Haploidisation Explained

Haploidisation is the process of halving the chromosomal content of a cell, producing a haploid cell. Within the normal reproductive cycle, haploidisation is one of the major functional consequences of meiosis, the other being a process of chromosomal crossover that mingles the genetic content of the parental chromosomes.[1] Usually, haploidisation creates a monoploid cell from a diploid progenitor, or it can involve halving of a polyploid cell, for example to make a diploid potato plant from a tetraploid lineage of potato plants.

If haploidisation is not followed by fertilisation, the result is a haploid lineage of cells. For example, experimental haploidisation may be used to recover a strain of haploid Dictyostelium from a diploid strain.[2] It sometimes occurs naturally in plants when meiotically reduced cells (usually egg cells) develop by parthenogenesis.

Haploidisation was one of the procedures used by Japanese researchers to produce Kaguya, a mouse which had same-sex parents; two haploids were then combined to make the diploid mouse.

Haploidisation commitment is a checkpoint in meiosis which follows the successful completion of premeiotic DNA replication and recombination commitment.[3]

See also

References

  1. Bipolar hermaphroditism of somatic cell as the basis of its being and becoming: celldom appreciated.. ML Kothari, L Mehta. 2002. Journal of Postgraduate Medicine. 48. 3.
  2. 7227041 . 82 . Genetic and cytological characterisation of fusion chromosomes of Dictyostelium discoideum . 1981 . Chromosoma . 321–32 . Welker . DL . Williams . KL . 10.1007/bf00285758.
  3. 218468 . 762020 . 137 . Uncontrolled septation in a cell division cycle mutant of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe . J Bacteriol . 440–6 . Minet . M . Nurse . P . Thuriaux . P . Mitchison . JM.