Grades of chromatid organisation in mitotic and meiotic chromosomes

The different grades of chromatid organisation recognised in mitotic and meiotic chromosomes are interpreted in terms of a new master/slave model, in which a linear strand of master loci has an associated slave assembly of chromomeres. These are joined by labile interchromomeric linkages, which might be short overlap segments of single-stranded DNA. Each slave assembly, or chromomere, is considered to give rise to a lateral slave loop. The model is able to explain how transitions between the four basic types of lampbrush organisation could occur at mitosis and meiosis, how the presence or absence of transitions at early first meiotic prophase may decide whether or not synapsis may take place, and why it should be restricted to two homologues at any one point. It provides a basis for understanding how precision hybrid DNA cross-over events involving single DNA molecules could be achieved in a regular, repeatable and controlled fashion, between such relatively massive structures as chromosomes, and how resolution of the primary exchange events could lead to the development of chiasmata. It also suggests a new way of thinking about the mechanisms underlying the separation and rotation of chromosome arms which occurs during the diplotene and diakinesis stages of most chiasmate species. Semi-conservative DNA replication, iso-labelling and breakage and reunion studies which suggest only one axial strand are also explicable in terms of the model, as is the occurrence of side-arm bridges, involving two visible “sub-chromatid” strands, at anaphase stages.     

Effect of LSD on mitotic and meiotic plant chromosomes

LSD was found to induce chromosomal aberrations in root tip cells of Allium cepa, Hordeum vulgare and Secale cereale. Aberrations occurred in the form of chromatid and isochromatid breaks with most of these breaks failing to rejoin. The distribution of chromosome breaks was not uniform over the length of chromosomes, and a majority of the breaks were localized at the centromeric regions. For a given dose of LSD (30 g/ml), onion appeared to be more susceptible than barley or rye. The diploid and tetraploid rye used in the study showed no appreciable difference in sensitivity to LSD treatment. — A preliminary study on meiotic chromosomes in LSD-treated diploid rye revealed the presence of univalents, chromosome breaks and fragments, suggesting that LSD can induce meiotic abnormalities in plant material.Contribution from the Department of Agronomy, University of Kentucky. The investigation reported in this paper (73-3-75) is in connection with a project of the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station and is published with the approval of the Director.     

Differential associative behaviour of mitotic and meiotic acrocentric chromosomes

Summary A comparative study of the association of mitotic acrocentric chromosomes and acrocentric bivalents at the pachytene stage shows that at least two factors can act in the associative behaviour of these chromosomes: (1) Nor activity and (2) the presence of satellite DNA in the short arms of these chromosomes. These factors do not act with the same intensity in the two cell lines studied. In lymphocytes, Nor activity prevails, whereas satellite DNA plays the main role in the association of acrocentric chromosomes in germ cells at the pachytene stage.     

The isolation of mitotic and meiotic chromosomes from plant protoplasts

A method has been developed for the isolation of whole chromosomes from plant protoplasts of both mitotic and meiotic cells. Mitotic chromosomes were isolated from protoplasts taken from synchronized liquid suspension cultures of both Nicotiana tabacum and Lycopersicon esculentum, with final yields under optimum conditions of 7% and 12%, respectively, of the total chromosomes available. Meiotic chromosomes were isolated from the naturally synchronous meiocytes of Lilium Black Beauty and Hemerocallis Crestwood Ann with final yields of over 50% of the total chromosomes available. The technique used involves a gentle lysis of the protoplasts with a low osmotic strength and low detergent concentration. Evidence that the structures isolated were in fact chromosomes consists of : (i) Feulgen positive staining with correct morphology; (ii) isolation of histone proteins from tomato chromosomes; (iii) radioautography based on tritiated thymidine labeled isolated chromosomes from tobacco cells.     

Unequal mitotic sister chromatid exchange and different length of Y chromosomes

Summary There is wide variation in the length of the Y chromosome. In the same individual the length varies continuously and is normally distributed. We describe a boy with borderline mental retardation, gross and fine motor coordination difficulty, muscle rigidity, ptosis, clinodactyly, and a Y chromosome of different lengths in two separate cell populations. The most probable explanation of the cytogenetic finding is a mitotic unequal sister chromatid exchange of the Y chromosome.     

Genetic selection of meiotic and mitotic recombinant yeast artificial chromosomes.

We have developed a genetic screen for the isolation of larger or smaller recombinant yeast artificial chromosomes derived from overlapping YACs. Integration plasmids were used to modify the TRP1 and URA3 auxotrophic markers present respectively on the left and right vector arms of one of the parental YACs. Diploids containing the two parental YACs were studied through meiosis and mitosis. Tetrad analysis revealed the presence of meiotic recombinant YACs at a frequency comparable with what is expected for yeast DNA (about 3 kb/cM). More direct genetic selection of diploids on -TRP-LYS synthetic media in the presence of 5-fluoro-orotic acid (5-FOA), led to the isolation of mitotic recombinant YACs at a high frequency. Analysis of these yeast cells by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, confirmed the loss of both parental artificial chromosomes, and the specific retention of a larger or smaller recombinant YAC.     

The mitotic, polytene, and meiotic chromosomes of Drosophila ananassae.

The mitotic chromosome complement of D. ananassae consists of four structurally distinguishable submetacentric pairs and all four have been identified with their linkage groups. For the polytene chromosome complement of six arms representing the X, second and third chromosomes, an improved reference map has been constructed and used to describe selected cytogenetically useful rearrangements. In meiotic prophase of spermatocytes, chromosomes 2 and 3 form pachytene-diplotene bivalents whose arms may be associated by chiasmata in postdiplotene stages, but the X, Y and fourth chromosomes participate in a complex multivalent. No correlation was detected between meiotic chromosome behavior and specific genes that regulate crossing over in males. In male inversion heterozygotes having high levels of genetically monitored crossing over, no unequivocal evidence was found for formation of either pachytene inversion loops or anaphase bridges and fragments.     

