Abstract
The role of homologue pairing and chromocentral association of chromosomes in recombination and segregation during cell division is discussed. Peculiarities of mitotic and meiotic chromosome pairing in Drosophila males and females are considered. On the basis of our own and published data, the presence and localization of sites of homologue pairing initiation in euchromatin are substantiated. The effects of transfer of initiation sites along a chromosome (exemplified by inversions) on chromosome pairing (asynapsis), crossing over (intrachromosomal, interchromosomal, and centromeric effects), and segregation are discussed. To record the effects of pairing sites on crossing over, a method of comparing crossing-over frequencies in an inverted region with those in a region of the same size and position with regard to the centromere on cytological maps was proposed. Chromosomes orient toward opposite division poles during paracentromeric heterochromatin pairing. This occurs after successful euchromatin pairing, during which the chromocentral circular structure is reorganized. If heterochromatin pairing is disrupted because of structural or locus mutations, nonexchange bivalents segregate randomly. In this case, chromosome coordination may occur due to proximal chiasmata or chromocentral associations between homologues.
