This work was supported by NIH Grant GM59354 awarded to Sharon E. Bickel. We thank Huy Q. Nguyen for assistance in developing the protocol for generating fluorescent arm probes, Ann Lavanway for help with confocal microscopy, and J. Emiliano Reed for technical assistance. We also thank numerous colleagues in the Drosophila community for helpful discussions and advice.

1. Preparations
<ol>
	<li>Prepare solutions for fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Prepare all solutions using ultrapure water.
	<ol>
		<li>Prepare 5x&#160;Modified Robb&#39;s buffer: 275 mM potassium acetate, 200 mM sodium acetate, 500 mM sucrose, 50 mM glucose, 6 mM magnesium chloride, 5 mM calcium chloride, 500 mM HEPES pH = 7.4. Bring the pH to 7.4 using 10 N NaOH. Filter sterilize and store at -20 &#176;C. Thaw and dilute to 1x&#160;as needed and store 1x&#160;aliquots at -20 &#17...

<ol>
	<li>Peters, J. M., Nishiyama, T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Sister+chromatid+cohesion.">Sister chromatid cohesion.</a> CSH Perspect Biol. 4 (11), (2012).</li><li>McNicoll, F., Stevense, M., Jessberger, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cohesin+in+gametogenesis.">Cohesin in gametogenesis.</a> Curr Top Dev Biol. 102, 1-34 (2013).</li><li>Buonomo, S. B., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Disjunction+of+homologous+chromosomes+in+meiosis+I+depends+on+proteolytic+cleavage+of+the+meiotic+cohesin+Rec8+by+separin.">Disjunction of homologous chromosomes in meiosis I depends on proteolytic cleavage of the meiotic cohesin Rec8 by separin.</a> Cell. 103 (3), 387-398 (2000).</li><li>Bickel, S. E., Orr-Weaver, T., Balicky, E. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+sister-chromatid+cohesion+protein+ORD+is+required+for+chiasma+maintenance+in+Drosophila+oocytes.">The sister-chromatid cohesion protein ORD is required for chiasma maintenance in Drosophila oocytes.</a> Curr. Biol. 12 (11), 925-929 (2002).</li><li>Hodges, C. A., Revenkova, E., Jessberger, R., Hassold, T. J., Hunt, P. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=SMC1beta-deficient+female+mice+provide+evidence+that+cohesins+are+a+missing+link+in+age-related+nondisjunction.">SMC1beta-deficient female mice provide evidence that cohesins are a missing link in age-related nondisjunction.</a> Nat Genet. 37 (12), 1351-1355 (2005).</li><li>Freeman, S. B., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+National+Down+Syndrome+Project:+design+and+implementation.">The National Down Syndrome Project: design and implementation.</a> Public Health Rep. 122 (1), 62-72 (2007).</li><li>Nagaoka, S. I., Hassold, T. J., Hunt, P. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Human+aneuploidy:+mechanisms+and+new+insights+into+an+age-old+problem.">Human aneuploidy: mechanisms and new insights into an age-old problem.</a> Nat Rev Genet. 13 (7), 493-504 (2012).</li><li>Angell, R. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=First-meiotic-division+nondisjunction+in+human+oocytes.">First-meiotic-division nondisjunction in human oocytes.</a> Am. J. Hum. Genet. 61, 23-32 (1997).</li><li>Tsutsumi, M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Age-related+decrease+of+meiotic+cohesins+in+human+oocytes.">Age-related decrease of meiotic cohesins in human oocytes.</a> PLoS One. 9 (5), e96710 (2014).</li><li>Liu, L., Keefe, D. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Defective+cohesin+is+associated+with+age-dependent+misaligned+chromosomes+in+oocytes.">Defective cohesin is associated with age-dependent misaligned chromosomes in oocytes.</a> Reprod Biomed Online. 16 (1), 103-112 (2008).</li><li>Subramanian, V. V., Bickel, S. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Aging+predisposes+oocytes+to+meiotic+nondisjunction+when+the+cohesin+subunit+SMC1+is+reduced.">Aging predisposes oocytes to meiotic nondisjunction when the cohesin subunit SMC1 is reduced.</a> PLoS Genet. 4 (11), e1000263 (2008).</li><li>Chiang, T., Duncan, F. E., Schindler, K., Schultz, R. M., Lampson, M. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Evidence+that+weakened+centromere+cohesion+is+a+leading+cause+of+age-related+aneuploidy+in+oocytes.">Evidence that weakened centromere cohesion is a leading cause of age-related aneuploidy in oocytes.</a> Curr. Biol. 20 (17), 1522-1528 (2010).