K. Yoshida et al., THE MOUSE RECA-LIKE GENE DMC1 IS REQUIRED FOR HOMOLOGOUS CHROMOSOME SYNAPSIS DURING MEIOSIS, MOLECULAR CELL, 1(5), 1998, pp. 707-718
The mouse Dmc1 gene is an E. coli RecA homolog that is specifically ex
pressed in meiosis. The DMC1 protein was detected in leptotene-to-zygo
tene spermatocytes, when homolog pairing likely initiates. Targeted ge
ne disruption in the male mouse showed an arrest of meiosis of germ ce
lls at the early zygotene stage, followed by apoptosis. In female mice
lacking the Dmc1 gene, normal differentiation of oogenesis was aborte
d in embryos, and germ cells disappeared in the adult ovary. Meiotic c
hromosome analysis of Dmc1-deficient mouse spermatocytes revealed rand
om spread of univalent axial elements without correct pairing between
homologs. In rare cases, however, we observed complex pairing among no
nhomologs. Thus, the mouse Dmc1 gene is required for homologous synaps
is of chromosomes in meiosis.