The novel synaptonemal complex central element SCEP3 interlinks synapsis initiation and crossover formation in Arabidopsis thaliana

The proteinaceous synaptonemal complex (SC) structure forms between meiotic homologous chromosomes. Its central region (CR) consists of transverse filament and central element proteins, in Arabidopsis ZYP1 and SCEP1/SCEP2, respectively. We describe a novel CR protein in Arabidopsis. SCEP3 spatiotemporally overlaps with other CR components and is conserved in plants.