</li><li>Lister, L. M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Age-related+meiotic+segregation+errors+in+mammalian+oocytes+are+preceded+by+depletion+of+cohesin+and+Sgo2.">Age-related meiotic segregation errors in mammalian oocytes are preceded by depletion of cohesin and Sgo2.</a> Curr. Biol. 20 (17), 1511-1521 (2010).</li><li>Duncan, F. E., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Chromosome+cohesion+decreases+in+human+eggs+with+advanced+maternal+age.">Chromosome cohesion decreases in human eggs with advanced maternal age.</a> Aging Cell. 11 (6), 1121-1124 (2012).</li><li>Yun, Y., Lane, S. I., Jones, K. T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Premature+dyad+separation+in+meiosis+II+is+the+major+segregation+error+with+maternal+age+in+mouse+oocytes.">Premature dyad separation in meiosis II is the major segregation error with maternal age in mouse oocytes.</a> Development. 141 (1), 199-208 (2014).</li><li>Subramanian, V. V., Bickel, S. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Heterochromatin-mediated+association+of+achiasmate+homologues+declines+with+age+when+cohesion+is+compromised.">Heterochromatin-mediated association of achiasmate homologues declines with age when cohesion is compromised.</a> Genetics. 181, 1207-1218 (2009).</li><li>Jeffreys, C. A., Burrage, P. S., Bickel, S. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+model+system+for+increased+meiotic+nondisjunction+in+older+oocytes.">A model system for increased meiotic nondisjunction in older oocytes.</a> Curr. Biol. 13 (6), 498-503 (2003).</li><li>Weng, K. A., Jeffreys, C. A., Bickel, S. 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W., Hawley, R. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Direct+evidence+of+a+role+for+heterochromatin+in+meiotic+chromosome+segregation.">Direct evidence of a role for heterochromatin in meiotic chromosome segregation.</a> Cell. 86, 135-146 (1996).</li><li>Dernburg, A. F., Sedat, J. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Method Cell Biol. 53, 187-233 (1998).</li><li>Guo, Z., Batiha, O., Bourouh, M., Fifield, E., Swan, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Role+of+Securin,+Separase+and+Cohesins+in+female+meiosis+and+polar+body+formation+in+Drosophila.">Role of Securin, Separase and Cohesins in female meiosis and polar body formation in Drosophila.</a> J Cell Sci. 129 (3), 531-542 (2016).</li><li>Giauque, C. C., Bickel, S. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Heterochromatin-Associated+Proteins+HP1a+and+Piwi+Collaborate+to+Maintain+the+Association+of+Achiasmate+Homologs+in+Drosophila+Oocytes.">Heterochromatin-Associated Proteins HP1a and Piwi Collaborate to Maintain the Association of Achiasmate Homologs in Drosophila Oocytes.</a> Genetics. 203 (1), 173-189 (2016).</li><li>Joyce, E. F., Apostolopoulos, N., Beliveau, B. J., Wu, C. T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Germline+progenitors+escape+the+widespread+phenomenon+of+homolog+pairing+during+Drosophila+development.">Germline progenitors escape the widespread phenomenon of homolog pairing during Drosophila development.</a> PLoS Genet. 9 (12), e1004013 (2013).</li><li>Gilliland, W. D., Hughes, S. F., Vietti, D. R., Hawley, R. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Congression+of+achiasmate+chromosomes+to+the+metaphase+plate+in+Drosophila+melanogaster+oocytes.">Congression of achiasmate chromosomes to the metaphase plate in Drosophila melanogaster oocytes.</a> Dev Biol. 325 (1), 122-128 (2009).</li><li>Gyuricza, M. R., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Dynamic+and+Stable+Cohesins+Regulate+Synaptonemal+Complex+Assembly+and+Chromosome+Segregation.">Dynamic and Stable Cohesins Regulate Synaptonemal Complex Assembly and Chromosome Segregation.</a> Curr Biol. 26 (13), 1688-1698 (2016).</li><li>Radford, S. J., McKim, K. 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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

The use of FISH probes to assess the state of arm cohesion in prometaphase I and metaphase I Drosophila oocytes is a significant advancement in the field of Drosophila meiosis. Historically, Drosophila researchers have been limited to genetic tests to infer premature loss of arm cohesion in mature oocytes11,18,19. Now, with the methods presented here, the state of arm cohesion can be assayed directly u...

