Nonrandom Segregation of the Mouse Univalent X Chromosome: Evidence of Spindle-Mediated Meiotic Drive

Corresponding author: Patricia A. Hunt, Department of Genetics, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44106-4955., pah13{at}po.cwru.edu (E-mail)

Communicating editor: N. A. JENKINS

A fundamental principle of Mendelian inheritance is random segregation of alleles to progeny; however, examples of distorted transmission either of specific alleles or of whole chromosomes have been described in a variety of species. In humans and mice, a distortion in chromosome transmission is often associated with a chromosome abnormality. One such example is the fertile XO female mouse. A transmission distortion effect that results in an excess of XX over XO daughters among the progeny of XO females has been recognized for nearly four decades. Utilizing contemporary methodology that combines immunofluorescence, FISH, and three-dimensional confocal microscopy, we have readdressed the meiotic segregation behavior of the single X chromosome in oocytes from XO females produced on two different inbred backgrounds. Our studies demonstrate that segregation of the univalent X chromosome at the first meiotic division is nonrandom, with preferential retention of the X chromosome in the oocyte in 60% of cells. We propose that this deviation from Mendelian expectations is facilitated by a spindle-mediated mechanism. This mechanism, which appears to be a general feature of the female meiotic process, has implications for the frequency of nondisjunction in our species.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				G. Wu, L. Hao, Z. Han, S. Gao, K. E. Latham, F. P.-M. de Villena, and C. Sapienza Maternal Transmission Ratio Distortion at the Mouse Om Locus Results From Meiotic Drive at the Second Meiotic Division Genetics, May 1, 2005; 170(1): 327 - 334. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. E. Koehler, E. A. Millie, J. P. Cherry, P. S. Burgoyne, E. P. Evans, P. A. Hunt, and T. J. Hassold Sex-Specific Differences in Meiotic Chromosome Segregation Revealed by Dicentric Bridge Resolution in Mice Genetics, November 1, 2002; 162(3): 1367 - 1379. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Pardo-Manuel de Villena and C. Sapienza Female Meiosis Drives Karyotypic Evolution in Mammals Genetics, November 1, 2001; 159(3): 1179 - 1189. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Sun, H. Yin, and U. Eichenlaub-Ritter Differential chromosome behaviour in mammalian oocytes exposed to the tranquilizer diazepam in vitro Mutagenesis, September 1, 2001; 16(5): 407 - 417. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. A. Hodges, R. LeMaire-Adkins, and P. A. Hunt Coordinating the segregation of sister chromatids during the first meiotic division: evidence for sexual dimorphism J. Cell Sci., January 7, 2001; 114(13): 2417 - 2426. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]