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.

• MeSH
• dvouřetězcové zlomy DNA MeSH
• meióza * MeSH
• MutL homolog 1 MeSH
• myši MeSH
• přežvýkavci genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• rekombinace genetická * MeSH
• rekombinasa Rad51 MeSH
• savčí chromozomy metabolismus   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• synaptonemální komplex metabolismus   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Meiotic recombination between homologous chromosomes is crucial for their correct segregation into gametes and for generating diversity. We compared the frequency and distribution of MLH1 foci and RAD51 foci, synaptonemal complex (SC) length and DNA loop size in two related Bovidae species that share chromosome arm homology but show an extreme difference in their diploid chromosome number: cattle (Bos taurus, 2n = 60) and the common eland (Taurotragus oryx, 2nmale = 31). Compared to cattle, significantly fewer MLH1 foci per cell were observed in the common eland, which can be attributed to the lower number of initial double-strand breaks (DSBs) detected as RAD51 foci in leptonema. Despite the significantly shorter total autosomal SC length and longer DNA loop size of the common eland bi-armed chromosomes compared to those of bovine acrocentrics, the overall crossover density in the common eland was still lower than in cattle, probably due to the reduction in the number of MLH1 foci in the proximal regions of the bi-armed chromosomes. The formation of centric fusions during karyotype evolution of the common eland accompanied by meiotic chromatin compaction has greater implications in the reduction in the number of DSBs in leptonema than in the decrease of MLH1 foci number in pachynema.

• MeSH
• antilopy genetika   MeSH
• DNA metabolismus   MeSH
• druhová specificita MeSH
• dvouřetězcové zlomy DNA MeSH
• enzymy opravy DNA genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• meióza genetika   MeSH
• regulace genové exprese MeSH
• rekombinace genetická MeSH
• rekombinasa Rad51 genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• savčí chromozomy genetika   metabolismus   ultrastruktura   MeSH
• sbalení DNA * MeSH
• skot MeSH
• synaptonemální komplex MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• skot MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH