Name: Frequency and Distribution of Crossovers in Caenorhabditis elegans Meiosis by SNP Genotyping using Real-time PCR (Video) | JoVE Journal
Uploaded: 2025-07-11T15:30:00.000+00:00
Duration: 6 min 18 s
Description: Learn a qPCR-based SNP genotyping method to measure crossover frequency and distribution during meiosis in Caenorhabditis elegans. This simplified approach improves accuracy over traditional multi-step protocols for genetic research.

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5 minutes

The strains were kindly provided by the Caenorhabditis Genetics Center (CGC), funded by the NIH Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (P40 OD010440). We thank the members of the Saito Laboratory for their helpful discussions regarding this work. This work was supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) KAKENHI Grant JP23K05868 to TTS.

1. First genetic cross
<ol>
	<li>Prepare mating plates that comprise normal Nematode Growth Medium (NGM) plates with a small OP50 spot (~5 mm diameter) in the 35 mm dish.</li>
	<li>Add three L4 hermaphrodites of the Bristol N2 strain (or mutants with a Bristol background) and nine young adult males of the Hawaiian CB4856 strain on a mating plate (Figure 1A). 
	NOTE: To analyze mutants with high embryonic lethality, it is necessary to use balanced mutants with both Bristol and Hawaiian backgrounds in this cross. To obtain mutants with a Hawaiian background, the Bristol mutants must be outcrossed with the Hawaiian strain at least six times until all the SNP sites of interest have a Hawaiian background. As a result, the Hawaiian mutant contains Bristol background only in the mutated region and the balancer chromosome.</li>
	<li>Incubate the plate for 1.5 days at 20 &#176;C to mate the two strains. Transfer each hermaphrodite to a new individual NGM plate with OP50.</li>
	<li>Place the plates in a 20 &#176;C incubator for 1 day to allow them to lay fertilized eggs. Transfer each hermaphrodite to a new individual NGM plate with OP50.</li>
	<li>Place the plates in a 20 &#176;C incubator for 1 day to allow fertilized eggs to be laid again. Remove the hermaphrodites. Keep the plates for 0.5 - 1 day in a 20 &#176;C incubator to grow the progenies to L4.</li>
</ol>
2. Second cross
<ol>
	<li>Pick six crossed-L4-hermaphrodites (Bristol/Hawaiian hybrids) and 12-15 ccIs4251[(pSAK2) myo-3p::GFP::LacZ::NLS + (pSAK4) myo-3p::mitochondrial GFP + dpy-20(+)] I (TTS24) Bristol males onto a new mating plate (Figure 1B). 
	NOTE: The ccIs4251 inserted strain is obtained from the Caenorhabditis Genetics Center, and it must be outcrossed with wild-type N2 strain more than six times.</li>
	<li>Keep the plate for 1.5 days at 20 &#176;C in an incubator to mate. Transfer each hermaphrodite to a new NGM plate with OP50.</li>
	<li>Place the plates in a 20 &#176;C incubator for 1 day to allow them to lay fertilized eggs. Transfer each hermaphrodite to a new individual NGM plate with OP50.</li>
	<li>Keep the plates for 1 day in a 20 &#176;C incubator to let them lay fertilized eggs again. Transfer each parental hermaphrodite to a PCR tube with 3 &#181;L of lysis buffer to check if the first cross was successful.</li>
	<li>Check the genotypes of the parents as a Bristol/Hawaiian hybrid by PCR in a region of chromosome V. Separate the bands by 2.5% agarose gel electrophoresis.
	<ol>
		<li>In the SNP, WBVar01973670, the length of the PCR amplicon from the Bristol genome is 220 bp, and from the Hawaiian genome is 196 bp. If the PCR results indicate that the parents are Bristol homozygotes, this is due to self-fertilization of the first cross. Do not use the progeny of these worms for further analysis.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
</ol>
3. Sampling
<ol>
	<li>Prepare Worm lysis buffer as follows: 50 mM KCL, 10 mM Tris pH 8.2, 2.5 mM MgCl2, 0.45% IGEPAL CA-630 (NP-40), 0.45% Tween 20, and 0.01% gelatin. Sterilize by filtration and store at room temperature. Immediately before use, add 3 &#181;L of 20 mg/mL proteinase K (in H2O) to 1 mL of lysis buffer and store in aliquots at -20 &#176;C.</li>
	<li>Check the expression of the GFP at the body wall muscle of the progenies of the second cross by fluorescent dissecting microscope before adding the worms to individual PCR tubes. The magnification is 6.1- 55x, and the wavelength used is 440-460 nm.</li>
	<li>Pick a GFP-positive single worm and add to each PCR tube containing 3 &#181;L of worm lysis buffer (Figure 1C). Collect a total of 360 (90 x 4 biological replicates) adult male crossed progenies in each of 360 PCR tubes. 
	NOTE: To avoid picking self-fertilized offspring, GFP-positive worms should be selected for the sampling. Unmated hermaphrodites younger than L4 are also available for analysis of autosomes, but because they have different numbers of X chromosomes, males and hermaphrodites must be identified after growing to L4 and sampled when analyzing the X chromosome.</li>
	<li>Place the samples in a -80 &#176;C freezer for 5 min. Samples can be stored at -80 &#176;C until lysis can begin.</li>
	<li>When analyzing mutants with high embryonic lethality, collect the dead embryos instead of live larvae to obtain unbiased results. To collect embryos, use a pipette tip with 0.5 &#181;L of chitinase solution (20 mg/mL chitinase, 50 mM NaCl, 70 mM KCl, 2.5 mM MgCl2, 2.5 mM CaCl2). Collect embryos within 4 h of laying. 
