THE FINE STRUCTURE OF CHROMOSOMES IN THE MEIOTIC PROPHASE OF VERTEBRATE SPERMATOCYTES

The prophase chromosomes of the first meiotic division in pigeon, cat, and man contain a central structure or core consisting of a pair of dense fibrils (450 A) that are parallel to one another and equidistant from a delicate linear region of increased density midway between them. These parallel strands are present early in prophase and the chromosomes seem to arise by congregation and organization of the chromatin granules around them. They have not been observed in mitosis or in other stages of meiosis.     

ELECTRON MICROSCOPIC OBSERVATIONS ON THE SUBMICROSCOPIC MORPHOLOGY OF THE MEIOTIC NUCLEUS AND CHROMOSOMES

Thin sections of the testicular follicles of the grasshopper Laplatacris dispar were studied under the electron microscope. In the primary spermatocytes, during meiotic prophase, three main regions can be recognized within the nucleus: (1) the nucleolus and associated nucleolar material; (2) the interchromosomal regions with the dense particles; and (3) the chromosomes. The nucleolus is generally compact and is surrounded by nucleolar bodies that comprise aggregations of dense round particles 100 to 250 A in diameter. A continuous transition can be observed between these particles and those found isolated or in short chains in the interchromosomal spaces. Particles of similar size (mean diameter of 160 A) can be found associated with the nuclear membrane and in the cytoplasm. The chromosomes show different degrees of condensation in different stages of meiotic prophase. The bulk of the chromosome appears to be made of very fine and irregularly coiled filaments of macromolecular dimensions. Their length cannot be determined because of the thinness of the section but some of them can be followed without interruption for about 1000 to 2000 A. The thickness of the chromosome filaments seems to vary with different stages of prophase and in metaphase. In early prophase, filaments vary between 28 ± 7 A and 84 ± 7 A with a mean of 47 A, in late prophase the mean is about 70 A. In metaphase the filaments vary between 60 and 170 A with a mean of about 100 A. Neither the prophase nor the metaphase chromosomes have a membrane or other inhomogeneities. The finding of a macromolecular filamentous component of chromosomes is discussed in relation to the physicochemical literature on nucleoproteins and nucleic acids and as a result it is suggested that the thinnest chromosome filaments (28 ± 7 A) probably represent single deoxyribonucleoprotein molecules.     

THE CONTRIBUTION OF FEMALE MEIOTIC DRIVE TO THE EVOLUTION OF NEO‐SEX CHROMOSOMES

Sex chromosomes undergo rapid turnover in certain taxonomic groups. One of the mechanisms of sex chromosome turnover involves fusions between sex chromosomes and autosomes. Sexual antagonism, heterozygote advantage, and genetic drift have been proposed as the drivers for the fixation of this evolutionary event. However, all empirical patterns of the prevalence of multiple sex chromosome systems across different taxa cannot be simply explained by these three mechanisms. In this study, we propose that female meiotic drive may contribute to the evolution of neo‐sex chromosomes. The results of this study showed that in mammals, the XY₁Y₂ sex chromosome system is more prevalent in species with karyotypes of more biarmed chromosomes, whereas the X₁X₂Y sex chromosome system is more prevalent in species with predominantly acrocentric chromosomes. In species where biarmed chromosomes are favored by female meiotic drive, X‐autosome fusions (XY₁Y₂ sex chromosome system) will be also favored by female meiotic drive. In contrast, in species with more acrocentric chromosomes, Y‐autosome fusions (X₁X₂Y sex chromosome system) will be favored just because of the biased mutation rate toward chromosomal fusions. Further consideration should be given to female meiotic drive as a mechanism in the fixation of neo‐sex chromosomes.     

STRANDEDNESS OF VICIA FABA CHROMOSOMES AS REVEALED BY ENZYME DIGESTION STUDIES

Chromosomes and nuclei isolated from neutral formalin-fixed Vicia faba lateral roots were treated with trypsin, pepsin, RNase, or DNase. Only trypsin affected the morphology of the chromosomes and nuclei. The appearance of the chromosomes after trypsin digestion indicated that each chromatid contained four strands that could be seen with an ordinary light microscope. The experiments are interpreted as indicating that mitotic chromosomes of Vicia faba are multistranded and that the linear continuity of the chromosome is dependent on protein.     

RING-POSITION AND FREQUENCY OF ADJACENT DISTRIBUTION OF MEIOTIC CHROMOSOMES IN RHOEO SPATHACEA

The morphological sequence of the twelve chromosomes around the ring as worked out by Sax is reaffirmed with slight corrections of the centromere position on three chromosomes: Aa, fA, and Dd. Adjacent distribution was found in 53/120 MI PMC (44.2%). Ring-position analysis was achieved in 34 of the 53. There were 127 chromosomes and 66 arm-pairs involved in adjacent distribution in these 34 MI PMC. Adjacent distributions occurred at random among the twelve chromosome positions and among the twelve arm-pair positions. There were eleven instances among the 66 arm-pairs (16.7%) of adjacent distribution despite free ends due to chiasma failure. Up to four consecutive chromosomes may pass to the same pole. Not all cells with 6–6 distribution are genetically balanced. Distribution of 7–5 occurred in 24/120 AI PMC (20.0%). Another nine (7.5%) in the same sample had one or more lagging chromosomes. At MI, three PMC had 8–4 distribution, but none such were seen at AI.     

