Chromosome loss is responsible for segregation at the HPRT locus in Chinese hamster cell hybrids

The phenomenon of segregation of gene expression has been examined in intraspecific somatic cell hybrids. Specifically, segregation at the hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) locus has been studied in hybrids of Chinese hamster cell lines. The role of chromosome segregation, or other chromosomal events has been assessed by detailed comparison of karyotypes in the 6-thioguanine resistant segregants with those of the parental hybrid lines. The results clearly demonstrate that loss of an entire X chromosome is the primary event responsible for segregation at the HPRT locus, while deletion of a portion of the short arm of an X chromosome was also a frequent event. The results provide the first direct evidence for the assignment of the mapping of this locus to the distal region of the short arm. Analysis of chromosome number distributions in the hybrids and segregants suggests that in selecting chromosomal segregants one may also select for hybrid lines with reduced chromosome stability.     

Heritable alterations at the adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) locus in human lymphoblastoid cell lines.

Human lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from WI-L2 exhibit unexpected frequencies of diaminopurine (DAP) resistant mutants. The background mutant fractions of 10(-7) to 10(-8) in untreated cultures are much lower than the frequencies expected for loss of a heterozygous autosomal locus (10(-5) to 10(-6), yet much higher than expected for a homozygous locus (10(-10) to 10(-12). We used aminopterin, adenine and thymidine (AAT) to select DAP-sensitive (DAPS) revertants from one resistant line. The background frequency of DAPR in these revertant cell lines ranged from 3.5 to 6.5 x 10(-4), approximately the square root of 10(-7). Thus these data suggest that both alleles of aprt are inactivated at similarly high frequencies. They also indicate that the DAPS revertants were heterozygotes (aprt +/-) or hemizygotes (aprt +/0) and that WI-L2 was homozygous (aprt+/+). Mutational dose-response studies with X-rays, ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS), and ICR-191 were conducted in 4 of these revertant cell lines. EMS and ICR-191, which induce mainly point mutations, did not induce an increase in mutant fraction. A dose of 200 cGy X-rays, however, induced a frequency of 10(-3). Treatment of DAPR cells with 5-azacytidine induced a significant increase in reversion to DAPS. Southern blot analysis of the aprt gene after digestion with MspI or HpaII also suggests that differential methylation changes may play a major role in the generation of DAP sensitivity and resistance.     

Segregation of Recombinant Chromatids following Mitotic Crossing over in Yeast

It has long been assumed that chromatid segregation following mitotic crossing over in yeast is random, with the recombinant chromatids segregating to opposite poles of the cell (x-segregation) or to the same pole of the cell (z-segregation) with equal frequency. X-segregation events can be readily identified because heterozygous markers distal to the point of the exchange are reduced to homozygosity. Z-segregation events yield daughter cells which are identical phenotypically to nonrecombinant cells and thus can only be identified by the altered linkage relationships of genetic markers on opposite sides of the exchange. We have systematically examined the segregation patterns of chromatids with a spontaneous mitotic exchange in the CEN5-CAN1 interval on chromosome V. We find that the number of x-segregation events is equal to the number of z-segregations, thus demonstrating that chromatid segregation is indeed random. In addition, we have found that at least 5% of the cells selected for a recombination event on chromosome V are trisomic for this chromosome, indicating a strong association between mitotic recombination and chromosome nondisjunction.     

Molecular structure of mutations at an autosomal locus in human cells: evidence for interallelic homologous recombination.

A high proportion of spontaneous mutations at the heterozygous thymidine kinase (TK) locus in a human B-lymphoblast cell line involved loss of the entire active allele. Loss of heterozygosity often extended to other loci on chromosome 17q. The authors have developed a system for analysing the role of homologous recombination and gene conversion in such events. A heteroallelic (TK-/-) cell line containing single + 1 frameshifts in exons 4 and 7 was generated by repeated exposures to ICR-191. Revertant mutations to TK+/- were selected and analysed for the presence or absence or each frameshift as well as changes in linked polymorphic markers on 17q. The molecular changes associated with reversion to TK+ can thus be analysed. Preliminary results indicate that homologous recombination can be detected with this system, though it occurs at low frequency (less than 10(-7]. The authors believe this represents the first quantitative assay for measuring recombination between alleles of a specific intact gene in human cells. It should prove useful in evaluating the potency of various classes of mutagens in inducing recombinational and gene conversion events.     