	NOTE: Dead embryos laid more than 4 h ago are unsuitable for PCR analysis, probably due to the degradation of genomic DNA.</li>
</ol>
4. Sample lysis
<ol>
	<li>Set the PCR tubes in the thermal cycler at 60 &#176;C for 1 h, followed by 95 &#176;C for 15 min. Add 100 &#181;L of nuclease-free water to each tube and mix well.</li>
	<li>Store samples at -20 &#176;C until starting SNP genotyping by real-time PCR.</li>
</ol>
5.&#160;SNP genotyping
<ol>
	<li>Make a mixture as follows (Figure 2). In a 1.5 mL tube, add 125 &#181;L of Master Mix, 6 &#181;L of SNP Genotyping Assay (40x), 280&#160;&#181;L of Distilled water (DW), Forward primer (450 nM), Reverse primer (450 nM), Probe 1 (100 nM), Probe 2 (100 nM). 
	NOTE: The probes and primers are listed in Table 1.</li>
	<li>Mix thoroughly by pipetting several times to ensure a uniform concentration. Add 4 &#181;L of the mixture to each well of a 96-well PCR plate on the support base with a 12-channel micropipette.</li>
	<li>Add 1 &#181;L of lysate containing each genomic DNA to each well and mix by pipetting several times.</li>
	<li>Prepare positive controls, i.e., Bristol homozygotes, Hawaiian homozygotes, and Bristol/Hawaiian hybrids, and three no-template controls as negative controls (Figure 3A).</li>
	<li>Seal the plate with an optical adhesive film. Press the film focusing on the rims of each well using an applicator.</li>
	<li>Centrifuge the plate briefly to collect the liquid at the bottom and remove air bubbles from the liquid.</li>
	<li>Load the plate onto the real-time PCR instrument. Click the Create New Experiment button in the Software.</li>
	<li>In the Properties setting, set Instrument type to QuantStudio 1 System, Block type to 96-well 0.2 mL Block, Experimental type to Genotyping, Chemistry to TaqMan Reagents, and Run mode to Fast.</li>
	<li>In the Method setting, set Volume to 5 &#181;L (ensuring that the correct reaction volume matches the setup), Cycle Count to 40 cycles (default). Set the temperature and time settings as follows: Pre-Read Stage at 25 &#176;C for 30 s, Hold Stage (enzyme activation, hot start) at 95 &#176;C for 20 s, PCR Stage at 95 &#176;C for 1 s, 60 &#176;C for 20 s, and Post-Read Stage at 25 &#176;C for 30 s.</li>
	<li>In the Plate setting, match the positions of the samples and controls to each well on the software screen.</li>
	<li>Save the Experiment in a USB device, load it into the real-time PCR instrument, and click the Run button.</li>
</ol>
6. Data analysis
<ol>
	<li>Save the results to a USB and transfer them to a computer for data analysis.</li>
	<li>Analyze Real-Time delta Rn (dRn) Data using the formula below, where Rn (normalized reporter) is the fluorescence signal from the reporter dye, VIC and FAM, normalized by dividing by the fluorescence signal of the passive reference dye, ROX. 
	dRn = Rn - baseline</li>
	<li>Review the allelic discrimination plot.</li>
	<li>Confirm the separation of clusters (Figure 3B). In the allele discrimination plot, Bristol homozygotes are grouped in the lower right corner, Bristol/Hawaiian hybrids are grouped in the upper right corner, Hawaiian homozygotes are grouped in the upper left corner, and negative controls are grouped in the lower left corner. Use the following color codes: 
	Red: Bristol allele 
	Blue: Hawaiian allele 
	Green: Heterozygous 
	Black: Negative control</li>
	<li>Export the results to a spreadsheet file and assemble the genotyping data from all four SNP positions. If there are undetermined calls in four consecutive positions, exclude the data from the N-value. Use 90 samples per plate for analysis.
	<ol>
		<li>Identify the crossovers as follows: If the SNP at position #1 is a Bristol/Hawaiian hybrid, and positions #2-#4 are all Bristol homozygotes [B/H]-[B/B]-[B/B]-[B/B] or position #1 is a Bristol homozygote and position #2-#4 are all Bristol/Hawaiian hybrids [B/B]-[B/H]-[B/H]-[B/H], these results indicate a single crossover between positions #1 and #2 (somewhere on the left arm of the chromosome). Similarly, in the case of [B/H]-[B/H]-[B/B]-[B/B] or [B/B]-[B/B]-[B/H]-[B/H], a single crossover occurs between #2 and #3 (somewhere in the central region of the chromosome), and in the case of [B/H]-[B/H]-[B/H]-[B/B] or [B/B]-[B/B]-[B/B]-[B/H], a single crossover occurs between #3 and #4 (somewhere on the right arm of the chromosome). 
		NOTE: There are six patterns of double crossovers. Left and right: [B/B]-[B/H]-[B/H]-[B/B] and [B/H]-[B/B]-[B/B]-[B/H], left and center: [B/B]-[B/H]-[B/B]-[B/B] and [B/H]-[B/B]-[B/H]-[B/H], center and right: [B/B]-[B/B]-[B/H]-[B/B] and [B/H]-[B/H]-[B/B]-[B/H].</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
</ol>
7. Statistical analysis
<ol>
	<li>Insert the values into the SPSS Statistics software (IBM). For the comparison of the crossover distribution at the left arm, the central region, and the right arm of the chromosomes, insert 82 chromosomes with a crossover at the left arm, 20 chromosomes with a crossover at the central region, and 68 chromosomes with a crossover at the right arm.</li>
	<li>Perform ANOVA and Bonferroni correction and determine statistical significance using a two-tailed p-value. Perform as many comparisons as required, such as left arm versus center or WT versus mutant.</li>
</ol>

