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.

• Klíčová slova
• Bovidae, Crossovers, MLH1, Meiosis, RAD51, Recombination,
• 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
• Názvy látek
• MutL homolog 1 MeSH
• rekombinasa Rad51 MeSH

The recurrent occurrence of sex-autosome translocations during mammalian evolution suggests common mechanisms enabling a precise control of meiotic synapsis, recombination and inactivation of sex chromosomes. We used immunofluorescence and FISH to study the meiotic behaviour of sex chromosomes in six species of Bovidae with evolutionary sex-autosome translocations (Tragelaphus strepsiceros, Taurotragus oryx, Tragelaphus imberbis, Tragelaphus spekii, Gazella leptoceros and Nanger dama ruficollis). The autosomal regions of fused sex chromosomes showed normal synapsis with their homologous counterparts. Synapsis in the pseudoautosomal region (PAR) leads to the formation of characteristic bivalent (in T. imberbis and T. spekii with X;BTA13/Y;BTA13), trivalent (in T. strepsiceros and T. oryx with X/Y;BTA13 and G. leptoceros with X;BTA5/Y) and quadrivalent (in N. dama ruficollis with X;BTA5/Y;BTA16) structures at pachynema. However, when compared with other mammals, the number of pachynema lacking MLH1 foci in the PAR was relatively high, especially in T. imberbis and T. spekii, species with both sex chromosomes involved in sex autosome translocations. Meiotic transcriptional inactivation of the sex-autosome translocations assessed by γH2AX staining was restricted to their gonosomal regions. Despite intraspecies differences, the evolutionary fixation of sex-autosome translocations among bovids appears to involve general mechanisms ensuring sex chromosome pairing, synapsis, recombination and inactivation.

• Klíčová slova
• Bovidae, Histone modification, Meiosis, Recombination, Sex-autosome translocation, Sex-chromosome inactivation, Synapsis, X chromosome, Y chromosome,
• MeSH
• fluorescenční protilátková technika MeSH
• hybridizace in situ fluorescenční MeSH
• malování chromozomů MeSH
• meióza genetika   MeSH
• párování chromozomů genetika   MeSH
• pohlavní chromozomy genetika   MeSH
• přežvýkavci genetika   MeSH
• segregace chromozomů genetika   MeSH
• translokace genetická * MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH