Mobile genetic elements, chiasmata, and the unique organization of beta-heterochromatin

Beta-heterochromatin in Drosophila and the Syrian hamster share a similar DNA organization, few unique sequences, and scrambled repeats of mobile elements without tandem repetition. DNA in alpha-heterochromatin is tandemly repetitious, and we now show that the repeat unit can either contain or lack a mobile element. The tandem repeat organization of alpha-heterochromatin is presumably due to a concertina-like mechanism of unequal exchange between repeat units. Although both heterochromatin types are late replicating and can incorporate mobile retroposons, the sequence distinction between the two heterochromatins appears to be due to a property conferred by chiasmata upon the process of homologous recombination in beta-heterochromatin but not in alpha-heterochromatin. Chiasmata seem to suppress the concertina mechanism of unequal exchange and impart to beta-heterochromatin its non-tandem, scrambled repeat organization.