Proper segregation of chromosomes during mitosis and meiosis requires that sister chromatid cohesion be established, maintained, and released in a coordinated fashion1,2. Cohesion is established during S phase and is mediated by the cohesin complex, which forms physical linkages that hold the sister chromatids together. In meiosis, cohesion distal to a crossover also functions to hold recombinant homologs together and this physical association helps ensure proper orientation of the bivalent on the metaphase I spindle (Figure 1)3,4,5. Release of arm cohesion at anaphase I allows the homologs to segregate to opposite spindle poles. However, if arm cohesion is lost prematurely, recombinant homologs will lose their physical connection and segregate randomly, which can result in aneuploid gametes (Figure 1).
In human oocytes, errors in chromosome segregation are the leading cause of miscarriages and birth defects, such as Down Syndrome6, and their incidence increases exponentially with maternal age7. Sister chromatid cohesion is established in fetal oocytes and meiotic recombination is completed before birth. Oocytes then arrest in mid-prophase I until ovulation and during this arrest, the continued physical association of recombinant homologs relies on sister chromatid cohesion. Therefore, accurate segregation during meiosis and normal pregnancy outcomes require that cohesion remain intact for up to five decades.
Premature loss of cohesion during the prolonged meiotic arrest of human oocytes has been proposed to contribute to the maternal age effect and multiple lines of evidence support this hypothesis8,9. However, given the challenges of studying meiotic cohesion in human oocytes, much of our understanding of this phenomenon relies on the use of model organisms5,10,11,12,13,14,15.
Drosophila melanogaster oocytes offer numerous advantages for the study of meiotic cohesion and chromosome segregation. A simple genetic assay allows one to recover progeny from aneuploid gametes and measure the fidelity of X-chromosome segregation on a large scale11,16,17. Moreover, one may also determine whether chromosome segregation errors arise because recombinant homologs missegregate during meiosis I, a phenotype that is consistent with premature loss of arm cohesion11,18,19. Direct observation of the state of meiotic cohesion in Drosophila oocytes is also possible using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Although fluorescent oligonucleotides that hybridize to repetitive satellite sequences have been used for over a decade to monitor pericentromeric cohesion in mature Drosophila oocytes4,20, analysis of arm cohesion has been much more challenging. Visualization of the state of arm cohesion requires a probe that spans a large region of single copy sequences and is bright enough to result in visible signals for individual sister chromatids when arm cohesion is absent. In addition, the oocyte fixation conditions and size of the labeled DNAs must facilitate penetration21 into the large mature Drosophila oocyte (200 &#181;m wide by 500 &#181;m long). Recently, an arm probe was successfully utilized to visualize Drosophila oocyte chromatids during anaphase I, but the authors stated that they could not detect a signal in prometaphase or metaphase I arrested oocytes22. Here we provide a detailed protocol for the generation of X-chromosome arm FISH probes and oocyte preparation conditions that have allowed us to assay for premature loss of sister chromatid cohesion in prometaphase I and metaphase I oocytes. These techniques, which have enabled us to identify gene products that are required for the maintenance of meiotic cohesion, will allow others to assay for sister chromatid cohesion defects in mature Drosophila oocytes of different genotypes.

