Summary
The Fritillaria japonica group consists of six related species with x=12 and its derivative x=11. Irrespective of basic chromosome number, the pollen and embryo sac mother cells in all these species show clearly different modes of bivalent formation.
Although meiosis in EMC's of five species is typically chiasmate, PMC's of all six species show achiasmate meiosis with the following characteristics: (a) Synapsis of homologous chromosomes is prolonged up to metaphase I. Separation of non-sister chromatids is suppressed and there is thus no typical diplotene/diakinesis. (b) The homologous chromosomes apposed in parallel are usually devoid of chiasmata at metaphase I. Occasionally, concealed chiasmata are observed to be hidden in the synaptic plane, (c) Separation of homologues is initiated at the kinetochore regions at early metaphase I and progresses toward the distal ends, (d) Meiotic behaviour of the small telocentric B chromosomes seems to be independent of, or incompletely controlled by, the achiasmate meiotic system.
Achiasmate meiosis is assumed to have arisen from the chiasmate one through a transitional step like cryptochiasmate meiosis.
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Noda, S. Achiasmate meiosis in the Fritillaria japonica group. Heredity 34, 373–380 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1975.46
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1975.46
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