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<li>Tsai, C. J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Meiotic+crossover+number+and+distribution+are+regulated+by+a+dosage+compensation+protein+that+resembles+a+condensin+subunit%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Genes+Dev%22%5BJournal%5D)">Meiotic crossover number and distribution are regulated by a dosage compensation protein that resembles a condensin subunit.</a> Genes Dev. 22 (2), 194-211 (2008).</li>
<li>Bhalla, N., Wynne, D. J., Jantsch, V., Dernburg, A. F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Zhp-3+acts+at+crossovers+to+couple+meiotic+recombination+with+synaptonemal+complex+disassembly+and+bivalent+formation+in+C.+elegans%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22PLoS+Genet%22%5BJournal%5D)">Zhp-3 acts at crossovers to couple meiotic recombination with synaptonemal complex disassembly and bivalent formation in C. elegans.</a> PLoS Genet. 4 (10), e1000235(2008).</li>
<li>Yokoo, R., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Cosa-1+reveals+robust+homeostasis+and+separable+licensing+and+reinforcement+steps+governing+meiotic+crossovers%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Cell%22%5BJournal%5D)">Cosa-1 reveals robust homeostasis and separable licensing and reinforcement steps governing meiotic crossovers.</a> Cell. 149 (1), 75-87 (2012).</li>
<li>Almanzar, D. E., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Meiotic+DNA+exchanges+in+C.+elegans+are+promoted+by+proximity+to+the+synaptonemal+complex%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Life+Sci+Alliance%22%5BJournal%5D)">Meiotic DNA exchanges in C. elegans are promoted by proximity to the synaptonemal complex.</a> Life Sci Alliance. 6 (4), e202301906(2023).</li>
<li>De Los Santos, T., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((The+mus81%2Fmms4+endonuclease+acts+independently+of+double-holliday+junction+resolution+to+promote+a+distinct+subset+of+crossovers+during+meiosis+in+budding+yeast%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Genetics%22%5BJournal%5D)">The mus81/mms4 endonuclease acts independently of double-holliday junction resolution to promote a distinct subset of crossovers during meiosis in budding yeast.</a> Genetics. 164 (1), 81-94 (2003).</li>
<li>Saito, T. T., Colaiacovo, M. P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Regulation+of+crossover+frequency+and+distribution+during+meiotic+recombination%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Cold+Spring+Harb+Symp+Quant+Biol%22%5BJournal%5D)">Regulation of crossover frequency and distribution during meiotic recombination.</a> Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol. 82, 223-234 (2017).</li>
<li>Zalevsky, J., Macqueen, A. J., Duffy, J. B., Kemphues, K. J., Villeneuve, A. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=((Crossing+over+during+Caenorhabditis+elegans+meiosis+requires+a+conserved+mutS-based+pathway+that+is+partially+dispensable+in+budding+yeast%5BTitle%5D)+AND+%22Genetics%22%5BJournal%5D)">Crossing over during Caenorhabditis elegans meiosis requires a conserved mutS-based pathway that is partially dispensable in budding yeast.</a> Genetics. 153 (3), 1271-1283 (1999).</li>
</ol>

