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Updated: Mar 15, 2026

Preparation of Meiotic Chromosome Spreads from Mouse Oocytes for Assessment of Synapsis and Recombination
Published on: July 18, 2025
P31comet, a member of the synaptonemal complex, participates in meiotic DSB formation in rice
Jianhui Ji1, Ding Tang2, Yi Shen2
1State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; National Center for Plant Gene Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Eco-Agriculture Biotechnology around Hongze Lake, Huaiyin Normal University, Huaian 223300, China.
Abstract:
The human mitotic arrest-deficient 2 (Mad2) binding protein p31(comet) participates in the spindle checkpoint and coordinates cell cycle events in mitosis although its function in meiosis remains unknown in all organisms. Here, we reveal P31(comet) as a synaptonemal complex (SC) protein in rice (Oryza sativa L.). In p31(comet), homologous pairing and synapsis are eliminated, leading to the homologous nondisjunction and complete sterility. The failure in loading of histone H2AX phosphorylation (γH2AX) in p31(comet), together with the suppressed chromosome fragmentation in rice completion of meiotic recombination 1 (com1) p31(comet) and radiation sensitive 51c (rad51c) p31(comet) double mutants, indicates that P31(comet) plays an essential role in double-strand break (DSB) formation. Interestingly, the dynamic colocalization pattern between P31(comet) and ZEP1 (a transverse filament protein of SC) by immunostaining, as well as the interaction between P31(comet) and CENTRAL REGION COMPONENT 1 (CRC1) in yeast two-hybrid assays, suggests possible involvement of P31(comet) in SC installation. Together, these data indicate that P31(comet) plays a key role in DSB formation and SC installation, mainly through its cooperation with CRC1.
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