Synapsis

[1] The SC protein scaffold stabilizes the physical pairing of homologous chromosomes by polymerizing between them during meiotic prophase.

Following synapsis, a type of recombination referred to as synthesis dependent strand annealing (SDSA) occurs frequently.

The central function of synapsis is therefore the identification of homologues by pairing, an essential step for a successful meiosis.

The processes of DNA repair and chiasma formation that take place following synapsis have consequences at many levels, from cellular survival through to impacts upon evolution itself.

Homologous chromosomes are held together by several mechanisms during meiosis, ensuring their proper pairing, alignment, and recombination.

[14] The DNA damage response protein TOPBP1 has also been identified as a crucial factor in meiotic sex chromosome silencing.

[12] In female Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies, meiotic chromosome synapsis occurs in the absence of recombination.