Nature Genetics
27, 236 - 238 (2001)
doi:10.1038/85781
 -H2AX illuminates meiosis
Neil Hunter1, G Valentin Börner1, Michael Lichten2
& Nancy Kleckner11
Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA. 2
Laboratory of Biochemistry, Division of Basic Science, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-4255, USA.
nhunter@fas.harvard.edu
The temporal and functional relationships between the DNA events of meiotic recombination and the synaptonemal complex (SC), a meiosis-specific structure formed between homolog axes, are subjects of intense discussion and investigation. A new study provides evidence that initiation of recombination (through programmed double-strand breaks (DSBs)) precedes initiation of SC formation, and further suggests that progression of recombination is required for formation of SC on a region-by-region basis. These conclusions derive from immunocytological analysis of a phosphorylated histone variant,  -H2AX, previously found to be characteristic of DSB repair in mitotic cells, and shown here to be recruited for specialized use during meiosis.
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