Meiosis Overview - Concepedia

Principles

Definition

Meiosis is a fundamental concept in cell biology and genetics investigating the specialized cell division process in sexually reproducing organisms that generates haploid gametes by halving the parental chromosome number, serving as the cellular basis for sexual reproduction and genetic variation.

Ontological type

Stages and Mechanisms

Genetic Recombination

Cell Cycle Regulation

Key developments

Key Figures

Cytogenetic Foundations era

Theodor Boveri's early chromosomal theory laid the groundwork by arguing that chromosome architecture and pairing govern meiotic recombination, a frame later formalized by cytogenetics. Hermann J. Muller extended this by linking recombination rates to genetic maps and by showing how meiotic processes respond to chromosomal context and mutagenic effects. Curt Stern provided cytogenetic demonstrations that crossing-over reflects chromosomal exchange during meiosis, reinforcing the view that recombination is chromosome-driven. Barbara McClintock revealed chromosome instability through breakage and rearrangements in maize and, later, transposable elements that reshape recombination landscapes.

Molecular Regulatory Control era

David Botstein [1] was a central figure at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology [3] and the University of California, San Francisco [4] during this era. The Transcriptional Program of Sporulation in Budding Yeast [6] by Botstein [1] and colleagues advanced the understanding of transcriptional regulation during sporulation and established a framework linking meiotic gene expression programs to progression. Patrick O. Brown [2], associated with Harvard University [5] and the University of California, San Francisco [4], contributed to illuminating the transcriptional program of sporulation highlighted in The Transcriptional Program of Sporulation in Budding Yeast [6], a contribution foundational to the era's focus on coordinated regulation. This perspective, advanced by Brown [2] and his affiliations with Harvard University [5] and the University of California, San Francisco [4], helped reveal how regulatory networks coordinate meiosis, as highlighted in The Transcriptional Program of Sporulation in Budding Yeast [6], making it a tractable molecular program in this era.

Genomic and RNA Orchestration era

Bernard de Massy [1] is a leading figure associated with Université de Montpellier [3] during the Genomic and RNA Orchestration era. This era's contributions from de Massy include the landmark finding in PRDM9 Is a Major Determinant of Meiotic Recombination Hotspots in Humans and Mice [6], which established PRDM9 as a major determinant of meiotic recombination hotspots and linked sequence-specific binding to hotspot localization that reshaped our view of recombination landscapes. Jon M. Oatley [2] has affiliations with University of Pennsylvania [4] and Tulane University [5] in this era. In this era, Oatley's work culminates in The Mammalian Spermatogenesis Single-Cell Transcriptome, from Spermatogonial Stem Cells to Spermatids [7], a study that maps the transcriptomic transitions across spermatogenesis at single-cell resolution, enabling insights into meiotic timing and germ-cell development that are essential for integrating RNA biology with genomic maps.