Unravelling mechanisms that govern meiotic crossover formation in wheat

James D. Higgins, Kim Osman, Stuart D. Desjardins, Ian Henderson, Keith J. Edwards, F. Chris H. Franklin

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

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Abstract

Wheat is a major cereal crop that possesses a large allopolyploid genome formed through hybridisation of tetraploid and diploid progenitors. During meiosis, crossovers (COs) are constrained in number to 1–3 per chromosome pair that are predominantly located towards the chromosome ends. This reduces the probability of advantageous traits recombining onto the same chromosome, thus limiting breeding. Therefore, understanding the underlying factors controlling meiotic recombination may provide strategies to unlock the genetic potential in wheat. In this mini-review, we will discuss the factors associated with restricted CO formation in wheat, such as timing of meiotic events, chromatin organisation, pre-meiotic DNA replication and dosage of CO genes, as a means to modulate recombination.
Original languageEnglish
Article numberBST20220405
Pages (from-to)1179-1186
Number of pages8
JournalBiochemical Society Transactions
Volume50
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 28 Jul 2022

Keywords

  • crossover
  • meiosis
  • recombination
  • wheat

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