Meiotic Diploid Progeny and Meiotic Nondisjunction in SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE

Abnormalities in chromosome number that occurred during meiosis were evaluated with a specially-constructed diploid strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The strain is heterozygous for six markers of the right arm of chromosome V and heterozygous for cyh2 (resistance to cycloheximide) on chromosome VII.-Selection of meiotic spores on a medium containing cycloheximide and required nutrilites-except those for the markers of the right arm of chromosome V-allows the growth of aberrant clones belonging only to two classes: a) diploid clones, caused by failure of the second meiotic division, with a frequency of 0.54 x 10(-4) per viable spore; and b) diplo V, aneuploids derived from nondisjunctions in meiosis I or meiosis II, with a total spontaneous frequency of 0.95 x 10(-4) per viable spore. About two-thirds of the aneuploids originated during meiosis I, the rest during meiosis II. An investigation of these events in control meioses and after treatment with MMS, Benomyl and Amphotericin B suggests that this assay system is suitable for screening environmental mutagens for their effects on meiotic segregation.     

Rates of movement of transposable elements on the second chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster

The rates of movement of 11 families of transposable elements of Drosophila melanogaster were studied by means of in situ hybridization of probes to polytene chromosomes of larvae from a long-term mutation accumulation experiment. Replicate mutation-accumulation lines carrying second chromosomes derived from a single common ancestral chromosome were maintained by backcrosses of single males heterozygous for a balancer chromosome and a wild-type chromosome, and were scored after 116 generations. Twenty-seven transpositions and 1 excision were detected using homozygous viable and fertile second chromosomes, for a total of 235,056 potential sources of transposition events and a potential 252,880 excision events. The overall transposition rate per element per generation was 1.15 x 10(-4) and the excision rate was 3.95 x 10(-6). The single excision (of a roo element) was due to recombination between the element's long terminal repeats. A survey of the five most active elements among nine homozygous lethal lines revealed no significant difference in the estimates of transposition and excision rates from those from viable lines. The excess of transposition over excision events is in agreement with the results of other in situ hybridization experiments, and supports the conclusion that replicative increase in transposable element copy number is opposed by selection. These conclusions are compared with those from other studies, and with the conclusions from population surveys of element frequencies.     

Relationship between changes in ploidy and stable cellular resistance to hydrogen peroxide

Stable hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-resistant variants of the Chinese hamster ovary HA-1 line have been isolated by culturing cells in progressively increasing concentrations of H₂O₂ (>200 days, in 50–800 μM H₂O₂). Increases in catalase activity in these variant cell lines were shown to correlate with increased H₂O₂ resistance. Stable (>240 days) H₂O₂-resistant cell lines, seven quasidiploid (21–22 chromosomes/cell) and six quasitetraploid (40–44 chromosomes/cell) were clonally isolated from the 800 μM adapted H₂O₂-resistant variants which were heterogeneous with respect to ploidy. The H₂O₂ dose-modifying factors (DMFs) were 3, 5, 8, 13, 15, 26, and 27 for the seven quasidiploid cell lines, and 21, 32, 38, 40, 42, and 49 for the six quasitetraploid cell lines. The mean DMF was 14±10 for the former and 37±10 for the latter. Our data show that on the average the quasitetraploid cell lines were significantly more resistant to H₂O₂-mediated cell killing than the quasidiploid cell lines derived from the same mixed population of 800 μM H₂O₂-adapted cells. When catalase activities (k units/cell) of the HA-1 cells and three of the clonally derived cell lines (two quasidiploid and one quasitetraploid) were determined and plotted vs. H₂O₂–DMF, a positive linear correlation was obtained (correlation coefficient = 0.99). This result was further confirmed when immunoreactive catalase protein/cell was detected by Western blots. Our data show that chronic exposure of cells to H₂O₂ stress (800 μM) was accompanied by increases in quasitetraploid cells within the population. Quasitetraploid cell lines derived from this population demonstrated increased stable H₂O₂-resistance which may be related to stable increases in the expression of catalase.     

