Every prophase a meiotic cells induces several breaks in their DNA. Fortunately, DNA repair occurs very efficiently in meiotic cells and these breaks are repaired as a gene conversions or crossovers. The crossovers mature into chiasmata, which direct the segregation of each chromosome pair at meiosis I. That is the process which ensures each gamete gets only one chromosome from each parent. While our studies are focussed on meiosis (a germline phenomenon), the results have implciations for most other cells types. Meiosis uses many of the same proteins which maintain genome integrity in somatic cells. For example, it is striking that so many forms of cancer are associated with defects in DNA repair and/or chromosome instability.

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