Effect of LSD-25 on mitotic and meiotic chromosomes of mice and monkeys

Summary Chromosomal studies were carried out in bone marrow and testes of mice treated with lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD-25) in acute and chronic experiments, in blood cultures of rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) treated with LSD-25 in vitro, and in blood cultures and testicular preparations of rhesus macaques treated with LSD. No increase in chromosomal damage was observed in bone marrow or testes, but all blood cultures treated with LSD in vitro and some of the blood cultures from rhesus macaques treated in vitro showed a significant increase in chromosomal breaks and rearrangements.Publication No. 397 of the Oregon Regional Primate Research Center, supported in part by Grants No. F00163 and MHI12214 of the National Institutes of Health.     

Structural differentiation of the meiotic and mitotic chromosomes of the salamander,Ambystoma macrodactylum

The lampbrush chromosomes of the long-toed salamander, Ambystoma macrodactylum Baird, have been analysed and a map of the oocyte genome prepared. The location of C-bands and cold-induced-constrictions has been established in mitotic chromosomes and compared with the location of marker structures and chiasmata in several lampbrush bivalents. In the lampbrush chromosomes, C-bands are tentatively correlated with sphere-organizing loci and with regions of low chiasma frequency; cold-induced-constrictions are tentatively correlated with regions of high chiasma frequency. In general, in this salamander, C-bands do not coincide in position with cold-induced-constrictions. We have compared our results with those obtained by Callan (1966) in his investigation of chromosomes of the axolotl, Ambystoma mexicanum, and we present an analysis of the similarities and differences that are visible in the chromosome sets of these two ambystomatid species.     

Chromosome chromatid rearrangements resulting from the mitotic crossing-over between sister-chromatids in ring chromosomes of Creptis capillaris

Summary All radiation-induced aberrations in dry seeds of Crepis capillaris are chromosome rearrangements. The main types of chromosome rearrangements in the above tests were asymmetrical and symmetrical exchanges, ring chromosomes and ring deletions. The majority of ring chromosomes is of a chromosomes type which brings about paired rings. Fig. 1 presents the mechanism of the production of the paired rings. In a number of cases the structure of rings proved to be quite unexpected. Among middle size rings single rings proved to occur in 18.8%, among microrings-1.9% cases. Somewhat fewer are presented by pairs of rings one inside the other. The large rings present complex figures made by tangled chromatids. Two rings make one due to mitotic crossing-over between sister-chromatids (Fig. 5). Double crossing-over would lead to the exchange of part of material between two independent rings or to one ring being thrust into the other due to different strand positions in two points of the exchange. Large rings is the provision of complicated exchanges.     

Sex chromosomes in the spiny eel (Mastacembelus aculeatus) revealed by mitotic and meiotic analysis

Lower vertebrates like fish exhibit tremendous diversity in sex determination. There are wide interplays between environment-dependent sex differentiation ranging from natural hermaphroditism to sex reversal and genetic sex determination. Diverse systems of male and female heterogamety coexist in fish and sex chromosomes are rarely distinguishable in morphology. Here we show that the spiny eel ((Mastacembelus aculeatus) of the Perciformes, has evolved highly heteromorphic X and Y chromosomes. The metacentric X and Y chromosomes are the largest among 24 homologous pairs, differ from each other in size and morphology, and become distinct after C-banding because of conspicuous heterochromatin blocks which exhibit alternate distribution around the centromeric region. Chromosome painting using probes from the microdissected X chromosome revealed sequence homology between X and Y. During the pachytene stage of meiosis the X and Y form a bivalent. However, their synapsis is delayed which is particularly evident in one terminus. Therefore, the X and Y have resulted from a pericentric inversion in the Y. We conclude that M. aculeatus represents an example of a highly advanced stage of sex chromosome evolution in fish.     

The plant-specific family of DNA-binding proteins containing three HMG-box domains interacts with mitotic and meiotic chromosomes

? The high mobility group (HMG)-box represents a DNA-binding domain that is found in various eukaryotic DNA-interacting proteins. Proteins that contain three copies of the HMG-box domain, termed 3 × HMG-box proteins, appear to be specific to plants. The Arabidopsis genome encodes two 3 × HMG-box proteins that were studied here. ? DNA interactions were examined using electrophoretic mobility shift assays, whereas expression, subcellular localization and chromosome association were mainly analysed by different types of fluorescence microscopy. ? The 3 × HMG-box proteins bind structure specifically to DNA, display DNA bending activity and, in addition to the three HMG-box domains, the basic N-terminal domain contributes to DNA binding. The expression of the two Arabidopsis genes encoding 3 × HMG-box proteins is linked to cell proliferation. In synchronized cells, expression is cell cycle dependent and peaks in cells undergoing mitosis. 3 × HMG-box proteins are excluded from the nuclei of interphase cells and localize to the cytosol, but, during mitosis, they associate with condensed chromosomes. The 3 × HMG-box2 protein generally associates with mitotic chromosomes, while 3 × HMG-box1 is detected specifically at 45S rDNA loci. ? In addition to mitotic chromosomes the 3 × HMG-box proteins associate with meiotic chromosomes, suggesting that they are involved in a general process of chromosome function related to cell division, such as chromosome condensation and/or segregation.