By: Zoé Dumas, William Toubiana, Tanja Schwander
Author summary To ensure the faithful transmission of genetic material between parents and offspring, chromosomes undergo a series of coordinated processes prior to fertilization that include pairing with the homologous partner, exchanging pieces of DNA (i.e., recombination), segregating (i.e., separating), and remodeling the compaction and transcription of DNA. In males, these cellular processes are divided into two main phases: meiosis, where the genetic material is equally split into four gametic cells, and spermiogenesis, where chromosomes are tightly packed into the compact heads of sperm cells. Although these processes are crucial for reproduction across all animals, the underlying mechanisms can vary widely between species. In this study, we explore how these processes take place in Timema, a group of stick insects. We reveal that while the mechanisms, and their temporal relationships, related to chromosome pairing and recombination are similar to other organisms, the mechanisms involved in chromosome segregation and transcription show notable differences.