Frameshift mutations induced by the acridine mustard ICR-191 in embryos and in the adult gill and hepatopancreas of rpsL transgenic zebrafish

To determine whether frameshift mutations can be detected in rpsL transgenic zebrafish (Brachydanio rerio), embryos, and adult fish were treated with 6-chloro-9-[3-(2-chloroethylamino)-propylamino]-2-methoxyacridine (ICR-191). Embryos exposed to 0, 10, or 20 microM ICR-191 in a water bath for 18 h exhibited induced mutant frequencies (MFs) of 14 x 10(-5), 16 x 10(-5), and 25 x 10(-5), respectively. Only embryos exposed to 20 microM ICR-191 showed a significant increase in MF. The mutational spectra differed between the control and ICR-191-treated groups and single G:C pair insertions, which are a marked characteristic of ICR-191 mutagenesis, were observed in both 10 and 20 microM-treated embryos. In adult fish treated with 1 microM ICR-191 in a water bath for 18 h, a significant increase in MFs was observed in both gill (12 x 10(-5) and 44 x 10(-5) in control and treated fish, respectively), and hepatopancreas (5 x 10(-5) and 29 x 10(-5), respectively) 2 weeks after exposure. Sequence analysis showed that 58% of mutations in gill and 94% of mutations in hepatopancreas were single G:C pair insertions, which is typical of mutations induced by ICR-191. Additionally, these mutations occurred predominantly at a single site (CC sequence at bps 140-141) in the rpsL gene. Three weeks after exposure, however, the increased MFs and prominent mutational spectra of ICR-treated fish were undetectable. These findings suggest that using our protocols the rpsL transgenic zebrafish mutation assay is more effective for adult fish than for embryos, but that frameshift mutations can be detected in both embryos and adults at appropriate sampling times after treatment with ICR-191.     

Mitotic Chromosome Loss in a Disomic Haploid of SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE

Experiments designed to characterize the incidence of mitotic chromosome loss in a yeast disomic haploid were performed. The selective methods employed utilize the non-mating property of strains disomic for linkage group III and heterozygous at the mating type locus. The principal findings are: (1) The frequency of spontaneous chromosome loss in the disome is of the order 10^-4 per cell; this value approximates the frequency in the same population of spontaneous mitotic exchange resulting in homozygosity at the mating type locus. (2) The recovered diploids are pure clones, and thus represent unique events in the disomic haploid. (3) Of the euploid chromosomes recovered after events leading to chromosome loss, approximately 90% retain the parental marker configuration expected from segregation alone; however, the remainder are recombinant for marker genes, and are the result of mitotic exchanges in the disome, especially in regions near the centromere. The recombinant proportion significantly exceeds that expected if chromosome loss and mitotic exchange in the disome were independent events. The data are consistent with a model proposing mitotic nondisjunction as the event responsible for chromosome loss in the disomic haploid.     

Mutational analysis of centromere DNA from chromosome VI of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae centromeres have a characteristic 120-base-pair region consisting of three distinct centromere DNA sequence elements (CDEI, CDEII, and CDEIII). We have generated a series of 26 CEN mutations in vitro (including 22 point mutations, 3 insertions, and 1 deletion) and tested their effects on mitotic chromosome segregation by using a new vector system. The yeast transformation vector pYCF5 was constructed to introduce wild-type and mutant CEN DNAs onto large, linear chromosome fragments which are mitotically stable and nonessential. Six point mutations in CDEI show increased rates of chromosome loss events per cell division of 2- to 10-fold. Twenty mutations in CDEIII exhibit chromosome loss rates that vary from wild type (10(-4)) to nonfunctional (greater than 10(-1)). These results directly identify nucleotides within CDEI and CDEIII that are required for the specification of a functional centromere and show that the degree of conservation of an individual base does not necessarily reflect its importance in mitotic CEN function.     

Meiotic studies of male common shrews (Sorex araneus L.) from a hybrid zone between chromosome races

Thirty-three adult male common shrews (Sorex araneus L.) were collected from a hybrid zone between two chromosomal races that differed in Robertsonian metacentrics. Anaphase I nondisjunction frequencies were estimated on the basis of metaphase II counts. RIV and CV complex heterozygotes (four-element rings and five-element chains at meiosis I, respectively) had substantially higher nondisjunction rates than homozygotes and simple Robertsonian heterozygotes. However, at least in the case of RIV-forming hybrids, increased nondisjunction frequency did not result from malsegregation of the heterozygous complex. Extra elements found in hyperploid spreads were most frequently acrocentrics, that could not originate from a fully metacentric multivalent. Complex heterozygotes were also characterized by higher frequencies of univalents observed at diakinesis I. However, univalents did not originate from complex configurations, which were regularly formed with usually one chiasma per chromosome arm. Hence, we suppose that the presence of multivalents in the cell affects pairing and segregation of other elements at meiosis I.     

