1. Plural of chromomere; distinct, bead-like segments or units visible along a chromosome during certain stages of cell division, thought to represent localized regions of chromatin condensation.
Usage: technical; biology; genetics

Examples

• Under the microscope, the chromomeres appeared as dark-staining beads arranged in a linear pattern along the chromosome.
• The number and arrangement of chromomeres can vary between different species and even between different chromosomes.
• Early cytologists used the visibility of chromomeres to map chromosome structure during meiosis.
• Chromomeres are most easily observed during the pachytene stage of meiosis when chromosomes are maximally condensed.
• The study of chromomeres helped researchers understand the organization of genetic material within the nucleus.