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Here, we have introduced a method for measuring the crossover frequency and distribution in C. elegans meiosis based on SNP genotyping of crossed progenies from the Bristol/Hawaiian hybrid species. While the conventional snip-SNP method (RFLP) requires gel electrophoresis after PCR, and the detection of DNA bands requires a gel documentation system14,18, SNP genotyping by the 5&#39; nuclease assay using real-time PCR does not require a laborious electrop...

Crossover formation between homologous chromosomes is essential for the proper segregation of chromosomes and also for the generation of genetic diversity1. Errors in crossover formation cause aneuploidy, which can lead to infertility, miscarriage, and birth defects2. Crossover frequency varies by chromosome region, mutant type, age, and sex, underscoring the need to accurately measure crossover frequency under each of these conditions3,4,5. The overall goal of this method is to accurately measure the crossover frequency of each chromosomal domain and thereby accurately determine the distribution of crossovers over the entire length of the C. elegans chromosome.
Traditionally, two-point mapping using morphological markers has been used to measure crossover frequency6,7,8,9,10. In C. elegans, dumpy, short, fat body (Dpy) and uncoordinated movement (Unc) phenotypes are often used to create chromosome maps6. The advantages of this method are its low cost and ability to analyze many progenies. The disadvantages of these methods include the limitation of choosing the loci of interest and the inability to use lethal progenies because their phenotypes are not visible. In order to overcome the inconvenience of site choice, Tc1 transposons have been used as markers for polymorphic sequence-tagged sites (STS)11,12. Tc1s can be detected using PCR and electrophoresis. While the standard Bristol N2 strain had 30 copies of the Tc1 transposon, the C. elegans isolates from Bergerac in France (RW7000 and DP13) had 500 copies of Tc1. Thus, the number and distribution of Tc1 transposons vary among isolates, and this is used to analyze the chromosomes of the progeny of hybrid worms between isolates by PCR. Subsequently, SNPs were also used to measure crossover frequency and distribution13,14. The SNP between the Bristol N2 and Hawaiian CB4856 strains appeared every 1,000 bp15,16. SNPs are detected as restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) using PCR, restriction digestion, and electrophoresis. Recently, small insertion/deletion (InDel) sites as well as SNPs between Bristol N2 and Hawaiian CB4856 have been proposed as more efficient markers17. However, measuring crossover frequency using Tc1, RFLP, and InDel requires labor-intensive processes such as PCR, restriction enzyme treatment, and electrophoresis. If each process is not optimized in a large-scale analysis, the results may be misinterpreted due to factors such as the accuracy of PCR, the type of restriction enzyme used, the efficiency of DNA cleavage, and the clarity and separation of bands during electrophoresis. In contrast, the proposed method utilizes SNP genotyping by real-time PCR to facilitate accurate and precise quantification.
Crossovers are not randomly distributed along chromosomes. In C. elegans, single crossovers tend to form more frequently in the arms and are suppressed in the center3,5. Morphological two-point mapping cannot identify where crossovers occur outside of marker genes. Conversely, SNP mapping allows for an increase in markers and has been shown to facilitate the determination of the exact region of a crossover along the entire chromosome5,14,18. In this study, we employed the chromosomal domain boundaries proposed by Rockman and Kruyglyak5 and selected four SNPs for analysis: at both ends of the chromosome, and at both ends of the center/arm boundaries.
By taking advantage of the previous methods, we proposed an accurate and rapid SNP detection method by real-time PCR using TaqMan, 5&#39; nuclease19 to measure the crossover among the left arm, center, and right arm of each chromosome. The advantages of our method over alternative technologies, as compared to prior studies20,21,22, are accuracy and simplicity. This method is a qPCR-applied crossover analysis method for C. elegans and is widely suitable for researchers studying meiosis.

