Meiosis

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 Meiosis
• Principle: diploid to haploid
– Conservation of chromosome number in sexually
produced offspring
– Increase genetic variation
• Purpose:
– Gametogenesis
– Genetic variation
• Crossing over
• Independent Assortment
• Process of meiosis:
– Meiosis 1 =Prophase1, Metaphase1, Anaphase1, Telophase1
– Meiosis 2 =Prophase2, Metaphase2, Anaphase2, Telophase2
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 Meiosis
• This division of the cell results in the daughter
cells having only half (haploid) the number of
chromosomes (n) as the parent cell.

• The parent is called diploid (2n) as it contains

the full complement of chromosomes (two
complete sets of chromosomes

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 Meiosis
• In sexual reproduction, two sex cells (gametes)
are fused to form a single cell (zygote).

• To prevent zygotes from having too many

chromosomes, each gamete must contain only
half of the parental number of chromosomes.
This is ensured by meiosis.

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 Meiosis
• Meiosis occurs in the formation of gametes;
sperm and ova in animals and spores, pollen,
ova in plants.

• At the end of meiosis, four haploid (n)

daughter cells are produced from one cell.

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 Meiosis
Two cell divisions occur
• In the 1st meiotic division, prophase is very
different from that in mitosis.
• The 2nd division is very similar to mitosis.
• The process is continuous
• Symbols I and II are used to distinguish
between the first and second divisions.

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 Chromosomes
• All organisms have two sets of chromosomes –
one from the female and the other from the
male.
• They both determine the same characteristics
having the same sequence of genes.
• They also appear alike having the same shape,
size and centromere position.

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 Chromosomes
• One of these pairs is the sex chromosomes
that determines the gender of the offspring.
• All other pairs are called autosomes.
• Chromosomes are duplicated before meiosis
starts. The centromere holds duplicates
together

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 Meiosis I

First meiotic division (Reduction division)

Prophase I

• Duplicated chromosomes pair up in

homologous pairs.
• One member of each pair is a homologue.
• One homologue is the paternal chromosome
(duplicated) and the other the maternal
chromosome (duplicated)

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 Meiosis I -Prophase I
Homologous
Chromosomes
Maternal Chromosome Paternal Chromosome

Centromere Centromere

Chromatid
Telomere
Chromatid

Homologue Homologue
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 Meiosis I -Prophase I
• The process of the homologous chromosomes
coming together is called synapsis.

• Each pair is called a bivalent but consists of a

four-stranded structure, ie 4 chromatids
(tetrad).

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 Meiosis I -Prophase I
• During synapsis, chromatids associate closely
so they can wrap around each other.

• Towards the end of prophase I they start

repelling each other, but remain joined at
points called chiasmata (chiasma – singular).

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 Meiosis I - Prophase I
• At chiasmata breakage and rejoining can occur
so that portions of one homologue can end up
on portions of the other (crossing over).

• Spindle fibres form, centrioles if present

migrate to the poles, and the nucleolus and
nuclear membranes disappear

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 Meiosis I - Prophase I
Parental
Chromatids
Homologous
Chromosomes

Chromatid

Chiasma Recombinant
Maternal Paternal
Chromosome Chromosome Chromatids

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Genes on
paternal and
maternal
chromosomes

Homologous
Chromosomes Crossing over

1 from http://web.mit.edu/esgbio/www/mg/meiosis.html
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Meiosis I - Prophase I

Prophase I

- http://anthro.palomar.edu/biobasis/meiosis.htm

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 Meiosis I

Metaphase I
• Paired chromosomes (bivalents) line up at the
equator by their centromeres (two in this
case).

• The way the members of the pair orientate

themselves is completely random and is not
influenced by the arrangement of the other
pairs - Independent assortment.
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 Independent Assortment
• X and Y are alternative
arrangements of the
chromosomes at
metaphase.
X
• The arrangement
determines the
combination entering Y
different gametes.

