Synapsis and chiasma formation in Caenorhabditis elegans require HIM-3, a meiotic chromosome core component that functions in chromosome segregation.

ABSTRACT: Meiotic chromosomes are organized about a proteinaceous core that forms between replicated sister chromatids. We have isolated a Caenorhabditis elegans gene, him-3, which encodes a meiosis-specific component of chromosome cores with some similarity to the yeast lateral element protein Hop1p. Antibodies raised against HIM-3 localize the protein to condensing chromosomes in early prophase I and to the cores of both synapsed and desynapsed chromosomes. In RNA interference experiments, chromosomes appear to condense normally in the absence of detectable protein but fail to synapse and form chiasmata, indicating that HIM-3 is essential for these processes. Hypomorphs of him-3, although being synapsis proficient, show severe reductions in the frequency of crossing-over, demonstrating that HIM-3

SUBMITTER: Zetka MC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC317003 | biostudies-literature | 1999 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature