A conserved checkpoint monitors meiotic chromosome synapsis in Caenorhabditis elegans

We report the discovery of a checkpoint that monitors synapsis between homologous chromosomes to ensure accurate meiotic segregation. Oocytes containing unsynapsed chromosomes selectively undergo apoptosis even if a germline DNA damage checkpoint is inactivated. This culling mechanism is specifically activated by unsynapsed pairing centers, cis-acting chromosome sites that are also required to promote synapsis in Caenorhabditis elegans. Apoptosis due to synaptic failure also requires the C. elegans homolog of PCH2, a budding yeast pachytene checkpoint gene, which suggests that this surveillance mechanism is widely conserved.     

Coordination of meiotic recombination, pairing, and synapsis by PHS1

Pairing, synapsis, and recombination are prerequisites for accurate chromosome segregation in meiosis. The phs1 gene in maize is required for pairing to occur between homologous chromosomes. In the phs1 mutant, homologous chromosome synapsis is completely replaced by synapsis between nonhomologous partners. The phs1 gene is also required for installation of the meiotic recombination machinery on chromosomes, as the mutant almost completely lacks chromosomal foci of the recombination protein RAD51. Thus, in the phs1 mutant, synapsis is uncoupled from recombination and pairing. The protein encoded by the phs1 gene likely acts in a multistep process to coordinate pairing, recombination, and synapsis.     

白菜同源多倍体减数分裂期联会复合体蛋白ZYP1的细胞学分析

为解析多倍体植物减数分裂期同源染色体的正常配对和联会的细胞学机制,以白菜同源多倍体为研究对象,利用免疫荧光分析技术,解析了联会复合体相关蛋白ZYP1在减数分裂前期I过程中的细胞学行为。结果表明:与二倍体相比,白菜同源多倍体减数分裂期同源染色体联会、配对及分离过程基本正常,联会复合体蛋白ZYP1抗体荧光信号变化趋势基本一致,但ZYP1免疫荧光信号显著增强。因此,与二倍体相比,同源多倍体植物很可能通过增强联会复合体蛋白ZYP1的表达水平,以协调同源染色体的正常联会与配对,进而保证多倍体植物的正常减数分裂过程。     

Chromosome choreography: the meiotic ballet

The separation of homologous chromosomes during meiosis in eukaryotes is the physical basis of Mendelian inheritance. The core of the meiotic process is a specialized nuclear division (meiosis I) in which homologs pair with each other, recombine, and then segregate from each other. The processes of chromosome alignment and pairing allow for homolog recognition. Reciprocal meiotic recombination ensures meiotic chromosome segregation by converting sister chromatid cohesion into mechanisms that hold homologous chromosomes together. Finally, the ability of sister kinetochores to orient to a single pole at metaphase I allows the separation of homologs to two different daughter cells. Failures to properly accomplish this elegant chromosome dance result in aneuploidy, a major cause of miscarriage and birth defects in human beings.     

Essential role of Fkbp6 in male fertility and homologous chromosome pairing in meiosis

Meiosis is a critical stage of gametogenesis in which alignment and synapsis of chromosomal pairs occur, allowing for the recombination of maternal and paternal genomes. Here we show that FK506 binding protein (Fkbp6) localizes to meiotic chromosome cores and regions of homologous chromosome synapsis. Targeted inactivation of Fkbp6 in mice results in aspermic males and the absence of normal pachytene spermatocytes. Moreover, we identified the deletion of Fkbp6 exon 8 as the causative mutation in spontaneously male sterile as/as mutant rats. Loss of Fkbp6 results in abnormal pairing and misalignments between homologous chromosomes, nonhomologous partner switches, and autosynapsis of X chromosome cores in meiotic spermatocytes. Fertility and meiosis are normal in Fkbp6 mutant females. Thus, Fkbp6 is a component of the synaptonemal complex essential for sex-specific fertility and for the fidelity of homologous chromosome pairing in meiosis.     