<table>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Kits</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Midi Prep kit</td>
			<td>Qiagen</td>
			<td>12143</td>
			<td>Prep BAC clone DNA</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>GenomePlex Complete Whole Genome Amplification (WGA) Kit</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>WGA2</td>
			<td>Amplify BAC clone DNA</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>ARES Alexa Fluor 647 DNA labeling kit</td>
			<td>Invitrogen</td>
			<td>A21676</td>
			<td>Label BAC clone DNA</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>PCR purification kit</td>
			<td>Qiagen</td>
			<td>28104</td>
			<td>Remove non-conjugated dye following labeling of BAC clone DNA</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Name</td>
			<td>Company</td>
			<td>Catalog Number</td>
			<td>Comments</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Chemicals &#38; Solutions</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Note: All solutions are prepared using sterile ultrapure water and should be sterilized either by autoclave or filter sterilization.</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Bovine serum albumin (BSA)</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>BP1600-100</td>
			<td>Prepare 10% stock 
			Freeze aliquots</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Calcium chloride</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>C75-500</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DAPI (4&#8217;, 6-Diamidino-2-Phenylindole, Dihydrochloride)</td>
			<td>Invitrogen</td>
			<td>D1306</td>
			<td>Toxic: wear appropriate protection. Prepare 100&#181;g/ml stock in 100% ethanol, store in aliquots at -20 &#176;C. Prepare 1 &#181;g/ml solution in 2X SSCT before use.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dextran sulfate</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>D-8906</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Drierite</td>
			<td>Drierite Company</td>
			<td>23001</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dithiothreitol (DTT)</td>
			<td>Invitrogen</td>
			<td>15508-013</td>
			<td>Prepare 10 mM stock</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>dTTP (10 &#181;mol, 100 &#181;l)</td>
			<td>Boehringer Mannheim</td>
			<td>1277049</td>
			<td>Prepare 1 mM stock</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EDTA (Disodium ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid)</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>S311-500</td>
			<td>Prepare 250 mM stock</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>100% ethanol (molecular grade, 200 proof)</td>
			<td>Decon Laboratories</td>
			<td>2716</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tris (Ultra Pure)</td>
			<td>Invitrogen</td>
			<td>15504-020</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EGTA (Ethylenebis(oxyethylenenitrilo)tetraacetic acid)</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>E-3889</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>16% formaldehyde</td>
			<td>Ted Pella, Inc.</td>
			<td>18505</td>
			<td>Toxic: wear appropriate protection</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Formamide</td>
			<td>Invitrogen</td>
			<td>AM9342</td>
			<td>Toxic: wear appropriate protection</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Glucose</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>D16-1</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Glycogen</td>
			<td>Roche</td>
			<td>901393</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HEPES</td>
			<td>Boehringer Mannheim</td>
			<td>737-151</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Heptane</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>H350-4</td>
			<td>Toxic: wear appropriate protection.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Hydrochloric acid</td>
			<td>Millipore</td>
			<td>HX0603-4</td>
			<td>Toxic: wear appropriate protection.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Hydroxylamine</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>438227</td>
			<td>Prepare 3 M stock</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>4.9 M Magnesium chloride</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>104-20</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Na2HPO4 &#376; 7H2O</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>S373-500</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>NaH2PO4 &#376; 2H2O</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>S369-500</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Poly-L-lysine (0.1mg/ml)</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>P8920-100</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Potassium acetate</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>BP364-500</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sodium acetate</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>S209-500</td>
			<td>Prepare 3M stock</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sodium cacodylate</td>
			<td>Polysciences, Inc.</td>
			<td>1131</td>
			<td>Toxic: wear appropriate protection. Prepare 400mM stock</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sodium citrate</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>BP327-1</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sodium chloride</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>S271-3</td>
			<td>Sodium chloride</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sucrose</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>S5-500</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>10% Tween 20</td>
			<td>Thermo Scientific</td>
			<td>28320</td>
			<td>Surfact-Amps</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>10% Triton X-100</td>
			<td>Thermo Scientific</td>
			<td>28314</td>
			<td>Surfact-Amps</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Name</td>
			<td>Company</td>
			<td>Catalog Number</td>
