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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2009 Jun 27.
Published in final edited form as: Cell. 2008 Jun 27;133(7):1188–1201. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2008.04.050

Figure 6. Zygotene/pachytene chromosome dynamics.

Figure 6

(A) “Piggy-back” model for pachytene movements. A chromosome/NE complex (black ball) binds passively along a nucleus-hugging actin cable (red flag). The cable moves/slides, as indicated by movement of the fiduciary mark (green thickening), dragging the telomere/NE complex in parallel, and concomitantly causing a local deformation of the NE. Intermingled chromosomes move coordinately. (B) Thinner zygotene chromosomes (left) are able to have multiple telomeres simultaneously associated with nucleus-hugging actin cables (thus can colocalize with one another in the vicinity of the SPB) whereas fat, stiff pachytene chromosomes (right) can attach only one at a time and, additionally, can not co-aggregate. (C) Interlocks could be resolved via movement of chromosome ends with accompanying adjustment of synapsis, in response and/or as a driving force (from Kleckner and Weiner, 1993; Copyright holder is Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press).