硬粒小麦-簇毛麦双二倍体与普通小麦杂种F1的花粉母细胞减数分裂行为的研究

用普通小麦与硬粒小麦 -簇毛麦双二倍体杂交 ,对其杂种F1的花粉母细胞中期Ⅰ的染色体配对进行了洋红染色和Giemsa -C带染色观察。结果表明虽然簇毛麦染色体在中期Ⅰ主要以单价体存在 ,但也有少量的小麦 -簇毛染色体配对 (平均每细胞为 1 1%左右 ) ,可以通过遗传重组转移簇毛麦的有利基因。这些小麦 -簇毛麦染色体配对 ,既分布在超过理论配对数的细胞中 ,也存在于少于理论配对数的细胞中 ;相反 ,超过理论配对数的染色体对不一定就是小麦 -簇毛麦染色体之间的配对 ,在少于理论配对数的细胞中 ,也不一定仅是小麦同源染色体的配对 ,同样包含有少量的小麦 -簇毛麦染色体配对。因而 ,用传统的染色法对外源物种与小麦染色体之间的配对数的估计 ,既有夸大一部分信息 ,又有掩盖一些有益信息的弊端。说明我们在用传统方法来推测远缘杂种后代中部分同源染色体配对时要持审慎的态度 ,需要用较为准确的方法来直接鉴定     

The Meiotic Behavior of an Alien Chromosome in Triticum aestivum-Haynaldia villosa Monosomic Addition Lines

By the combination of cytological analysis and using genomic in situ hybridization technique to identify an alien chromosome in wheat-Haynaldia villosa monosomic addition lines, we studied the meiotic behavior of the alien chromosome. The results indicated that the frequency of bivalent pairing was lower than the value expected in PMCs of two monosomic addition lines, the frequency of wheat chromosomes unpairing increased, and the wheat homologous chromosome pairing was interfered with by the added chromosome 6V at metaphase I. The chromosome 6V lagged in 20.3% -29.3% of PMCs, sister chromatids 6V early divided in 29.0% - 34.1% of PMCs, the single chromosome 6V in 18.2% - 26.1% of PMCs went to a pole randomly,the breakage frequency of chromosome 6V was 1.2% - 2.9%. Meanwhile, it was also found that several wheat chromosomes showed earlier division, lagging and breakage in a few PMCs. It revealed that the added chromosome 6V influenced the behavior of wheat chromosomes at anaphase. It was also found that the translocation was produced between 6V and wheat chromosomes in 1.2% of PMCs. It offered evidence for translocation between wheat and Haynaldia villosa 6V chromosomes.     

A synaptonemal complex protein promotes homology-independent centromere coupling

We describe a process in meiotic cells of budding yeast in which chromosomes become joined together in pairs at their centromeres independent of chromosomal homology. These centromeric interactions depend on the synaptonemal complex component Zip1. During meiosis in wild-type diploids, centromere couples are initially nonhomologous and then undergo switching until all couples involve homologs. This transition to homologous coupling depends on Spo11, a protein required for the initiation of meiotic recombination. Regions of synaptonemal complex assembled early in meiosis are often centromere-associated. We propose that centromere coupling facilitates homolog pairing and promotes synapsis initiation.     

在硬粒小麦-簇毛麦双二倍体与普通小麦杂种F1中的染色体配对及传递

对初级六倍性硬粒小麦－簇毛麦双二倍体与来源于四川的三个地方品种（系）和一个栽培普通小麦品种（包括ｐｈ１ｂ中国春小麦）所形成的杂种Ｆ１在减数分裂中期Ｉ的配对行为进行了研究。结果表明,小麦亲本不同,杂种Ｆ１之间的染色体配对存在明显的差异。四川的地方品种群体中可能存在ｐＨ或类似于ｐｈ的基因,促进染色体的配对,另外,在杂种Ｆ１（ＡＡＢＢＤＶ）中,单倍性染色体组Ｄ和Ｖ的存在部分地扰乱了Ａ和Ｂ染色体组的同源配     

PAIRING AND TRANSMISSION OF CHROMOSOMES OF THE HYBRIDS BETWEEN AMPHIDIPLOID OF TRITICUM DURUM DESF.-DASYPYRUM VILLOSUM(L.)CANDARGY AND TRITICUM AESTIVUM(L.)

