Spiral cores of synaptonemal complex lateral elements at the diplotene stage in rye include the ASY1 protein

After completing their functioning, synaptonemal complexes (SCs) degrade during the diplotene stage. In the pollen mother cells of rye Secale cereale L., this occurs through the formation of gaps in lateral elements of the SCs and the shortening of fragments of SCs until their complete disappearance. However, when contrasting SCs with silver nitrate solution at a pH 3.5–4.5, these gaps appear to be filled with threads associated with SC lateral elements. As the diplotene stage proceeds and gradual degradation of SC fragments continues, these threads turn into submicroscopic spirals. In this study, we found that the threads and spirals associated with degrading synaptonemal complexes are stained by antibodies to the ASY1 protein of Arabidopsis thaliana lateral elements and thus are degradation products of the lateral elements of SCs.