spireme
/ˈspīrēm/(also spirem)
noun Biochemistry, dated
The tangled strands of chromosomal material seen in the early stages of cell division, formerly believed to be a single continuous strand (or two in a diploid cell, etc.).Methanospirilla cells appear regular, curved and finally form spiremes....
- The spiremes of the two nuclei become coarser and intermingle before any distinct chromosomes are visible.
Origin
From German spirem, from Greek 'coil', 'convolution'.