			<td>Comments</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Solutions</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Note: All solutions are prepared using sterile ultrapure water and should be sterilized either by autoclave or filter sterilization.</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>TE buffer</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>10 mM Tris, 1 mM EDTA, pH = 8.0</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>20X SSC (Saline Sodium Citrate)</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>3 M NaCl, 300 mM sodium citrate</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2X cacodylate fix solution</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Toxic: wear appropriate protection. 200 mM sodium cacodylate, 200 mM sucrose, 80 mM sodium acetate, 20 mM EGTA</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>1.1X Hybridization buffer</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>3.3X SSC, 55% formamide, 11% dextran sulfate</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fix solution</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Toxic: wear appropriate protection. 4% formaldehyde, 1X cacodylate fix solution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>PBSBTx</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>1X PBS, 0.5% BSA, 0.1% Trition X-100</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>PBSTx</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>1X PBS, 1% Trition X-100</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Extraction buffer (PBSTx + Rnase)</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>1X PBS, 1% Trition X-100, 100 &#181;g/mL RNase</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2X SSCT</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>2X SSC, 0.1% Tween 20</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2X SSCT + 20% formamide</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Toxic: wear appropriate protection. 2X SSC, 0.1% Tween 20, 20% formamide</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2X SSCT + 40% formamide</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Toxic: wear appropriate protection. 2X SSC, 0.1% Tween 20, 40% formamide</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2X SSCT + 50% formamide</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Toxic: wear appropriate protection. 2X SSC, 0.1% Tween 20, 50% formamide</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Name</td>
			<td>Company</td>
			<td>Catalog Number</td>
			<td>Comments</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Enzymes</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>AluI</td>
			<td>New England Biolabs</td>
			<td>R0137S</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HaeIII</td>
			<td>New England Biolabs</td>
			<td>R0108S</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>MseI</td>
			<td>New England Biolabs</td>
			<td>R0525S</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>MspI</td>
			<td>New England Biolabs</td>
			<td>R0106S</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>RsaI</td>
			<td>New England Biolabs</td>
			<td>R0167S</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>BfuCI</td>
			<td>New England Biolabs</td>
			<td>R0636S</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>100X BSA</td>
			<td>New England Biolabs</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Comes with NEB enzymes</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>10X NEB buffer #2</td>
			<td>New England Biolabs</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Restriction enzyme digestion buffer. Comes with NEB enzymes</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) 400 U/&#181;l</td>
			<td>Roche/Sigma</td>
			<td>3333566001</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>TdT buffer</td>
			<td>Roche/Sigma</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Comes with TdT enzyme</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cobalt chloride</td>
			<td>Roche/Sigma</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Toxic: wear appropriate protection. Comes with TdT enzyme</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>RNase A (10 mg/mL)</td>
			<td>Thermo-Scientific</td>
			<td>EN0531</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Name</td>
			<td>Company</td>
			<td>Catalog Number</td>
			<td>Comments</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cytology Tools etc.</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Forceps</td>
			<td>Dumont</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>#5 INOX, Biologie</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>9&#8221; Disposable glass Pasteur pipettes</td>
			<td>Fisher</td>
			<td>13-678-20C</td>
			<td>Autoclave to sterilize</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Shallow glass dissecting dish</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Custom made</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Deep well dish (3 wells)</td>
			<td>Pyrex</td>
			<td>7223-34</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fisherfinest Premium microscope slides</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>22-038-104</td>
			<td>Used to cover deep well dishes</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Frosted glass slides, 25 x 75 mm</td>
			<td>VWR Scientific</td>
			<td>48312-002</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Glass slides, 3 x 1 in, 1 mm thick</td>
			<td>Thermo-Scientific</td>
			<td>3051</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Coverslips, 10 x 10 mm, No. 1.5</td>
			<td>Thermo-Scientific</td>
			<td>3405</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tungsten needle</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>homemade</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Prolong GOLD mounting media</td>
			<td>Molecular Probes</td>
			<td>P36930</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Compressed-air in can</td>
			<td>Various</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Name</td>
			<td>Company</td>
			<td>Catalog Number</td>
			<td>Comments</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Equipment</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>PCR machine</td>
			<td>Various</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Nanodrop 2000, spectrophotometer</td>