肌动蛋白存在于车蝗精母细胞核和染色体中

以兔抗肌动蛋白抗体为一抗,FITC偶联的羊抗兔IgG抗体为二抗进行间接免疫荧光实验,观察到车蝗（Oedaleus asiaticus）精母细胞核及减数分裂Ⅰ细线期、终变期、减数分裂Ⅱ中期染色体上均发出明亮的黄经发色荧光,说明其中含有肌动蛋白。本文结果证明肌动蛋白是车蝗减数分裂细胞核和染色体的组成成分。     

红翅皱膝蝗减数分裂染色体的螺旋与轴结构

用低渗处理和苯酚品红染色,在经过卡诺液(甲醇3∶冰醋酸1)固定和未经固定的红翅皱膝蝗减数分裂染色体上都看到了螺旋结构。观察和测量结果表明,每条染色单体都是由430nm左右的染色线螺旋形成的。由染色线到染色体的压缩率为4∶1。低渗处理后固定的材料经过银染,则显示了染色体轴结构。同样,未经低渗处理直接固定的材料银染时也出现了轴结构。银染的轴结构位于每个染色单体的中央,并贯穿整个染色单体。在光镜下,这个轴并不是直径均一的棒状结构,而似乎是由许多大小相近的颗粒相连而成。本文对染色体结构的有关模型、骨架和轴结构的真实性以及轴和螺旋的关系等问题进行了讨论。     

尼罗罗非鱼染色体的C带、Ag带和减数分裂联会复合体的研究

以Sumner法和界面铺张——硝酸银技术,对尼罗罗非鱼(Tilapia nilotica)染色体C带、Ag染带及减数分裂前期精母细胞联会复合体(SC)进行了显微和亚显微结构观察。 尼罗罗非鱼的2n=44,核型可分为三个组:第一组为4对亚中着丝粒染色体;第二组为17对亚端着丝粒染色体;第三组为具1对端着丝粒的特大染色体。 结构异染色质主要分布于着丝粒附近,其中Nos.6、8、15亚中着丝粒染色体短臂全部深染。带有银染核仁组织者(Ag-NORs)染色体的数目为2—6条,NORs均位于6、8、15亚中着丝粒染色体短臂。 银染色可清楚地显示尼罗罗非鱼的联会复合体(SC)结构和减数分裂行为。SC组型与有丝分裂染色体的组型有较好的一致性。     

人卵母细胞前期染色体和核仁、微核仁的观察

多年来,许多生物学家采用压片法(Ohno等,1961,1962;Baker 1963),空气干燥法(Luciani等,1974;Vebele-Kaelhardt,1978;Speed,1985))连续切片的电镜观察(Baker和Franchi,1967)等相继对人卵母细胞染色体进行过研究。Hart-ung等(1978)曾经以~3H-尿嘧啶核苷标记人卵母细胞前期核,观察了RNA的进行性变化。近年来,银染法的广泛运用,不仅揭示了动物,而且还揭示了人的卵母细胞前期核     

SUPERNUMERARY CHROMOSOMES IN TRADESCANTIA II. EFFECT OF COLCHICINE ON MEIOTIC ISOCHROMOSOME CONFIGURATIONS

The effect of colchicine on meiotic pairing and configuration frequencies of three homologous isosupernumerary chromosomes was investigated. In the absence of colchicine, the three isochromosomes displayed a high degree of interchromosomal pairing and chiasma formation. As a consequence, a high frequency of bivalents and trivalents were observed at diakinesis-metaphase I. The unique structure of isochromosomes enables them to pair intrachromosomally (i.e., foldback pairing) yet the preferential occurrence of interchromosomal pairing suggests that all six arms of the three isosupernumerary chromosomes were in close association prior to or upon initiation of synapsis. Supernumerary chromosomes in microsporocytes treated during presynapsis or early synapsis with colchicine exhibited a significant reduction (P < 0.001) in the number of bivalents and trivalents at diakinesis. However, there was no reduction in overall chiasma frequency among supernumeraries due to the induction of increased intrachromosomal pairing and chiasma formation. A colchicine-sensitive association or alignment of homologues preceding effective pairing has been demonstrated in standard chromosomes of a number of plant species. This study provides the first evidence to indicate that at least certain supernumerary chromosomes may display presynaptic association as well. The results also support the strongly held contention that colchicine is not directly preventing or inhibiting the actual formation of chiasmata, since no reduction in chiasma frequency was observed in the isochromosomes.     

中国穿山甲有丝分裂染色体和减数分裂联会复合体（SC）的研究

中国穿山甲（Manis pentadactyla）的细胞遗传学分析表明,染色体数目2n=40。除着丝粒C带外,还有染色体端部C带和插入性C带。两对小的端着丝粒染色体的随体部位有银染核仁组织者（Ag-NORs）。本文对穿山甲核型的多态性以及减数分裂联会复合体的结构,性染色（X,Y）在减数分裂前期的行为进行了分析和讨论。     

ISOLATION OF METAPHASE CHROMOSOMES FROM HELA CELLS

The authors have developed a method for large-scale isolation of metaphase chromosomes from HeLa cells. The distinguishing feature of this method is the use of a pH sufficiently low (about 3) to stabilize the chromosomes against mechanical damage. Many milligrams of fairly pure, morphologically intact chromosomes can be isolated in 8 hr or less of total working time. The isolated chromosomes contain about 2.0 mg of acid-soluble protein, 2.7 mg of acid-insoluble protein and 0.66 mg of RNA for each milligram of DNA. The RNA bound to the isolated chromosomes consists mainly of ribosomal RNA, but there is also a significant amount of 45S RNA.