Chiasmatic and achiasmatic inverted meiosis of plants with holocentric chromosomes

Meiosis is a specialized cell division in sexually reproducing organisms before gamete formation. Following DNA replication, the canonical sequence in species with monocentric chromosomes is characterized by reductional segregation of homologous chromosomes during the first and equational segregatio...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature communications 2014-10, Vol.5 (1), p.5070-5070, Article 5070
Main Authors: Cabral, Gabriela, Marques, André, Schubert, Veit, Pedrosa-Harand, Andrea, Schlögelhofer, Peter
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
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631/80/641/1633
Centromere
Chromatin
Chromosome Pairing - physiology
Chromosome Segregation - physiology
Chromosomes, Plant - physiology
Cyperaceae - physiology
Humanities and Social Sciences
Meiosis - physiology
multidisciplinary
Science
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Summary:Meiosis is a specialized cell division in sexually reproducing organisms before gamete formation. Following DNA replication, the canonical sequence in species with monocentric chromosomes is characterized by reductional segregation of homologous chromosomes during the first and equational segregation of sister chromatids during the second meiotic division. Species with holocentric chromosomes employ specific adaptations to ensure regular disjunction during meiosis. Here we present the analysis of two closely related plant species with holocentric chromosomes that display an inversion of the canonical meiotic sequence, with the equational division preceding the reductional. In-depth analysis of the meiotic divisions of Rhynchospora pubera and R. tenuis reveals that during meiosis I sister chromatids are bi-oriented, display amphitelic attachment to the spindle and are subsequently separated. During prophase II, chromatids are connected by thin chromatin threads that appear instrumental for the regular disjunction of homologous non-sister chromatids in meiosis II. The absence of a defined centromere in organisms with holocentric chromosomes presents particular problems for the control of chromosome segregation during meiosis. Cabral et al. present evidence that two plant species overcome this challenge by inverting the conventional sequence of meiotic divisions.
ISSN:2041-1723
2041-1723
DOI:10.1038/ncomms6070