对初级六倍性硬粒小麦－簇毛麦双二倍体与来源于四川的三个地方品种（系）和一个栽培普通小麦品种（包括ｐｈ１ｂ中国春小麦）所形成的杂种Ｆ１在减数分裂中期Ⅰ的配对行为进行了研究。结果表明，小麦亲本不同，杂种Ｆ１之间的染色体配对存在明显的差异。四川的地方品种群体中可能存在ｐｈ或类似干ｐｈ的基因，促进染色体的配对。另外，在杂种Ｆ１（ＡＡＢＢＤＶ）中，单倍性染色体组Ｄ和Ｖ的存在部分地扰乱了Ａ和Ｂ染色体组的同源配对。末期Ⅱ中，除了正常的四分体外，还存在二分体、三分体、五分体及六分体。对杂种Ｆ２和ＢＣ１Ｆ１的染色体计数研究表明，其染色体数目的变化范围为２ｎ＝２９至２ｎ＝６５，有的植株的染色体数目超过了预期的染色体数目，说明染色体通过杂种Ｆ１的传递偏离了随机模式。部分二、三、五或六分体所形成的配子参与了受精结实。因而在硬粒小麦－簇毛麦双二倍体与普通小麦的杂种后代中，不仅可望获得混合有Ｄ、Ｖ染色体结构的２ｎ＝４２的植株，而且还可能获得其它高倍性（８ｘ）和低倍性（４ｘ）的植株，从而为物种的进化指出了一种可能的途径。     

Specific expression of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in transgenic mice

Two transgenic mice were obtained that contain in their chromosomes the complete hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome except for the core gene. These mice secrete particles of HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) in the serum. In one mouse, HBV DNA sequences that had integrated at two different sites were shown to segregate independently in the first filial generation (F1) and only one of the sequences allowed expression of the surface antigen. Among these animals the males produced five to ten times more HBsAg than the females. A 2.1-kilobase messenger RNA species comigrating with the major surface gene messenger RNA is expressed specifically in the liver in the two original mice. The results suggest that the HBV sequences introduced into the mice are able to confer a tissue-specific expression to the S gene. In addition, the HBV transgenic mice represent a new model for the chronic carrier state of hepatitis B virus infection.     

拟南芥miRNA及其靶序列配对特征分析

microRNAs(miRNAs)是真核生物中一类长度约为22 nt的非编码小分子RNA,miRNA与AGO等蛋白形成RISC沉默复合体,通过剪切或翻译抑制对靶基因起负调控作用。对拟南芥miRNA序列及其配对的靶序列间的特征进行了统计分析,结果表明miRNA序列5′端富含A、U,第1、第19碱基位对U、C具有较强的倾向性;miRNA与靶序列间常有1~4个碱基错配,错配碱基常出现在第1,第2和第21位,而第3~第6,第9~第10,第16~第17碱基配对较为保守,为人工合成miRNA的设计及miRNA靶基因的预测以提供了依据。     

蒙古冰草B染色体的研究

本文对原产于内蒙古西部地区的蒙古冰草（ＡｇｒｏｐｙｒｏｎｍｏｎｇｏｌｉｃｕｍＫｅｎｇ）进行了花粉母细胞减数分裂期染色体形态观察。发现在蒙古冰草减数分裂终变期有１～４条Ｂ染色体。它比正常染色体小，而且不与正常染色体配对．Ｂ染色体之间可以配对。     

A pseudoautosomal gene in man

The X/Y homologous gene MIC2 was shown to exchange between the sex chromosomes, thus demonstrating that it is a pseudoautosomal gene in man. MIC2 recombines with the sex-determining gene(s) TDF at a frequency of 2 to 3 percent. It is the most proximal pseudoautosomal locus thus far described and as such is an important marker for use in studies directed towards the isolation of TDF.