Alternative meiotic chromatid segregation in the holocentric plant Luzula elegans

Citations Over TimeTop 1% of 2014 papers

Abstract

Holocentric chromosomes occur in a number of independent eukaryotic lineages. They form holokinetic kinetochores along the entire poleward chromatid surfaces, and owing to this alternative chromosome structure, species with holocentric chromosomes cannot use the two-step loss of cohesion during meiosis typical for monocentric chromosomes. Here we show that the plant Luzula elegans maintains a holocentric chromosome architecture and behaviour throughout meiosis, and in contrast to monopolar sister centromere orientation, the unfused holokinetic sister centromeres behave as two distinct functional units during meiosis I, resulting in sister chromatid separation. Homologous non-sister chromatids remain terminally linked after metaphase I, by satellite DNA-enriched chromatin threads, until metaphase II. They then separate at anaphase II. Thus, an inverted sequence of meiotic sister chromatid segregation occurs. This alternative meiotic process is most likely one possible adaptation to handle a holocentric chromosome architecture and behaviour during meiosis.

Related Papers

• → Postreplicative Recruitment of Cohesin to Double-Strand Breaks Is Required for DNA Repair(2004)528 cited
• → Meiosis in male Drosophila(2012)91 cited
• → Pds5 is required for homologue pairing and inhibits synapsis of sister chromatids during yeast meiosis(2009)79 cited
• → DNA Damage-Induced Cohesion(2005)41 cited
• → The contribution of cohesin to chromatid organisation is critical during chromosome segregation(2021)