Stochastic modeling of the crossover process during meiosis

Abstract

During meiosis, homologous chromosomes pair and each of the paired chromosomes duplicates, resulting in a bundle of four homologous chromatids. Exchanges take place after the formation of this four-strand structure, with each crossover involving two nonsister chromatids, i.e. chromatids originating from homologous chromosomes. Crossovers are precise breakage-and-reunion events which are essential for proper segregation, and can promote genetic variation. A good model for the crossover process is important to the understanding of crossing over mechanisms, to the construction of genetic maps, and to the strategy of finding disease genes. Usually random involvement of different pairs of chromat..