Abstract
Analysis of meiotic prophase in the male cricket Discophogryllus ontophagus (2n=19, XO/XX) showed a diffuse stage, characterized by a high decondensation of euchromatin, a large nucleus, peculiar behaviour of the sex chromosome, and separation of homologues. Labelling with 3H-thymidine showed that it occurred during middiplotene. — Transcription of genetic information during the meiotic prophase was determined in vitro by the incorporation of tritiated uridine into the spermatocytes. During the diffuse stage only 6.5% of the scored cells showed grains in the autoradiographic analysis. — An intense transcriptional activity has been attributed to this phase, based on its morphological resemblance to the lampbrush configuration. However, the data suggest that — at least in this species — the diffuse stage is in fact a period of brief or no transcriptional activity.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barry EG (1969) The diffuse diplotene stage of meiotic prophase in Neurospora. Chromosoma 26:119–129
Benavente B, Wettstein R (1980) Ultrastructural characterization of the sex chromosomes during spermatogenesis of spiders having holocentric chromosomes and a long diffuse stage. Chromosoma 77:69–81
Bogdanov YF (1977) Formation of cytoplasmic synaptonemal-like polycomplexes at leptotene and normal synaptonemal complexes at zygotene in Ascaris suum male meiosis. Chromosoma 61:1–21
Fox DP, Hewitt GM, Hall DJ (1974) DNA replication and RNA transcription of euchromatic and heterochromatic chromosome regions during grasshopper meiosis. Chromosoma 45:43–62
Henderson SA (1964) RNA synthesis during male meiosis and spermiogenesis. Chromosoma 15:345–366
Hotta Y, Stern H (1963) Synthesis of messenger-like ribonucleic acid and protein during meiosis in isolated cells of Trillium erectum. J Cell Biol 19:45–58
John B, Lewis KR (1965) The meiotic system. Protoplasmatologia VI/F/I Springer-Verlag, Wien
Kezer J, Macgregor HC (1971) A fresh look at meiosis and centromeric heterochromatin in the red-backed salamander Plethodon cinerus cinerus (Green). Chromosoma 33:146–166
Kierszenbaum AL, Tres LL (1974) Nucleolar and perichromosomal RNA synthesis during meiotic prophase in the mouse testis. J Cell Biol 60:39–53
Klášterská I (1976) A new look on the role of the diffuse stage in problems of plant and animal meiosis. Hereditas 82:193–204
Klášterská I (1978) Structure of eukaryotic chromosomes: The differences between mammal (mouse), grasshopper (Stethophyma) and plant (Rosa) chromosomes as revealed at the diffuse stage of meiosis. Hereditas 88:243–253
Klášterská I, Natarajan AT (1974) The role of the diffuse stage en the cytological problems of meiosis in Rosa. Hereditas 76:109–116
Klášterská I, Natarajan AT, Ramel C (1977) A highly radiationsensitive stage in the late prophase of mouse spermatocyte meiosis. Hereditas 87:99–105
Lacadena JR (1976) Genetica. (2nd ed). AGESA, Madrid
León PE (1975) Function of lampbrush chromosomes: a hypothesis. J Theor Biol 55:481–490
Lima de Faria A (1959) Differential uptake of tritiated thymidine into hetero- and euchromatin in Melanoplus and Secale. J Biophys Biochem Cytol 6:457–466
Lu BC (1967) The course of meiosis and centriole behaviour during the ascus development of the ascomycete Gelasinospora calospora. Chromosoma 22:210–226
Lyapunova NA, Zosimovskaya AI (1973) Autoradiographic study of the duration of spermatogenetic stages in the cricket, Acheta domesticus L. Tsitologiya 15:276–283
Moens PB (1964) A new interpretation of meiotic prophase in Lycopersicon esculentum (tomato). Chromosoma 15:231–242
Monesi V (1964) Ribonucleic acid synthesis during mitosis and meiosis in the mouse testis. J Cell Biol 22:521–532
Monesi V (1967) Ribonucleic acid and protein synthesis during differentiation of male germ cells in the mouse. Arch Anat Microsc Morphol Exp 56:(Suppl to 3–4) 61–74
Monesi V (1971) Chromosome activities during meiosis and spermatogenesis. J Reprod Fertil Suppl 13:1–14
Morgan GT (1979) The time course of male meiosis in the redbacked salamander, Plethodon cinereus. J Cell Sci 38:345–356
Muckenthaler FA (1964) Autoradiographic study of nucleic acid synthesis during spermatogenesis in the grasshopper Melanoplus differentialis. Exp Cell Res 35:531–547
Oud JL, Jong JH, Rooij DG (1979) A sequential analysis of meiosis in the male mouse using a restricted spermatocyte population obtained by a hydroxyurea/triaziquone treatment. Chromosoma 71:237–248
Owen CA (1973) The cytology of meiosis in male salamander. M Phil Thesis. University of Leicester, England
Stoll M, Cardoso H (1981) Improved autoradiographic procedure for cytogenetics: inverted cover-slides and double illumination. Cytogenet Cell Genet 31:101–103
Taylor JH (1959) Autoradiographic studies of nucleic acid and proteins during meiosis in Lilium longiflorum. Am J Bot 46:477–484
Tres LL (1975) Nucleolar RNA synthesis of meiotic prophase spermatocytes in the human testis. Chromosoma 53:141–151
Utakoji T (1966) Chronology of nucleic acid synthesis in meiosis of the male Chinese hamster. Exp Cell Res 42:585–596
Wilson EB (1925) The cell in development and heredity. (3rd Ed.) Macmillan Co., New York
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cardoso, H., Peceli, A., Dutra, A. et al. The timing and RNA transcription of the diffuse stage of meiotic prophase in the male cricket. Chromosoma 90, 349–354 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00294161
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00294161