Which enzyme is involved in crossing over between too homologous chromosome?
The enzyme involved in crossing over between homologous chromosomes is called “recombinase.” Specifically, during meiosis, which is the process of cell division that produces gametes (sperm and egg cells), recombinase enzymes facilitate the exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes. This exchange is known as crossing over and contributes to genetic diversity by shuffling alleles between chromosomes.
One of the key recombinase enzymes involved in crossing over is called “RecA” in bacteria and “RAD51” in eukaryotes. These enzymes play crucial roles in the strand exchange process during homologous recombination, where segments of DNA from one chromosome are swapped with corresponding segments from the homologous chromosome. This exchange results in the formation of recombinant chromosomes with combinations of alleles that differ from those present in the parental chromosomes.