Sex chromosomes, synapsis, and cohesins: a complex affair. 2006

Jesús Page, and Roberto de la Fuente, and Rocío Gómez, and Adela Calvente, and Alberto Viera, and María Teresa Parra, and Juan Luis Santos, and Soledad Berríos, and Raúl Fernández-Donoso, and José Angel Suja, and Julio S Rufas
Departamento de Biología, Edificio de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, Madrid, 28049, Spain. jesus.page@uam.es

During first meiotic prophase, homologous chromosomes are held together by the synaptonemal complex, a tripartite proteinaceous structure that extends along the entire length of meiotic bivalents. While this feature is applicable for autosomes, sex chromosomes often escape from this rule. Many species present sex chromosomes that differ between them in their morphology, length, and gene content. Moreover, in some species, sex chromosomes appear in a single dose in one of the sexes. In all of these cases, the behavior of sex chromosomes during meiosis is conspicuously affected, and this includes the assembly and dynamics of the synaptonemal complex. We review in this study the structure of the synaptonemal complex in the sex chromosomes of three groups of organisms, namely: mammals, orthopterans, and hemipterans, which present different patterns of sex chromosome structure and behavior. Of special interest is the analysis of the organization of the axial/lateral elements of the synaptonemal complex in relation to other axial structures organized along meiotic chromosomes, mainly the cohesin axis. The differences found in the behavior of both axial structures reveal that while the organization of a cohesin axis along sex chromosomes is a conserved feature in most organisms and it shows very little morphological variations, the axial/lateral elements of the synaptonemal complex present a wide range of structural modifications on these chromosomes.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009687 Nuclear Proteins Proteins found in the nucleus of a cell. Do not confuse with NUCLEOPROTEINS which are proteins conjugated with nucleic acids, that are not necessarily present in the nucleus. Nucleolar Protein,Nucleolar Proteins,Nuclear Protein,Protein, Nuclear,Protein, Nucleolar,Proteins, Nuclear,Proteins, Nucleolar
D002868 Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone Nucleoproteins, which in contrast to HISTONES, are acid insoluble. They are involved in chromosomal functions; e.g. they bind selectively to DNA, stimulate transcription resulting in tissue-specific RNA synthesis and undergo specific changes in response to various hormones or phytomitogens. Non-Histone Chromosomal Proteins,Chromosomal Proteins, Non Histone,Chromosomal Proteins, Nonhistone,Non-Histone Chromosomal Phosphoproteins,Chromosomal Phosphoproteins, Non-Histone,Non Histone Chromosomal Phosphoproteins,Non Histone Chromosomal Proteins,Nonhistone Chromosomal Proteins,Proteins, Non-Histone Chromosomal
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000097722 Cohesins Protein complex constituents that bind chromosomes from late G1 until the metaphase - anaphase transition. The cohesin complex regulates sister chromatid cohesion, HOMOLOGOUS RECOMBINATION and DNA looping. Cohesin,Cohesin Protein Complex
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012730 Sex Chromosomes The homologous chromosomes that are dissimilar in the heterogametic sex. There are the X CHROMOSOME, the Y CHROMOSOME, and the W, Z chromosomes (in animals in which the female is the heterogametic sex (the silkworm moth Bombyx mori, for example)). In such cases the W chromosome is the female-determining and the male is ZZ. (From King & Stansfield, A Dictionary of Genetics, 4th ed) Gonosomes,Chromosome, Sex,Chromosomes, Sex,Gonosome,Sex Chromosome
D017346 Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases A group of enzymes that catalyzes the phosphorylation of serine or threonine residues in proteins, with ATP or other nucleotides as phosphate donors. Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinases,Serine-Threonine Protein Kinase,Serine-Threonine Protein Kinases,Protein-Serine Kinase,Protein-Serine-Threonine Kinase,Protein-Threonine Kinase,Serine Kinase,Serine-Threonine Kinase,Serine-Threonine Kinases,Threonine Kinase,Kinase, Protein-Serine,Kinase, Protein-Serine-Threonine,Kinase, Protein-Threonine,Kinase, Serine-Threonine,Kinases, Protein Serine-Threonine,Kinases, Protein-Serine-Threonine,Kinases, Serine-Threonine,Protein Kinase, Serine-Threonine,Protein Kinases, Serine-Threonine,Protein Serine Kinase,Protein Serine Threonine Kinase,Protein Serine Threonine Kinases,Protein Threonine Kinase,Serine Threonine Kinase,Serine Threonine Kinases,Serine Threonine Protein Kinase,Serine Threonine Protein Kinases
D018797 Cell Cycle Proteins Proteins that control the CELL DIVISION CYCLE. This family of proteins includes a wide variety of classes, including CYCLIN-DEPENDENT KINASES, mitogen-activated kinases, CYCLINS, and PHOSPHOPROTEIN PHOSPHATASES as well as their putative substrates such as chromatin-associated proteins, CYTOSKELETAL PROTEINS, and TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS. Cell Division Cycle Proteins,Cell-Cycle Regulatory Proteins,cdc Proteins,Cell Cycle Regulatory Proteins
D019313 BRCA1 Protein The phosphoprotein encoded by the BRCA1 gene (GENE, BRCA1). It contains an N-terminal RING FINGER DOMAIN and is a PROTEIN PHOSPHATASE 1 regulatory subunit. In normal cells the BRCA1 protein is localized in the nucleus, whereas in the majority of breast cancer cell lines and in malignant pleural effusions from breast cancer patients, it is localized mainly in the cytoplasm. (Science 1995;270(5237):713,789-91) BRCA1 Gene Product,Breast Cancer 1 Gene Product,Breast Cancer 1 Protein,Breast Cancer Type 1 Susceptibility Protein,Ring Finger Protein 53
D023902 Chromosome Pairing The alignment of CHROMOSOMES at homologous sequences. Synapsis,Synapsis, Chromosomal,Chromosomal Synapsis,Chromosome Pairings

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