Zebrafish: chiasmata and interference

With immunofluorescence microscopy, the positions of centromeres and MLH1 (MutL homolog) foci representing the sites of presumptive chiasmata are shown for zebrafish (Danio rerio Hamilton 1822) synaptonemal complexes (SCs) in spermatocyte nuclei at meiotic prophase. Most SCs have a single focus and a few (7 of 140) have 2 chiasmata. MLH1 foci tend to be in the distal regions of SCs, with progressively fewer occurring towards the middle of the SCs. This non-random distribution suggests chiasma interference. Synaptic initiation, as well as replication protein A (RPA) foci at the chromosome ends, correlates with the distal localization of MLH1 foci. These observations may provide the physical basis for the reported limited genetic recombination in the centromeric region of androgenetic offspring of a male.