			<td>Thermo-Scientific</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>microvolume spectrophotometer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Vortexer</td>
			<td>Various</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Table top microfuge at room temperature</td>
			<td>Various</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Table top microfuge at 4 &#176;C</td>
			<td>Various</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Heat block</td>
			<td>Various</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Hybridization oven or incubator with rotator</td>
			<td>Various</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Nutator</td>
			<td>Various</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>A1RSi laser scanning confoal</td>
			<td>Nikon</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>40X oil Plan Fluor DIC (NA 1.3)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Name</td>
			<td>Company</td>
			<td>Catalog Number</td>
			<td>Comments</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Consumables etc.</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>50 mL conical tubes</td>
			<td>Various</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>15 mL conical tubes</td>
			<td>Various</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>1.5 mL microfuge tubes</td>
			<td>Various</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>500 &#181;l microfuge tubes</td>
			<td>Various</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>200 &#181;l PCR tubes</td>
			<td>Various</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Plastic container with tight fitting lid</td>
			<td>Various</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>To hold Drierite</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Kimwipes</td>
			<td>Various</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>disposable wipes</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Parafilm</td>
			<td>Various</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>paraffin film</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Name</td>
			<td>Company</td>
			<td>Catalog Number</td>
			<td>Comments</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Other</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HPLC purified 5&#39;-labeled oligonucleotides</td>
			<td>Integrated DNA Technologies</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Cy3-labeled probes that recognize the 359 bp satellite repeat of the X chromosome</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Volocity 3D Image Analysis Software</td>
			<td>PerkinElmer</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Version 6.3</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

using fluorescence in situ hybridization (fish) to monitor the state of arm cohesion in prometaphase and metaphase i drosophila oocytes

In humans, chromosome segregation errors in oocytes are responsible for the majority of miscarriages and birth defects. Moreover, as women age, their risk of conceiving an aneuploid fetus increases dramatically and this phenomenon is known as the maternal age effect. One requirement for accurate chromosome segregation during the meiotic divisions is maintenance of sister chromatid cohesion during the extended prophase period that oocytes experience. Cytological evidence in both humans and model organisms suggests that meiotic cohesion deteriorates during the aging process. In addition, segregation errors in human oocytes are most prevalent during meiosis I, consistent with premature loss of arm cohesion. The use of model organisms is critical for unraveling the mechanisms that underlie age-dependent loss of cohesion. Drosophila melanogaster offers several advantages for studying the regulation of meiotic cohesion in oocytes. However, until recently, only genetic tests were available to assay for loss of arm cohesion in oocytes of different genotypes or under different experimental conditions. Here, a detailed protocol is provided for using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to directly visualize defects in arm cohesion in prometaphase I and metaphase I arrested Drosophila oocytes. By generating a FISH probe that hybridizes to the distal arm of the X chromosome and collecting confocal Z stacks, a researcher can visualize the number of individual FISH signals in three dimensions and determine whether sister chromatid arms are separated. The procedure outlined makes it possible to quantify arm cohesion defects in hundreds of Drosophila oocytes. As such, this method provides an important tool for investigating the mechanisms that contribute to cohesion maintenance as well as the factors that lead to its demise during the aging process.

Figure 5 presents images obtained with an arm probe that hybridizes to cytological region 6E-7B on the X chromosome. This probe results in a signal that co-localizes with that of DAPI, is easily distinguishable from the background, and has been used successfully to quantify arm cohesion defects in different genotypes19. Quantification of cohesion defects was restricted to prometaphase I and metaphase I stages; oocytes prior to...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Using Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization FISH to Monitor the State of Arm Cohesion in Prometaphase and Metaphase I Drosophila Oocytes at JoVE.com

Using Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization FISH to Monitor the State of Arm Cohesion in Prometaphase and Metaphase I Drosophila Oocytes

This manuscript presents a detailed method for generating X-chromosome arm probes and performing fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to examine the state of sister chromatid cohesion in prometaphase and metaphase I arrested Drosophila oocytes. This protocol is suitable for determining whether meiotic arm cohesion is intact or disrupted in different genotypes.

Using Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) to Monitor the State of Arm Cohesion in Prometaphase and Metaphase I Drosophila Oocytes

In humans, chromosome segregation errors in oocytes are responsible for the majority of miscarriages and birth defects. Moreover, as women age, their risk ...

