Unraveling meiotic axis assembly and recombination control in brown algae

Meiotic recombination ensures genetic diversity across organisms. Brown algae, key marine species with both sexual and asexual life cycles, remain unexplored in this context and represent a suitable model organism. We studied Ectocarpus axis proteins ecHOP1 and ecRED1, revealing ecHOP1-DNA binding and two isoforms providing flexible recombination control. Comparisons with yeast cells and mammals highlight unique evolutionary strategies of meiotic regulation. These findings underscore the importance of exploring previously understudied taxa to broaden our understanding of meiotic processes.