The XY body: a specialized meiotic chromatin domain.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2004

Keywords

Chromatin, Human, Male, Meiosis, Sex-Chromosomes, Spermatocytes

First Page

57

Last Page

63

JAX Source

Exp Cell Res 2004 May; 296(1):57-63.

Abstract

The sex chromosomes of mammalian spermatocytes form a specialized nuclear territory known as the XY body, where both transcription and homologous recombination are restricted. The array of proteins assembled into the XY body is typical of heterochromatin. This special subnuclear domain is in distinct contrast to the autosomal domain of the spermatocyte nucleus, where both homologous recombination and transcription occur. The special features of the XY body might reflect absence of homology between the sex chromosomes, rather than any form of dosage compensation, and may also serve to mark parental origin of the paternal X chromosome.

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