title: Recombination correlates with synaptonemal complex length and chromatin loop size in bovids-insights into mammalian meiotic chromosomal organization.
abstract: Homologous chromosomes exchange genetic information through recombination during meiosis, a process that increases genetic diversity, and is fundamental to sexual reproduction. In an attempt to shed light on the dynamics of mammalian recombination and its implications for genome organization, we have studied the recombination characteristics of 112 individuals belonging to 28 different species in the family Bovidae. In particular, we analyzed the distribution of RAD51 and MLH1 foci during the meiotic prophase I that serve, respectively, as proxies for double-strand breaks (DSBs) which form in early stages of meiosis and for crossovers. In addition, synaptonemal complex length and meiotic DNA loop size were estimated to explore how genome organization determines DSBs and crossover patterns. We show that although the number of meiotic DSBs per cell and recombination rates observed vary between individuals of the same species, these are correlated with diploid number as well as with synaptonemal complex and DNA loop sizes. Our results illustrate that genome packaging, DSB frequencies, and crossover rates tend to be correlated, while meiotic chromosomal axis length and DNA loop size are inversely correlated in mammals. Moreover, axis length, DSB frequency, and crossover frequencies all covary, suggesting that these correlations are established in the early stages of meiosis.
authors.affiliation: Genome Integrity and Instability Group, Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina (IBB), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. aurora.ruizherrera@uab.cat.|Departament de Biologia Cel·lular, Fisiologia i Immunologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. aurora.ruizherrera@uab.cat.
authors.forename: Aurora
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3868-6151
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Herrera
authors.affiliation: Central European Institute of Technology - Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Miluse
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vozdova
authors.affiliation: Genome Integrity and Instability Group, Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina (IBB), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.affiliation: Central European Institute of Technology - Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Hana
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sebestova
authors.affiliation: Genome Integrity and Instability Group, Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina (IBB), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Laia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Capilla
authors.affiliation: Central European Institute of Technology - Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frohlich
authors.affiliation: Genome Integrity and Instability Group, Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina (IBB), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.|Departament de Biologia Cel·lular, Fisiologia i Immunologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Covadonga
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vara
authors.affiliation: Genome Integrity and Instability Group, Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina (IBB), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Adrià
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hernández-Marsal
authors.affiliation: Central European Institute of Technology - Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jaroslav
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sipek
authors.affiliation: Evolutionary Genomics Group, Department of Botany and Zoology, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
authors.forename: Terence J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: Central European Institute of Technology - Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jiri
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rubes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D033481:Chromosomes, Mammalian / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D053903:DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded; D008297:Male; D008540:Meiosis; D051379:Mice; D000070957:MutL Protein Homolog 1; D051135:Rad51 Recombinase; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D012418:Ruminants / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D013573:Synaptonemal Complex / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: D051135:Rad51 Recombinase; D000070957:MutL Protein Homolog 1
keywords: Bovidae; Crossovers; MLH1; Meiosis; RAD51; Recombination