Use of a human X mouse hybrid cell line to detect aneuploidy induced by environmental chemicals

A short-term assay utilizing a human/mouse monochromosomal hybrid cell line R3-5, to detect chemically induced aneuploidy in mammalian cells is described. A single human chromosome transferred into mouse cells was used as a cytogenetic marker to quantitate abnormal chromosome segregation following chemical treatment. The human chromosome present in the mouse cells can be readily identified by differential staining procedures. The frequency of cells containing 0 or 2 human chromosomes in the progeny of chemically treated monochromosomal hybrid cells provided a direct measure of aneuploidy. We tested the sensitivity of the proposed system with 3 model chemicals (colcemid, cyclophosphamide and benomyl) known to induce numerical or structural changes in chromosomes. The frequency of an abnormal segregation of the human chromosome was found to be dose dependent and consistently higher than controls. This system has the capability to detect gain as well as loss of a chromosome resulting from nondisjunction or other mechanisms leading to aneuploidy.     

Human lysosomal genes: Arylsulfatase A and β-Galactosidase

The segregation of human lysosomal arylsulfatase A (ARS-A) has been evaluated in 50 primary hybrid clones derived from four separate fusions involving WBCs from two unrelated individuals and three hamster cell lines. ARS-A was expressed in the hybrids as a dimeric molecule of very similar or identical subunits. The expression of this enzyme was concordant with that of mitochondrial aconitase (ACON-M), an isozyme assigned to chromosome 22, in all 50 clones and with chromosome 22 segregation in all but one of the 29 karyotyped hybrids. No other human chromosome cosegregated with 22 in these clones, suggesting that this enzyme is specified in hybrid cells by a locus (or loci) on a single chromosome. beta-Galactosidase (B-GAL) expression was analyzed with two different electrophoresis systems and with a number of cell extract preparation methods in 39 of the primary hybrid clones. The B-GAL isozyme expressed in these hybrid cells was concordant with the expression of glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPX-1), an isozyme assigned to chromosome 3, in all 39 clones and with the segregation of this chromosome in 97% of the 29 karyotyped hybrids. These observations substantiate the prior tentative assignments of an ARS-A locus to chromosome 22 and a B-GAL locus to chromosome 3 (Bruns et al., 1978a, b). The implications of the chromosome assignments of loci for 12 human lysosomal enzymes for the cellular assembly of these organelles are discussed.     

Distorted segregation resulting from pea chromosome reconstructions with alien segments from Pisum fulvum

Pea (Pisum sativum L.) satellited chromosome reconstructions were analyzed by cytologic markers to identify segregation distortion events. The presence of modified chromosomes was evaluated on the basis of additional rDNA genes, an extra and a longer satellite, all derived from chromosome 5 and chromosome 7 from P. fulvum Sibth. & Sm. The segregation of modified satellited chromosome 5 was monitored through fluorescent in situ hybridization with rDNA probe; it fitted the expected 1:2:1 ratio after self-pollination of a heterozygous genotype for modified chromosome 5. In different genotypes, which were heterozygous for both modified chromosomes 5 and 7, the combined segregation of these chromosomes showed the occurrence of seven karyotype classes instead of the expected nine. The classes with modified chromosome 7 and without modified chromosome 5, whether heterozygous or homozygous, were absent. The hypothesis of gamete selection was rejected since the expected segregation ratio of 5:3:1 was significant by chi-square test. Based on the other hypothesis of postzygotic selection, the segregation ratio did not show a significant deviation from the expected 9:3:1 ratio, thereby indicating that embryo abortion caused the segregation distortion (SD). The hypothesis of the SD system involving two loci carried by the alien satellites of modified chromosomes 5 and 7 is discussed in relation to the evolution of the P. fulvum genome.     

