Homologue recognition during meiosis is associated with a change in chromatin conformation.
During meiosis, homologous chromosomes are sorted into pairs and are then intimately aligned, or synapsed, along their lengths while a proteinaceous structure, the synaptonemal complex, is assembled between them. However, little is known about how chromosomes first recognise each other. Here we show, by comparing the behaviour of wild-type wheat and wheat mutant for Ph1 (a suppressor of homeologous chromosome pairing), that when chromosomes recognise a partner to pair with, a conformational change to the chromatin is triggered in both partners that is followed by their intimate alignment [corrected]. Thus, a conformational change in the chromosomes at the onset of meiosis can be correlated directly with recognition.
Prieto
Pilar
P
John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Colney, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK.
Shaw
Peter
P
Moore
Graham
G
D002843:Chromatin / Q000737:chemistry; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000502:physiology*; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008540:Meiosis; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D011487:Protein Conformation; D014908:Triticum / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics
D002843:Chromatin