chromomere

A particulate portion of a *chromosome that becomes apparent as contraction and condensation of *chromatin occurs in *meiosis. Chromomeres vary in size and shape, homologous chromosomes  having  identical  patterns along their lengths. An average chromomere has been found to contain sufficient DNA to code for approximately 30-35 polypeptides of average length. Genetic evidence, however, suggests that chromomeres contain only a single functional structural gene.