ICR-191 and ethyl methanesulfonate induced mutagenesis at the immunoglobulin locus in the Y5606 cultured myeloma cell line

The Y5606 mouse tumor synthesizing an IgG3, lambda immunoglobulin (Ig) was adapted to continuous growth in tissue culture. The spontaneous mutation rate at the Ig locus (approximately 3 X 10(-5)/cell/generation) in this cell line was found to be less than that in other cultured mouse myeloma lines. Treatment with either ICR-191 or ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) increased the mutation rate approx. 100-fold. Spontaneous and ICR-191 induced mutants were synthetic variants that is they synthesized either heavy (H) or light (L) chains alone instead of the H and L chains synthesized by the parent. Following EMS treatment assembly variants which were synthesizing structurally altered H chains were isolated in addition to synthetic variants. The assembly variants appear to be a unique consequence of EMS mutagenesis.     

Heterosis for chiasma frequency and quantitative traits in common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Summary Ten genotypes, including inbreds, hybrids, and advanced populations, were examined in order to elucidate the relationship between position and frequency distribution of chiasmata and quantitative traits, including yield heterosis in common beans. The hybrid and advanced population groups were determined to possess 83% and 54% increased chiasma frequency, respectively in contrast to inbred lines. The increase in chiasma frequency of these populations was further manifested in a high number of interstitial chiasmata. The regular and superior chromosome behaviour of the hybrids was found to be positively associated with quantitative measures on bean yield, harvest index and bean yield efficiency. The results were discussed from the point of view that: a) increased interstitial chiasmata may provide an effective mechanism for maintaining genetic diversity and heterosis in hybrid populations; and b) heterosis for chiasma frequency and quantitative traits may be due to dispersed genes on the chromosomes having combined intra-and interallelic interactions. The data provide evidence for the existence of positive associations between interstitially localized chiasmata with its recombination potential and regular chromosome behaviour to bean yield heterosis. The role of enhanced interstitial chiasmata to promote higher levels of genetic variation and heterozygous advantage is discussed.     

In vitro induction of numerical changes in the karyotype of normal and transformed Djungarian and Chinese hamster cells]

The comparative study of the frequency of colcemid-induced aneuploidy and polyploidy in cultured normal and transformed cells of Djungarian hamster is described. The occurrence of variants with changed chromosome number is much higher in populations of SV40-transformed cell line (4/21) than in normal embryonic cultures. In transformed lines of Djungarian and Chinese hamsters (4/21 and V-79) the frequency of cells with changed chromosome number was found to be dependent on the culture density: the percentage of polyploids was 4-5-fold higher when the number of seeded cells was 2-fold lower. The highest number (18-29%) of hypermodal cells was produced at drug concentrations of 0.02-0.025 mkg/ml. The percengate of polyploids under these conditions reached 10-20. At further increase of colcemid concentrations the proportion of polyploid cells increased. In Djungarian hamster embryonic cell cultures there were single cells with changed chromosome numbers at a concentration of the drug of 0.015-0.1 mkg/ml.     

Pattern of segregation of chicken HPRT phenotype in Chinese hamster-chick red blood cell hybrids.

The pattern of segregation of hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT, E.C. 2.4.2.8) was determined in synchronized Chinese hamster-chick red blood cell hybrids. Three hybrid lines were synchronized at the G1-S boundary. Bromodeoxyuridine pulses were subsequently applied throughout the S phase, and the frequency of the segregant clones was determined. It was found that the segregation of the chicken-specific HPRT phenotype associated with the loss of a chromosome was potentiated by bromodeoxyuridine administered during the first hour following release of the block.     

Heterochromatin protein 1 is involved in control of telomere elongation in Drosophila melanogaster

Telomeres of Drosophila melanogaster contain arrays of the retrotransposon-like elements HeT-A and TART. Their transposition to broken chromosome ends has been implicated in chromosome healing and telomere elongation. We have developed a genetic system which enables the determination of the frequency of telomere elongation events and their mechanism. The frequency differs among lines with different genotypes, suggesting that several genes are in control. Here we show that the Su(var)2-5 gene encoding heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) is involved in regulation of telomere length. Different Su(var)2-5 mutations in the heterozygous state increase the frequency of HeT-A and TART attachment to the broken chromosome end by more than a hundred times. The attachment occurs through either HeT-A/TART transposition or recombination with other telomeres. Terminal DNA elongation by gene conversion is greatly enhanced by Su(var)2-5 mutations only if the template for DNA synthesis is on the same chromosome but not on the homologous chromosome. The Drosophila lines bearing the Su(var)2-5 mutations maintain extremely long telomeres consisting of HeT-A and TART for many generations. Thus, HP1 plays an important role in the control of telomere elongation in D. melanogaster.