Abstract
Microsporocytes of Lilium that are exposed to colchicine as late as early zygotene show reduced chiasma frequencies and the presence of univalents at Division I. These effects are preceded at pachytene by the appearance of pairing gaps (light microscopy) and by a relatively high ratio of uncomplexed lateral elements/synaptonemal complexes (EM). Chiasma formation thus appears to be reduced by failures in synapsis. Unlike the behavior of wheat, colchicine can disrupt chiasma formation in Lilium after cells have entered meiosis.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Barber, H. N.: The experimental control of chromosome pairing in Fritillaria. J. Genet. 43, 359–374 (1942)
Bennett, M. D., Rao, K., Smith, J. B., Bayliss, M. W.: Cell development in the anther the ovule, and the young seed of Triticurn aestivum L. var. Chinese Spring. Phil. Trans. roy. Soc. Lond., Ser. B. 266, 39–81 (1973)
Brown, W. V., Stack, S. M.: Somatic pairing as a regular preliminary to meiosis. Bull Torrey bot. Club 95, 369–378 (1968)
Darlington, C. D., La Cour, L.: The causal sequence of meiosis. III. The effect of hybridity on male and female cells in Lilium. J. Genet. 41, 49–64 (1940)
Dermen, H.: A cytological analysis of polyploidy induced by colchicine and by extremes of temperature. J. Hered. 29, 211–229 (1938)
Dover, C. A., Riley, R.: The effect of spindle inhibitors applied before meiosis on meiotic chromosome pairing. J. Cell Sci. 12, 143–161 (1973)
Driscoll, C. J., Darvey, N. L.: Chromosome pairing: Effect of colchicine on an isochromosome. Science 169, 290–291 (1970)
Driscoll, C. J., Darvey, N. L., Barber, H. N.: Effect of colchicine on meiosis of hexaploid wheat. Nature (Lond.) 216, 687–688 (1967)
Frankel, O. H.: The causal sequence of meiosis I. Chiasma formation and the order of pairing in Fritillaria. J. Genet. 41, 9–34 (1940)
Heslop-Harrison, J.: Cytoplasmic continuities during spore formation in flowering plants. Endeavour 25, 65–72 (1966)
Hotta, Y., Shepard, J.: Biochemical aspects of colchicine action on meiotic cells. Molec. gen. Genet. 122, 243–260 (1973)
Ito, M., Stern, H.: Studies of meiosis in vitro I. In vitro culture of meiotic cells. Develop. Biol. 16, 36–53 (1967)
Levan, A.: The effect of colchicine on meiosis in Allium. Hereditas (Lund) 25, 9–26 (1939)
Mather, K.: Meiosis in Lilium. Oytologia (Tokyo) 6, 354–380 (1935)
Smith, S. G., Boothroyd, E. R.: Polarization and progression in pairing I. Interlocking of bivalents in Trillium erectum L. Canad. J. Res. C 20, 358–388 (1942)
Stern, H., Hotta, Y.: Chromosome behavior during development of meiotic tissue. In: The control of nuclear activity (L. Goldstein, ed.), p. 47–76. Englewood, N. J.: Prentice-Hall 1967
Walker, R. I.: The effect of colchicine on microspore mother cells and microspores of Tradescantia padulosa. Amer. J. Bot. 25, 280–285 (1938)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Shepard, J., Boothroyd, E.R. & Stern, H. The effect of colchicine on synapsis and chiasma formation in microsporocytes of Lilium . Chromosoma 44, 423–437 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00284902
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00284902