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Evidence on the time of chromosome pairing from the preleptotene spiral stage in Lilium longiflorum “Croft”

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Abstract

A period of chromosome spiralization and contraction was observed between premeiotic interphase and leptotene in Lilium longiflorum “Croft”. There was variation in the extent of preleptotene spiralization and contraction of chromosomes among microsporocytes, anthers and buds. The chromosomes sometimes contracted sufficiently to be visible as separate entities. It could then be determined that the chromosomes were single and entirely separate; synapsis and crossing-over had not yet occurred. Furthermore there was no evidence of alignment or association of homologues during the preleptotene contraction period; the chromosomes appeared to be distributed at random. The chromosomes subsequently elongated into the leptotene stage. Wherever they were visible separately the chromosomes were single in early leptotene. These observations support the classical view that synapsis of homologous chromosomes takes place during zygotene, followed by crossing-over at pachytene.

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  1. Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and the University of California, Santa Barbara, California

    Marta Sherman Walters

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  1. Marta Sherman Walters
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It is a pleasure to dedicate this paper to Dr. Sally Hughes-Schrader on the occasion of her seventy-fifth birthday.

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Walters, M.S. Evidence on the time of chromosome pairing from the preleptotene spiral stage in Lilium longiflorum “Croft”. Chromosoma 29, 375–418 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00281923

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00281923

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