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 Genetic Variation in Sexual
reproduction
• Main sources of genetic variation
– Crossing over in Prophase 1
– Independent assortment in Metaphase 1

• Genetic variation further enhanced by

– Random mate choice
– Many gametes produced
– Mutation when gametes are being produced
– Random fertilization after sexual reproduction

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Meiosis I

Metaphase I

Anaphase I

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 Meiosis I
Anaphase I
• Pairs separate as they move to opposite poles
• Only one member of each homologue is
present at each pole.

• Note that each chromosome still has two

chromatids and the centromeres did not split.

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 Meiosis I
Telophase I

• Chromosomes uncoil, nuclear

envelope reforms
• Spindle disappears
• Cytoplasm division occurs

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Second meiotic division

Meiosis II - Prophase II
Prophase II

• Nucleolus disappears, nuclear envelope

disassembles
• Centrioles if present moves to the poles
• The poles are now at right angles to the
plane of the first division
• Spindle develops.

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 Meiosis II

Prophase II

Figures 13-16 from -

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16http://faculty.clintoncc.suny.edu/faculty/Michael.Gregory/files/Bio%20101/Bio%20101%20Lectures/Meiosis/meiosis.htm
 Meiosis II - Metaphase II
Metaphase II
• Chromosomes line up singly at the equator by
their centromeres attaching to the spindle

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 Meiosis - Anaphase II
Anaphase II

• Chromatids separate and move to opposite

poles.

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 Meiosis - Telophase II
Telophase II

• Chromosomes unwind and become indistinct

• Nuclear envelope and nucleolus reform
• Spindle disappears
• Cytoplasm division occurs. Four haploid cells
result at the end of the process

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Telophase II

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 Overview of Meiosis

2n= 4 chromosomes
n= 2 chromosomes

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 Meiosis - Importance
• The long term survival of a species is
dependent on its ability to adapt to an
environment which constantly changes.
• It has to be able to colonize a range of
habitats.
• The offspring must therefore be different for
their parents as well as each other (variation)
to successfully colonize.
• Meiosis ensures that this occurs.
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 Meiosis - Importance

1. Production and fusion of haploid gametes.

• The genotype of one parent is mixed with that

of the other when gametes fuse randomly.

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 Meiosis - Importance
2. Genetic variation by random distribution of
chromosomes during metaphase I.

• When members of homologous pairs arrange

themselves at the equator of the cell, they do
so independently of each other and randomly.

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 Meiosis - Importance
• So, which chromosome of a given pair goes to
which pole is unaffected by the behaviour of
the chromosomes in other pairs.

• New genetic combinations are produced in

this way

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 Meiosis - Importance
3. Genetic variation by Crossing over
• During prophase I, equivalent portions of
homologous chromosomes may be exchanged,
that is, genes from female chromosomes can
exchange genes with chromosome from male
parent.
• New genetic combinations are produced and
linked genes can be separated.

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 Meiosis - Importance
4.Meiosis is essential in evolution.

• A varied stock of individuals is produced, and

by natural selection, those best suited to
existing conditions survive.

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 Meiosis - Importance
5.Meiosis ensures that at some stage in the life
cycle haploid gametes are produced.

• If this did not occur, the chromosome number

would double with every generation

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 Mitosis - Meiosis comparison
MITOSIS MEIOSIS
Occurs in body/ somatic cells Germ cells (gametogenesis)

Single division Two successive divisions

Homologous chromosomes
remain separate.
Each chromosome consist of
2 chromatids).
Homologous chromosomes
pair.
Each pair of homologous
chromosomes consist of 4
chromatids (Tetrad).

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 Mitosis - Meiosis comparison
MITOSIS
No synapsis, chiasmata
formation for exchange of
genetic material.
Each of the two daughter cells
will have the same number
of chromosomes as the
parent cell.
A diploid cell (2n)
produces two diploid cells
by a mitotic division.
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MEIOSIS
Synapsis, chiasmata formation
occur for exchange of genetic
material.
Each of the four daughter cells
will have ½ the number of
chromosomes as the
parent cell.
A diploid cell produces four
haploid cells (n) by a
meiotic division.
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