Procentriole assembly without centriole disengagement - a paradox of male gametogenesis

Disengagement of parent centrioles represents the licensing process to restrict centriole duplication exactly once during the cell cycle. However, we provide compelling evidence that this general rule is overridden in insect gametogenesis, when distinct procentrioles are generated during prophase of the first meiosis while parent centrioles are still engaged. Moreover, the number of procentrioles increases during the following meiotic divisions, and up to four procentrioles were found at the base of each mother centriole. However, procentrioles fail to organize a complete set of A-tubules and are thus unable to function as a template for centriole formation. Such a system, in which procentrioles form but halt growth, represents a unique model to analyze the process of cartwheel assembly and procentriole formation.