of a heterogeneous group of proteins present in low proportion relative to total matrix proteins, or they may be retained, but in a different form, within the spermatid matrix.


Genome ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 465-471 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hum M. Thomas ◽  
W. G. Morgan

The synaptonemal complexes in the diploid hybrid Lolium multiflorum × Festuca drymeja were examined by the surface spreading technique, and chromosome pairing at metaphase I was analysed. Synaptonemal complex analysis revealed "illegitimate" pairing, including multivalents and foldback pairing. At metaphase I, most chiasmata were between chromosomes of the same genome, and again multivalents were found. It was concluded that most synaptonemal complexes resulted in chiasma formation. The effects of the large differences in DNA values of the two species and the possible genotypic effect of F. drymeja on chromosome pairing are discussed.Key words: Lolium-Festuca, synaptonemal complexes, nonhomologous pairing, DNA values.


The assembly of the synaptinemal complex in the ascomycete Neottiella was studied by three-dimensional reconstruction of a late zygotene nucleus. A single banded lateral component is formed between the two sister chromatids of each homologous chromosome prior to their pairing. The central regions are pre-assembled in organized form in folds of the granular part of the nucleolus and then converted into an amorphous transport form. The latter appears to move through the nucleoplasm to sites between the lateral components of synapsing homologous chromosomes. The central region material is reorganized into blocks with a recognizable central component and attached to one lateral component. The last step in the completion of the synaptinemal complex is the association of the free surface of the organized central region with the corresponding segment of the homologous lateral component. The findings are discussed in relation to mechanisms of chromosome pairing and chiasma formation.


Genome ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 308-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
M I Pigozzi ◽  
A J Solari

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.


1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 2485-2491 ◽  
Author(s):  
R H Schiestl ◽  
S Prakash

The RAD10 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is required for the incision step of excision repair of UV-damaged DNA. We show that the RAD10 gene is also required for mitotic recombination. The rad10 delta mutation lowered the rate of intrachromosomal recombination of a his3 duplication in which one his3 allele has a deletion at the 3' end and the other his3 allele has a deletion at the 5' end (his3 delta 3' his3 delta 5'). The rate of formation of HIS3+ recombinants in the rad10 delta mutant was not affected by the rad1 delta mutation but decreased synergistically in the presence of the rad10 delta mutation in combination with the rad52 delta mutation. These observations indicate that the RAD1 and RAD10 genes function together in a mitotic recombination pathway that is distinct from the RAD52 recombination pathway. The rad10 delta mutation also lowered the efficiency of integration of linear DNA molecules and circular plasmids into homologous genomic sequences. We suggest that the RAD1 and RAD10 gene products act in recombination after the formation of the recombinogenic substrate. The rad1 delta and rad10 delta mutations did not affect meiotic intrachromosomal recombination of the his3 delta 3' his3 delta 5' duplication or mitotic and meiotic recombination of ade2 heteroalleles located on homologous chromosomes.


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