Abstract
Initiation of synapsis and interlocking of chromosomes have been analysed on spread and silver stained chromosome complements from Bombyx spermatocytes. The material comprises 270 zygotene and 125 pachytene nuclei. Two types of associations preceding synaptonemal complex formation were detected: The first type involved short subterminal segments of homologous chromosomes while the second occurred between the telomeric attachment plaques of homologous as well as nonhomologous chromosomes. The possible role of the two types of initial associations in synaptonemal complex formation is discussed.
The occurrence and resolution of chromosome interlocking have been monitored during the entire zygotene stage. Interlockings form and resolve throughout zygotene. The estimated mean number of interlockings is 4.2 per nucleus at zygotene while only 3 presumptive interlockings were found in 125 pachytene nuclei. In individual zygotene nuclei up to 61% of the chromosomes are affected by interlocking. The mechanism for resolution of interlockings is discussed.
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Abbreviations
- IL:
-
interlocking
- LC:
-
lateral component
- SC:
-
synaptonemal complex
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Rasmussen, S.W. Initiation of synapsis and interlocking of chromosomes during zygotene in Bombyx spermatocytes. Carlsberg Res. Commun. 51, 401–432 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02907315
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02907315