The pachytene karyotype of Schizophyllum commune analyzed by three dimensional reconstruction of synaptonemal complexes

Abstract

Three dimensional reconstructions of 15 pachytene nuclei of Schizophyllum commune have revealed in each nucleus 11 distinct synaptonemal complexes, demonstrating a haploid chromosome number of 11. Each bivalent contained one short region of condensed chromatin marking the position of the centromere. The synaptonemal complex of, each bivalent contained from 0 to six recombination nodules. A high correlation was found between the total length of the synaptonemal complexes in a nucleus and the number of recombination nodules. Total synaptonemal complex length correlated only weakly with the nuclear volume. © 1978 Carlsberg Laboratory.