<table><tbody><tr><td>101-1000&amp;mu;l Pipette Tip</td><td>QSP</td><td>111-N-Q</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>0.5mol/I-EDTA Solution (pH 8.0)</td><td>Nacalai tesque</td><td>14347-21</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>10mol/I-Sodium Hydroxide Solution</td><td>Nacalai tesque</td><td>94611-45</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>10X DreamTaq Green Buffer</td><td>Thermo Fisher Scientific&amp;nbsp;</td><td>EP0713</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>10&amp;mu;L, Long Tip, Granduated</td><td>FUKAEKASEI, WATSON</td><td>110-207C</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>200&amp;mu;L, Standard Tip, Graduated</td><td>FUKAEKASEI, WATSON</td><td>110-705C</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Agar Powder</td><td>Nacalai tesque</td><td>01028-14</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Agarose</td><td>PH Japan</td><td>PH108</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Autoclave TOMY model ES-215 High Pressure Steam Sterilizer</td><td>TOMY SEIKO</td><td>ES-215</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Bacto Peptone Enzymatic Digest of Protein</td><td>Thermo Fisher Scientific&amp;nbsp;</td><td>211677</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Boric Acid</td><td>Nacalai tesque</td><td>05215-05</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Caenorhabditis elegans Bristol wild-type&amp;nbsp;</td><td>Caenorhabditis Genetics Center</td><td>N2</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Caenorhabditis elegans Hawaiian wild-type</td><td>Caenorhabditis Genetics Center</td><td>CB4856</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Calcium Chloride</td><td>Nacalai tesque</td><td>06729-55</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>ccIs4251 [(pSAK2) myo-3p::GFP::LacZ::NLS + (pSAK4) myo-3p::mitochondrial GFP + dpy-20(+)] I</td><td>Saito lab</td><td>TTS24</td><td>originally from PD4251</td></tr><tr><td>Cholesterol</td><td>Nacalai tesque</td><td>08721-62</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Custom TaqMan SNP Genotyping Assays</td><td>Thermo Fisher Scientific&amp;nbsp;</td><td>4332077</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Deoxynucleotide (dNTP) Solution Mix</td><td>New England Biolabs</td><td>N04470</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>DigPrint Doc Tablet DP-T130z</td><td>Bio Tools</td><td>DP-T130z</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>di-Potassium Hydrogenphosphate</td><td>Nacalai tesque</td><td>28726-05</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Dissecting Microscope</td><td>Nikon</td><td>SMZ-745 C-DS</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Dream Taq DNA Polymerase</td><td>Thermo Fisher Scientific&amp;nbsp;</td><td>EP0713</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Ethidium Bromide Solution</td><td>Nacalai tesque</td><td>14631-94</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Forward Primer for WBVar01973670</td><td>IDT</td><td>103988736</td><td>atgtctcacccaaggttgaa</td></tr><tr><td>gelatin</td><td>Nacalai tesque</td><td>166-31</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Gilson PIPETMAN Classic Pipet</td><td>Thermo Fisher Scientific&amp;nbsp;</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>IGEPAL CA-630</td><td>Sigma-Aldrich</td><td>18896</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Magnesium Sulfate Heptahydrate</td><td>Nacalai tesque</td><td>21003-75</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>MicroAmp Optical 96-Well Reacton Plate</td><td>Thermo Fisher Scientific&amp;nbsp;</td><td>N8010560</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>MicroAmp Optical Adhedive Film</td><td>Thermo Fisher Scientific&amp;nbsp;</td><td>4311971</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>MiniAmp&amp;nbsp; thermal cycler</td><td>Thermo Fisher Scientific&amp;nbsp;</td><td>MiniAmp</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Mini-Sub Cell GT Horizontal Electrophoresis System, 7 x 10 cm tray</td><td>Bio-Rad Laboratories</td><td>1704466</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Nichipet EXII</td><td>Nichiryo</td><td>00-NPX2-2</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Nichipet EXII MULTI</td><td>Nichiryo</td><td>00-NPM-12VP</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Pippete Mate NEO</td><td>Nichiryo</td><td>00-PMNEO</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Potassium Chloride</td><td>Nacalai tesque</td><td>285-38</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Potassium Dihydrogenphosphate</td><td>Nacalai tesque</td><td>28720-65</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Proteinase K</td><td>Thermo Fisher Scientific&amp;nbsp;</td><td>EO0491</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>QuantStudio 1 Real-Time PCR System, 96-well, 0.2 mL</td><td>Thermo Fisher Scientific&amp;nbsp;</td><td>A40426</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Quick-Load Purple 1kb Plus DNA Ladder</td><td>New England Biolabs</td><td>N0550S</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Reverse Primer for WBVar01973670</td><td>IDT</td><td>103988737</td><td>tggctactcctagtcactga</td></tr><tr><td>Sodium Chlorids</td><td>Nacalai tesque</td><td>31319-45</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>TaqPath ProAmp Master Mix</td><td>Thermo Fisher Scientific&amp;nbsp;</td><td>A30866</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>TC Dish 35, Standard</td><td>SARSTEDT</td><td>83.3900</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Tris (hydroxymethyl) aminomethane</td><td>Nacalai tesque</td><td>35406-75</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Trizma base</td><td>Sigma-Aldrich</td><td>&amp;nbsp;T1503-1KG</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Tween 20</td><td>Yoneyama Reagent</td><td>03706</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>WormStuff Worm Pick</td><td>Genesee Scientific</td><td>59-AWP</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>WormStuff Worm Pick Tips(90/10% Pt/Ir, 30 Gauge)</td><td>Genesee Scientific</td><td>59-30PI36</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

