MEIOSIS
• In asexual reproduction, one parent produces genetically identical
offspring by mitosis
• A clone is a group of genetically identical individuals from the same
parent
• In sexual reproduction, two parents give rise to offspring that have
unique combinations of genes inherited from the two parents
• Heredity is the transmission of traits from one generation to the next
• Variation is demonstrated by the differences in appearance that
offspring show from parents and siblings
• Genes are the units of heredity, and are made up of segments of DNA
• Genes are passed to the next generation through reproductive cells
called gametes (sperm and eggs)
• Each gene has a specific location called a locus on a certain
chromosome
• One set of chromosomes is inherited from each parent
•Human somatic cells (any cell other than a gamete) have 23 pairs of
chromosomes
•A karyotype is an ordered display of the pairs of chromosomes from a cell
•The two chromosomes in each pair are called homologous chromosomes,
or homologs
•Chromosomes in a homologous pair are the same length and carry genes
controlling the same inherited characters
•Each pair of homologous chromosomes includes one chromosome from each
parent
•The 46 chromosomes in a human somatic cell are two sets of 23: one from the
mother and one from the father
•A diploid cell (2n) has two sets of chromosomes
•For humans, the diploid number is 46 (2n = 46)
•In a cell in which DNA synthesis has occurred, each chromosome is replicated
•Each replicated chromosome consists of two identical sister chromatids
5 µm
Pair of homologous
replicated
chromosomes
Centromer
e
Sister
chromatids
Metaphase
chromosom
e
• The sex chromosomes are called X and Y
• Human females have a homologous pair of X chromosomes (XX)
• Human males have one X and one Y chromosome
• The 22 pairs of chromosomes that do not determine sex are called
autosomes
Key
Maternal set of
chromosomes (n = 3)
2n = 6
Paternal set of
chromosomes (n = 3)
Two sister chromatids
of one replicated
chromosome
Centromere
Two nonsister Pair of
chromatids in homologous
a homologous pair chromosomes
(one from each set)
• A gamete (sperm or egg) contains a single set of chromosomes, and is
haploid (n)
• For humans, the haploid number is 23 (n = 23)
• Each set of 23 consists of 22 autosomes and a single sex
chromosome
• In an unfertilized egg (ovum), the sex chromosome is X
• In a sperm cell, the sex chromosome may be either X or Y
• Fertilization and Meiosis
Key Animals:
Haploid (n)
Diploid
(2n)
n Gametes n
• In animals, meiosis produces
n gametes, which undergo no further
cell division before fertilization
MEIOSIS FERTILIZATION
• Gametes are the only haploid cells in
animals
Zygote
2n 2n
• Gametes fuse to form a diploid zygote
Diploid that divides by mitosis to develop into
multicellular Mitosis a multicellular organism
organism
• Depending on the type of life cycle, either haploid or diploid cells can
divide by mitosis
• However, only diploid cells can undergo meiosis
Meiosis reduces the number of chromosome sets
from diploid to haploid
• Like mitosis, meiosis is preceded by the replication of chromosomes
• Meiosis takes place in two sets of cell divisions, called meiosis I and
meiosis II
• The two cell divisions result in four daughter cells, rather than the two
daughter cells in mitosis
• Each daughter cell has only half as many chromosomes as the parent
cell
• In the first cell division (meiosis I), homologous chromosomes separate
• Meiosis I results in two haploid daughter cells with replicated
chromosomes; it is called the reductional division
• In the second cell division (meiosis II), sister chromatids separate
• Meiosis II results in four haploid daughter cells with un-replicated
chromosomes; it is called the equational division
Copyright © 2008 Pearson Education Inc., publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings
Interphase
Homologous pair of chromosomes
in diploid parent cell
Chromosomes
replicate
Homologous pair of replicated chromosomes
Sister
chromatids Diploid cell
with
replicated
chromosomes
Interphase
Homologous pair of chromosomes
in diploid parent cell
Chromosomes
replicate
Homologous pair of replicated chromosomes
Sister
chromatids Diploid cell
with
replicated
chromosomes
Meiosis I
1 Homologous
chromosomes
separate
Haploid cells with
replicated chromosomes
Interphase
Homologous pair of chromosomes
in diploid parent cell
Chromosomes
replicate
Homologous pair of replicated chromosomes
Sister
chromatids Diploid cell
with
replicated
chromosomes
Meiosis I
1 Homologous
chromosomes
separate
Haploid cells with
replicated chromosomes
Meiosis
II
2 Sister chromatids
separate
Haploid cells with unreplicated chromosomes
• Meiosis I is preceded by interphase, in which chromosomes are
replicated to form sister chromatids
• The sister chromatids are genetically identical and joined at the
centromere
• The single centrosome replicates, forming two centrosomes
• Division in meiosis I occurs in four phases:
– Prophase I
– Metaphase I
– Anaphase I
– Telophase I and cytokinesis
Telophase I and
Prophase I Metaphase I Anaphase I
Cytokinesis
Centrosome
(with centriole pair) Sister chromatids
remain attached
Centromere
Sister Chiasmata (with
chromatids kinetochore)
Spindle Metaphase
plate
Homologous Homologous Cleavage
chromosomes chromosomes furrow
separate
Fragments Microtubule
of nuclear attached to
envelope kinetochore
Prophase I
• Prophase I typically occupies more than 90% of the time required for
meiosis
• Chromosomes begin to condense
• In synapsis, homologous chromosomes loosely pair up, aligned gene
by gene
• In crossing over, nonsister chromatids exchange DNA segments
• Each pair of chromosomes forms a tetrad, a group of four chromatids
• Each tetrad usually has one or more chiasmata, X-shaped regions
where crossing over occurred
“Leptotene” -> thin thread
Duplicated chromosomes from interphase
From diffused to condensed stage
“Zygotene” -> paired thread
Homologous chromosomes become
stably paired (a process called synapsis)
Mediated by the installation of the
transverse and central elements of
the synaptonemal complex.