The overall goal of this procedure is to generate FISH probes and visualize the state of meiotic arm cohesion in drosophila oocytes during prometaphase one and metaphase one. The main advantage of this technique is that it allows one to assay the state of arm cohesion in prometaphase and metaphase one arrested drosophila oocytes. This method can help answer key questions in the field of drosophila meiosis such as what conditions lead to premature loss of arm cohesion?This technique has the potential to expand our understanding of the maternal age effect in humans which occurs, at least in part, because meiotic cohesion deteriorates as oocytes age. Begin this protocol with the generation of the arm probe for FISH, as well as the dissection and fixation of oocytes as detailed in the text protocol. To separate the late-stage oocytes, first add one milliliter of PBSBTX to a shallow dissecting dish.Then, use a P-200 with a BSA-coated tip to transfer fixed ovaries into the shallow dish. Pipette the ovaries up and down with the BSA-coated pipette tip to dislodge the mature oocytes from the less mature oocytes. When late-stage oocytes are sufficiently separated, transfer all the tissue to a 500-milliliter microfuge tube.Remove excess liquid with a pulled Pasteur pipette leaving about 150 to 200 microliters in the tube. To prepare for oocyte rolling, pre-wet a deep-well dish with 200 microliters of PBSBTX. Cover the dish and set it aside.Obtain three frosted glass slides, and set slide three aside. Next, gently rub the frosted glass regions of slides one and two together. Rinse them in deionized water to remove any glass shards and dry with a disposable wipe.Coat the frosted regions of slides one and two with PBSBTX by adding 50 microliters of PBSBTX to one slide and rubbing this region with the other slide. Remove the liquid a disposable wipe, and place the slides under a dissecting microscope. Keep the frosted regions of slides one and two in contact, with slide three supporting slide two.To roll the oocytes, first pre-wet a P-200 pipette tip in PBSBTX and disperse the oocytes in the microfuge tube by pipetting up and down. Transfer 50 microliters of liquid containing the oocytes to the center of the frosted glass part of slide one. Lift slide two to do this.Slowly lower slide two until the surface tension of the liquid creates a seal between the two frosted glass regions. There should be enough liquid to cover the frosted area, but none should be seeping out. Then, hold the bottom slide one in place with one hand, and use the other hand to move the top slide two back and forth in a horizontal direction keeping slide two level and supported on slide three.Perform under a microscope for easy visualization of oocyte movements and progress. After a few movements in the horizontal direction, slightly change the angle of movement. In multiple increments, gradually increase this angle to 90 degrees until movement of the top slide two is perpendicular to the starting direction.Note that empty chorions will be visible in the liquid and oocytes lacking chorions will appear longer and thinner. When rolling the oocytes, ensure that the direction of rolling is always in a straight line and never a circular motion. Repeat the rolling about seven to 10 times until the solution becomes slightly cloudy.Stop rolling when the majority of oocytes appear to have lost their vitelline membranes. Gently lift the top slide two dragging one of its corners to the center of the frosted region of the bottom slide one so that the rolled oocytes accumulate in the center of the frosted region. Rinse the oocytes from both slides with PBSBTX into the deep-well dish containing PBSBTX.Clean slides one and two with ultrapure water. Dry with a disposable wipe and reset. Repeat these steps until all the oocytes of the same genotype have been rolled.This usually requires three to four rounds of rolling per genotype. To remove debris after rolling, add one milliliter of PBSBTX to a 15-milliliter conical tube. Swirl the liquid to coat the sides of the tube.Using a PBSBTX-coated P-1, 000 pipette tip, transfer the rolled oocytes from the deep-well dish to the conical tube containing one milliliter of PBSBTX. Add an additional two milliliters of PBSBTX to the conical tube containing the oocytes. Hold the conical tube against a dark background to see the opaque oocytes as they sink.After letting the oocytes settle to the bottom, use a P-1, 000 to remove the top two milliliters of solution containing debris and discard. After repeating the step for a total of three rounds of debris removal, use a PBSBTX-coated P-1, 000 pipette tip to transfer the oocytes back to the original 500-microliter microfuge tube. 20 to 25 females should yield approximately 50 microliters of rolled mature oocytes.Repeat this process for the remaining genotypes using fresh frosted slides, a clean deep-well dish and a new conical tube for each genotype. Rinse the oocytes with 500 microliters of PBS containing 1%Triton X-100. Remove the liquid and add 500 microliters of extraction buffer.Incubate the sample on the nutator at room temperature for two hours. After performing pre-hybridization washes as described in the text protocol, perform the denaturation and hybridization. First, use a BSA-coated P-200 pipette tip to transfer the oocytes to a 200-microliter PCR tube.Keep samples at 37 degrees Celsius and let the oocytes settle to the bottom. It is important to be patient when