Chromosome-specific differences in the recombination landscape of spontaneous meiotic nondisjunction
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Failures in chromosome segregation during meiosis result in aneuploid gametes and are the leading cause of miscarriage. The position and number of crossovers, genetic exchanges between homologous chromosomes, are essential to their accurate disjunction in meiosis. Previous research analyzing nondisjunction of acro- and telocentric chromosomes in human and Drosophila has identified altered positioning and number of crossovers that differs between meiosis I and meiosis II nondisjunction. Limited data from positioning in chromosomes that segregated normally in metacentric trisomies has suggested discrepancies between the behavior of these chromosomes and the acro/telocentrics in nondisjunction, which warrants further investigation. Here, we employ whole-genome sequencing to study spontaneous meiotic nondisjunction of the metacentric chromosome 2 in Drosophila melanogaster. Several patterns of recombination may differentially impact telo- versus metacentric chromosomes: lack of a crossover, distal crossovers, and proximal crossovers. We find that unlike meiotic nondisjunction of the Drosophila X chromosome, nondisjunction of chromosome 2 is not associated with dramatic changes in crossover landscape, but is associated with reduced recombination. Differences in the proportions of NDJ events with altered recombination patterns between chromosomes X and 2 suggest that abnormal crossover positions disparately affect chromosomes with different shapes. Taken together, these findings highlight that the underlying triggers of meiotic nondisjunction are chromosome-specific.
Source: Genetics
Authors: Carolyn A Turcotte, Jeff Sekelsky
Institution: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,477
Funders: Science for Africa Foundation, Region Syddanmark, National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Dermatology Foundation, University of Michigan, University of Massachusetts, Henan Normal University, Wellcome Trust, Sir John Fisher Foundation, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Multimedia University, Pelotonia, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Region Östergötland, Science and Technology Projects of Fujian Province, Fonds der Chemischen Industrie, Cancer Research UK, British Heart Foundation, Leverhulme Trust, Royal Society, Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, European Commission, Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, India, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Austrian Science Fund, Central South University, Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, Northwest Regional Development Agency, Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Natural Science Foundation of Ningxia Province, Shiraz University, Norges Forskningsråd, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People's Republic of China, Associação Fundo de Incentivo à Pesquisa, Natural Science Foundation of Henan Province, King Khalid University, Universität zu Köln, Boehringer Ingelheim Stiftung, Miljødirektoratet, Education Department of Shaanxi Province, Xunta de Galicia, Baotou Medical College, Qinghai Provincial Department of Science and Technology, Higher Education Discipline Innovation Project, Moorfields Eye Charity, Construction Project of Fujian Province Minimally Invasive Medical Center, National Science and Technology Major Project, Iran Science Elites Federation, National Institutes of Health, Directorate for Biological Sciences, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies, University of Michigan, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Fonds de Recherche du Québec - Santé, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Science and Engineering Research Board, National Key Research and Development Program of China, Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, Natural Science Basic Research Program of Shaanxi Province, National Institute on Aging, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
OpenAlex ID: W7140215745