Synaptonemal Complex
“Pachytene” -> thick thread
All chromosomes have synapsed
Crossing over:
Programmed double strand
breaks (around 300 per meiosis; SPO11).
"two threads”
Dissolution of the synaptonemal complex
Separation of the homologous chromosomes
of the bivalents except at the sites of cross-
over.
The X-shaped structures formed during
separation are known as chiasmata.
Fetal oogenesis: paused at this stage
”moved through”
Similar to prophase of mitosis:
nucleoli disappeared
nuclear membrane disintegrated into vesicles
meiotic spindle formed
Metaphase I
Metaphase I
Centromere • In metaphase I, tetrads line up at the metaphase
(with kinetochore) plate, with one chromosome facing each pole
Metaphase • Microtubules from one pole are attached to the
plate
kinetochore of one chromosome of each tetrad
• Microtubules from the other pole are attached to
the kinetochore of the other chromosome
Microtubule
attached to
kinetochore
Anaphase I
Anaphase I
Sister chromatids
remain attached • In anaphase I, pairs of homologous
chromosomes separate
• One chromosome moves toward each pole,
guided by the spindle apparatus
• Sister chromatids remain attached at the
centromere and move as one unit toward the
pole
Homologous
chromosomes
separate
Telophase I and Telophase I and Cytokinesis
Cytokinesis
• In the beginning of telophase I, each half of
the cell has a haploid set of chromosomes;
each chromosome still consists of two sister
chromatids
• Cytokinesis usually occurs simultaneously,
forming two haploid daughter cells
• In animal cells, a cleavage furrow forms; in
plant cells, a cell plate forms
• No chromosome replication occurs between
the end of meiosis I and the beginning of
Cleavage meiosis II because the chromosomes are
furrow already replicated
• Division in meiosis II also occurs in four phases:
– Prophase II
– Metaphase II
– Anaphase II
– Telophase II and cytokinesis
• Meiosis II is very similar to mitosis
Telophase II and
Prophase II Metaphase II Anaphase
Cytokinesis
II
Sister chromatids Haploid daughter
separate
cells
forming
Prophase II
• In prophase II, a spindle apparatus forms
• In late prophase II, chromosomes (each still composed of two chromatids)
move toward the metaphase plate
Metaphase II
• In metaphase II, the sister chromatids are arranged at the metaphase
plate
• Because of crossing over in meiosis I, the two sister chromatids of
each chromosome are no longer genetically identical
• The kinetochores of sister chromatids attach to microtubules extending
from opposite poles
Prophase II Metaphase II
Anaphase II
• In anaphase II, the sister chromatids separate
• The sister chromatids of each chromosome now move as two newly
individual chromosomes toward opposite poles
Telophase II and Cytokinesis
• In telophase II, the chromosomes arrive at opposite poles
• Nuclei form, and the chromosomes begin decondensing
• Cytokinesis separates the cytoplasm
• At the end of meiosis, there are four daughter cells, each with a haploid
set of unreplicated chromosomes
• Each daughter cell is genetically distinct from the others and from the
parent cell
Telephase II and
Anaphase
Cytokinesis
II
Sister chromatids Haploid daughter cells
separate
forming
A Comparison of Mitosis and Meiosis
• Mitosis conserves the number of chromosome sets, producing cells
that are genetically identical to the parent cell
• Meiosis reduces the number of chromosomes sets from two (diploid) to
one (haploid), producing cells that differ genetically from each other
and from the parent cell
• The mechanism for separating sister chromatids is virtually identical in
meiosis II and mitosis
MITOSIS MEIOSIS
Chiasma MEIOSIS I
Parent cell
Chromosome Chromosome
Prophas replication replication Prophase I
e Homologous
chromosom
Replicated 2n = 6 e
chromosome pair
Metaphas Metaphase
e I
Anaphase Anaphase I
Telophase Telophase
I Haploid
n=3
Daughter
cells of
meiosis I
2n 2n MEIOSIS
II
Daughter n n n n
cells Daughter cells of meiosis
of mitosis
II
SUMMARY
Property Mitosis Meiosis
DNA Occurs during interphase before Occurs during interphase before meiosis I begins
replicatio mitosis begins
n
Number of One, including prophase, metaphase, Two, each including prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and
divisions anaphase, and telophase telophase
Synapsis of Does not occur Occurs during prophase I along with crossing over
homologous between nonsister chromatids; resulting chiasmata
chromosomes hold pairs together due to sister chromatid cohesion
Number of Two, each diploid (2n) and genetically Four, each haploid (n), containing half as many chromosomes
daughter identical to the parent cell as the parent cell; genetically different from the parent
cells cell and from each other
and genetic
composition
Role in the Enables multicellular adult to arise from Produces gametes; reduces number of chromosomes by half
animal body zygote; produces cells for growth, repair, and introduces genetic variability among the gametes
and, in some species, asexual reproduction
• Three events are unique to meiosis, and all three occur in meiosis l:
– Synapsis and crossing over in prophase I: Homologous
chromosomes physically connect and exchange genetic
information
– At the metaphase plate, there are paired homologous
chromosomes (tetrads), instead of individual replicated
chromosomes
– At anaphase I, it is homologous chromosomes, instead of sister
chromatids, that separate
Reference
Molecular Biology of the Cell: Bruce Alberts
The Cell Cycle: Principles of Control; David O
Morgan
Thank you…