changing solutions so that the oocytes are not lost in the process. Once the oocytes have settled, use a pulled Pasteur pipette to remove as much liquid as possible.Then, add 40 microliters of probe-containing hybridization solution to the oocytes. Place the PCR tube containing the oocytes in the PCR machine and incubate as listed in the text protocol. After the probe is added to the oocytes, keep them in the dark as much as possible.For post-hybridization washes, preheat the 2X SSCT plus 50%formamide to 37 degrees Celsius and keep it in the hybridization incubator. With a BSA-coated P-200 pipette tip, add 100 microliters of 37-degrees Celsius 2X SSCT plus 50%formamide to the PCR tube with the oocytes, and transfer the oocytes to a new 500-microliter microfuge tube. After adding an additional 400 microliters of 37-degrees Celsius 2X SSCT plus 50%formamide to the same tube, let the oocytes settle at 37 degrees Celsius in the incubator.Settling often takes longer at this step. It is not unusual to take 15 minutes or more. A lack of patience will result in a significant loss of oocytes.After allowing the oocytes to settle, remove liquid with a pulled Pasteur pipette. Add 500 microliters of 37-degrees Celsius 2X SSCT plus 50%formamide at 37 degrees Celsius and wash the oocytes with rotation. Following each wash slash rotation step, keep the oocytes at 37 degrees Celsius while they settle.After additional washes at room temperature, stain with DAPI by washing oocytes for 20 minutes in 500 microliters of one-microgram-per-milliliter DAPI solution in 2X SSCT on the nutator. After rinsing the oocytes three times in 500 microliters of 2X SSCT, wash the oocytes two times for 10 minutes each in 500 microliters of 2X SSCT on the nutator. Samples can be stored for up to four hours at room temperature in the dark until they are ready to mount on the cover slips.With a BSA-coated P-200 pipette tip, pipette up and down to disperse oocytes throughout the solution. Then, transfer 40 microliters of the oocyte solution to a poly-L-lysine-coated cover slip. Remove some of the liquid from the cover slip using a pulled Pasteur pipette until the oocytes stick to the cover slip but are still surrounded by liquid.With forceps, hold down the cover slip on one side, and use a Tungsten needle to gently dissociate clumps of oocytes moving them to achieve a single layer of non-overlapping oocytes. Remove the remainder of the liquid around the oocytes with a pulled Pasteur pipette. Then, slowly lower the slide towards the cover slip with the mounting media facing the sample until the media touches the sample.After letting the slides dry for three to five days in the dark, acquire laser scanning confocal images using a high-numerical aperture 40 times oil objective with six times digital zoom as detailed in the text protocol. A software package that allows one to view images and score for cohesion defects in three dimensions is imperative. This allows one to scroll through the Z series to view the FISH spots and to accurately count the number of individual arm signals.Maximum intensity projections of confocal Z series are shown for oocytes with intact and disrupted arm cohesion. In these figures, the arm probe signal is yellow and the pericentric probe signal is red. Two arm probe spots indicate that sister chromatids are together and arm cohesion is intact.Three arm probe spots indicate that one pair of sister chromatids have prematurely lost arm cohesion while the other pair of sisters has not. If two arm probe spots are connected by a thread, the sister chromatids are not scored as separated. Therefore, a meiotic figure like this is considered to have only three arm probe spots with one pair of sisters exhibiting premature loss of arm cohesion.Premature loss of arm cohesion for both sets of sister chromatids results in four arm probe spots. In all four examples shown, centromeric cohesion is intact. Once mastered, rolling the oocytes for one genotype can be done in approximately 25 minutes if it is performed properly.After watching this video, you should have a good understanding of how to roll oocytes, perform FISH using arm probes and score images to determine the state of meiotic arm cohesion in drosophila oocytes. While performing the hybridization and washes, it is important to remember to be patient. Not waiting long enough for oocytes to settle after each wash step will reduce the yield of oocytes for imaging at the end.It may be possible to optimize this protocol to combine FISH with amino staining in order to answer additional questions about protein localization or the structure of the meiotic spindle while also monitoring the state of arm cohesion. The development of this technique will pave the way for researchers in the field of drosophila meiosis to explore the mechanisms that ensure and disrupt meiotic arm cohesion and impact chromosome segregation.

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11.2K Views.  Dartmouth College. The overall goal of this procedure is to generate FISH probes and visualize the state of meiotic arm cohesion in drosophila oocytes during prometaphase one and metaphase one. The main advantage of this technique is that it allows one to assay the state of arm cohesion in prometaphase and metaphase one arrested drosophila oocytes. This method can help answer key questions in the field of drosophila meiosis such as what conditions lead to premature loss of arm cohesion?This technique has...