Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A new function for heterochromatin

  • Chromosoma Focus
  • Published:
Chromosoma Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Meiotic pairing has now been shown to require heterochromatic homology and to be sensitive to repeat number in both male and female Drosophila. The increased pairing ability of repetitive sequences could be one reason that most eukaryotes allow the accumulation of tandem repeated elements. This may well be a reflection of a general role for heterochromatin, and at least a partial explanation of the ubiquity of heterochromatin through the eukaryotes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Gatti M, Pimpinelli S (1992) Functional elements in Drosophila melanogaster heterochromatin. Annu Rev Genet 26: 239

    Google Scholar 

  • Grell RF (1976) Distributive pairing. In: Ashburner M, Novitski E (eds) The genetics and biology of Drosophila I a. Academic Press, New York, pp 435–486

    Google Scholar 

  • Hawley RS, Irick H, Zitron AE, Haddox DA, Lohe A, New C, Whitley MD, Arbel T, Jang J, McKim K, Childs G (1993) There are two mechanisms of achiasmate segregation in Drosophila, one of which requires heterochromatic homology. Dev Genet 13: 440–467

    Google Scholar 

  • Heitz E (1928) Das heterochromatin der Moose. Jahrb Wiss Bot 69: 762–818

    Google Scholar 

  • Hilliker AJ, Holm DG, Appels R (1982) The relationship between heterochromatic homology and meiotic segregation of compound second autosomes during spermatogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster. Genet Res 39: 157–168

    Google Scholar 

  • Holm DG (1976) Compound autosomes. In: Ashburner M, Novitski E (eds) The genetics and biology of Drosophila, Vol. 1B. Academic Press, London, pp 529–561

    Google Scholar 

  • Holm DG, Chovnick A (1975) Compound autosomes in Drosophila melanopgaster: the meiotic behavior of compound thirds. Genetics 81: 293–311

    Google Scholar 

  • McKee BD, Habera L, Verna JL (1992) Evidence that the intergenic spacer of Drosophila melanogaster rRNA genes function as X-Y pairing sites in male meiosis, and a general model for achiasmate pairing. Genetics 132: 529–544

    Google Scholar 

  • McKee BD, Karpen G (1990) Drosophila ribosomal RNA genes function as an X-Y pairing site during male meiosis. Cell 61: 61–72

    Google Scholar 

  • McKee BD, Lumsden SE, Das S (1993) The distribution of male meiotic pairing sites on chromosome 2 of Drosophila melanogaster: meiotic pairing and segregation of 2-Y transpositions. Chromosoma 102: 180–194

    Google Scholar 

  • Morgan TH (1912) Complete linkage in the second chromosome of the male of Drosophila malanogaster. Science 36: 719–720

    Google Scholar 

  • Novitski E (1964) An alternative to the distributive pairing hypothesis in Drosophila. Genetics 50: 1449–1551

    Google Scholar 

  • Pardue ML, Hennig W (1990) Heterochromatin: junk or collectors item? Chromosoma 100: 3–7

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Customized Computing, 6420 21st Avenue NE, #2, 95616, Tacoma, WA, USA

    Holly Irick

Authors
  1. Holly Irick
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Irick, H. A new function for heterochromatin. Chromosoma 103, 1–3 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00364720

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00364720

Keywords

Search

Navigation