frequency and distribution of crossovers in caenorhabditis elegans meiosis by snp genotyping using real-time pcr

Frequency and Distribution of Crossovers in Caenorhabditis elegans Meiosis by SNP Genotyping using Real-time PCR

Caenorhabditis elegans is an excellent model organism for studying meiosis. In addition to general advantages, such as a short reproductive cycle, many progenies, and a transparent body for imaging, there are six pairs of homologous holocentric chromosomes. There is strong crossover interference and regulation of crossover distribution. To measure the crossover frequency, visible marker mapping, snip-SNP mapping, and quantification of cytological markers as precursors of crossover formation have been developed. Here, we introduce a modified SNP genotyping method to measure the crossover frequency and distribution in C. elegans oogenesis. This method can omit the laborious steps of restriction digestion and gel electrophoresis and avoid the ambiguous judgment of uncut DNA bands. Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping is performed using the Bristol/Hawaiian hybrid strain. Crossing hermaphrodites with myo-3p::GFP-expressing males enables us to focus on oogenesis. A single worm lysate produces sufficient DNA template for all six chromosomes. The 5' exonuclease-based TaqMan chemistry and SNP-specific minor groove binder (MGB) probes allow the precise detection of SNP at a genotyping rate of approximately 97.7%. We utilize the accurate detection of SNPs to measure crossover frequency in C. elegans. This method can also be applied to determine the crossover frequency in male or crossover-defective mutants, as well as for more specific chromosomal intervals.

We detected the four SNP sites on chromosome II in C. elegans by SNP genotyping assay to quantify crossover formation per full length of the chromosome, in the left arm, in the central region, and in the right arm. The detection of SNPs is performed according to the manufacturer's instructions. The master mix contains Taq DNA Polymerase, Heat-labile uracil-N-glycosylase (UNG), dNTP with dUTP, and Passive reference ROX dye. Taq DNA polymerase is activated at 95 °C, enabling the inhibition of non-specific amplific...

