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First published online September 17, 2008
doi: 10.1242/10.1242/jcs.035071

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STRA8-deficient spermatocytes initiate, but fail to complete, meiosis and undergo premature chromosome condensation

Manuel Mark^*, Hugues Jacobs, Mustapha Oulad-Abdelghani, Christine Dennefeld, Betty Féret, Nadège Vernet, Carmen-Alina Codreanu, Pierre Chambon and Norbert B. Ghyselinck^*

Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Inserm U596, CNRS UMR7104, Illkirch F-67400 France

^* Authors for correspondence (e-mail: manuel.mark{at}igbmc.fr; norbert.ghyselinck{at}igbmc.fr)

Accepted 7 July 2008

We analysed the phenotypic outcome of a Stra8-null mutation on male meiosis. Because the mutant spermatocytes (1) underwent premeiotic DNA replication, (2) displayed cytological features attesting initiation of recombination and of axial-element assembly, and (3) expressed Spo11 and numerous other meiotic genes, it was concluded that STRA8 is dispensable for meiotic initiation. The few mutant spermatocytes that progressed beyond leptonema showed a prolonged bouquet-stage configuration, asynapsis and heterosynapsis, suggesting function(s) of STRA8 in chromosome pairing. Most importantly, a large number of mutant leptotene spermatocytes underwent premature chromosome condensation, within 24 hours following the meiotic S phase. This phenomenon yielded aberrant metaphase-like cells with 40 univalent chromosomes, similar to normal mitotic metaphases. From these latter observations and from the wild-type pattern of Stra8 expression, we propose that, in preleptotene spermatocytes, STRA8 is involved in the process that leads to stable commitment to the meiotic cell cycle.

Key words: Mouse, Preleptonema, Premature chromosome condensation, Chromosome pairing, Synaptonemal complex

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				M. Mark, H. Jacobs, M. Oulad-Abdelghani, C. Dennefeld, B. Feret, N. Vernet, C.-A. Codreanu, P. Chambon, and N. B. Ghyselinck STRA8-deficient spermatocytes initiate, but fail to complete, meiosis and undergo premature chromosome condensation Development, October 15, 2008; 135(20): e1 - e1. [Full Text]