This protocol provides a method for measuring crossover frequencies and distribution during meiosis in Caenorhabditis elegans. Single-nucleotide polymorphism genotyping with real-time PCR was used to determine the origin of the chromosomes. The 4-point mapping allowed to determine the crossover distributions of the left-arm, center, and right-arm regions of each chromosome.

Caenorhabditis elegans is an excellent model organism for studying meiosis. In addition to general advantages, such as a short reproductive cycle, many ...

Our research focuses on the regulation of meiotic recombination in Caenorhabditis elegans. The question we are trying to answer is how the frequency and distribution of crossover are regulated at the molecular level during meiosis. SNP genotyping is one with the primary methods for measuring crossover frequency in C.elegans.It is commonly referred to as snip-SNP, including PCR, restriction digestion, and gel electrophoresis. This kind of multi-step approach to SNP genotyping is labor-intensive and sometimes inaccurate. Therefore, our current experimental challenge is to modify it into simple and accurate method.Our method is a qPCR-based approach for detecting multi-crossover combination. It can be widely applied in genetic mutants, different sexes, and various growth constraints as well. To begin, obtain the required hermaphrodites for the procedure.Place three L4 stage hermaphrodites from the Bristol N2 strain or from mutants on a Bristol background, along with nine young adult Hawaiian CB4856 males, onto a mating plate. Incubate the mating plate for 1.5 days at 20 degrees Celsius to allow mating between the two strains. After incubation, transfer each hermaphrodite to a new individual nematode growth medium plate seeded with OP50 bacteria.For the second cross, pick six L4 stage crossed hermaphrodites that are Bristol-Hawaiian hybrids and transfer them to a new mating plate along with 12 to 15 TTS24 Bristol males carrying the ccIs4251 transgene array. Incubate the plate for 1.5 days at 20 degrees Celsius to enable mating. After incubation, transfer each hermaphrodite to an individual nematode growth medium plate containing OP50.Incubate the new plate at 20 degrees Celsius for one day to allow the hermaphrodites to lay fertilized eggs. After one day, transfer each hermaphrodite again to a new individual plate with OP50. Check the genotypes of the parental worms as Bristol or Hawaiian hybrids using PCR in a region of chromosome five.Separate the amplified bands by performing electrophoresis on a 2.5%agarose gel. After checking GFP expression, pick a single GFP-positive worm and place it in a PCR tube preloaded with three microliters of worm lysis buffer. Then, place the tube in a minus 80 degrees Celsius freezer four or five minutes before lysis.For lysis, set the PCR tube in the thermal cycler and run the program at 60 degrees Celsius for one hour, followed by 95 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes. After the thermal cycling, add 100 microliters of nuclease-free water to each tube and mix thoroughly. Now, prepare the mixture containing the buffer, probes, and the primers.Mix the solution thoroughly by pipetting several times. Using a 12-channel micropipette, dispense four microliters of the mixture into each well of a 96-well PCR plate placed on the support base. Next, add one microliter of lysate containing genomic DNA to each well and pipette the content several times to mix thoroughly.Seal the plate with an optical adhesive film. Use an applicator to press the film down firmly, especially around the rims of each well. Centrifuge the sealed plate briefly to collect the liquid at the bottom and eliminate any air bubbles.Now, load the plate onto the realtime PCR instrument. On the software screen, click on the create new experiment button. After adjusting the settings, click on the run button to initiate the protocol.Review the allelic discrimination plot generated from the data to visualize genotype groupings. Identify the genotypes based on their position for Bristol homozygotes, Bristol-Hawaiian hybrids, Hawaiian homozygotes, and negative controls. Note the applied color codes of red for Bristol, blue for Hawaiian, green for heterozygous, and black for negative control.Finally, examine the SNP patterns to identify the crossovers. For instance, Bristol-Hawaiian heterozygote, Bristol homozygote, Bristol homozygote, Bristol homozygote indicates a single crossover between positions one and two. Chromosome two was divided into three regions, the left arm, center, and right arm, using four selected single nucleotide polymorphism markers.The crossover frequency in the left arm of chromosome two was significantly higher at 23.90 centimorgans compared to the center region at 5.80 centimorgans. The crossover frequency in the right arm was also significantly higher at 19.80 centimorgans compared to the center region. No significant difference was observed between the crossover frequencies of the left and right arms.

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Frequency and Distribution of Crossovers in Caenorhabditis elegans Meiosis by SNP Genotyping using Real-time PCR

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