Heterochromatin banding in the genus Paris

The heterochromatin content of new accessions of the genus Paris have been studied using C banding and Q banding techniques. Supernumerary chromosomes in two accessions are shown to differ in their heterochromatin content. The results are related to previous cytogenetic work in the genus Paris.     

Heterochromatin patterns in triatomines of the genus Panstrongylus

Spermatogenesis was analysed by C-banding in two species of triatomines, Panstrongylus megistus and P. herreri. Both species revealed interstitial and terminal bands in the autosomes, which is a common pattern in Heteroptera. The terminal bands corroborated the hypothesis that in holocentric chromosomes the heterochromatin is preferentially located at the telomere. The sex chromosomes in P. herreri were totally heterochromatic in spermatogenesis, and in P. megistus the X chromosomes alternated between positive and negative banding.     

A note on the genus Artemia in Algeria

Five new locality records for Artemia in Algeria are given. Some physical and chemical characteristics of their environment are recorded. Predation on Artemia by the fish Aphanius fasciatus occurs where the river Khrouf debouches in Chott Merouan but not elsewhere.     

Variations in repetitive DNA and heterochromatin in the genus Artemia

The genus Artemia (Crustacea, Phyllopoda) is widely distributed all over the world as a result partly of natural colonization and partly of spread by birds and man. Artemia offers a very interesting model for speciation studies, since the genus comprises both bisexual sibling species and parthenogenetic populations, exhibiting different chromosome numbers (diploidy, heteroploidy and polyploidy). The finding of the clustered repetitive AluI DNA family in the heterochromatin of A. franciscana can provide a useful tool for investigating the relationship between the members of the genus Artemia at the molecular level. Sixteen strains of Artemia, comprising sibling species and parthenogenetic populations, were analysed for the presence of AluI repetitive DNA by dot-blot hybridization. The observed variation in the content of repetitive DNA together with genetical, biological and geological data, support the hypothesis that Artemia living in the New World are derived from ancestral species that evolved in the Mediterranean area.     

Review of the biogeography of the genus Artemia (Crustacea, Anostraca)

In this study, we report on the known Artemia habitats worldwide. Recent literature information is incorporated about the taxonomic status of the various populations studied. The genus is composed of di-, tri-, tetra- and pentaploid parthenogenetic populations and of the following bisexual species: A. franciscana franciscana , A. franciscana monica , A. franciscana sp., A. persimilis , A. salina , A. urmiana , A. sinica and A. sp. from Kazakhstan. The problems of characterizing new brine shrimp populations are discussed. In view of the great importance of Artemia as part of the live food chain for the culture of fish and shellfish larvae and the present cyst shortage from the market, the need for commercial exploitation and development of new Artemia sources is now, more than ever, necessary.     

Speciation in the Artemia genus: Mitochondrial DNA analysis of bisexual and parthenogenetic brine shrimps

From the cloned mitochondrial DNAs (mtDNAs) isolated from two bisexual species, one Mediterranean, Artemia salina, and one American, Artemia franciscana, and two parthenogenetic (diploid and tetraploid) strains of Artemia parthenogenetica collected in Spain, physical maps have been constructed and compared. They are extremely different among themselves, much more than the differences between Drosophila melanogaster and D. yakuba and in the same range of different mammalian species such as mouse/rat or man/cow. The nucleotide sequences of two regions of mtDNA encoding parts of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and cytochrome b (Cytb) genes have been determined in the two bisexual species and the two parthenogenetic strains. Comparisons of these sequences have revealed a high degree of divergence at the nucleotide level, averaging more than 15%, in agreement with the differences found in the physical maps. The majority of the nucleotide changes are silent and there is a strong bias toward transitions, with the CT substitutions being highly predominant. The evolutionary distance between the two Artemia parthenogenetica is high and there is no clear relationship with any of the bisexual species, including the one present nowadays in Spain. Using a combination of molecular (mtDNA) and morphological markers it is possible to conclude that all of these Artemia isolates should be actually considered as belonging to different species, even the two Artemia parthenogenetica diploidica and tetraploidica.On sabbatical leave from Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madridearly Italian artemiologists to designate the Medi-Beatriz Batuecas died in an accident during the Christmas holy days of 1988 after she had initiated this workCorrespondence to: R. Garesse     

Heterochromatin

The properties of heterochromatin are reconsidered in the context of our present understanding of gene silencing, telomeric and centromeric properties, position-effect variegation and X-chromosome inactivation. It is proposed that the chromatin in heterochromatic chromosomal regions is generally similar in its molecular composition to that in silenced chromosomal regions. Heterochromatic appearance hence reflects not a particular quality of the respective chromosomal regions but only a specific kind of chromatin packaging comparable to that required for the inactivation of genes. This packaging may be initiated by particular signals in the DNA but can be propagated over more extended chromosomal regions by the formation of multiprotein complexes that interact with histones and possibly cell-specific additional components (RNA or proteins) that determine the status of the chromosome in a particular cell type. Received: 15 November 1998 / Accepted: 8 December 1998     

Influence of ecological factors on the growth of crustaceans from the genus Artemia in Ural and Siberian populations

A morphometric analysis of crustaceans from the genus Artemia inhabiting nine Ural and Siberian populations has been carried out. An effect of the total mineralization of water reservoirs and some ions on the characteristics of Artemia growth has been discovered. The number of setae on furca and its length are most affected by the factors under consideration. A trend toward a decrease in the manifestation of fluctuating asymmetry alongside an increase in the total mineralization of water reservoirs has been found.     

异染色质的开放

真核细胞的染色体分为异染色质和常染色质。异染色质的形成和传播是通过对组蛋白的甲基化、乙酰化的修饰,提供HP1的识别位点实现的。过去认为与异染色质结合的蛋白质是固定的,现有研究表明与异染色质结合的蛋白质是流动的,因此转录激活因子与异染色质蛋白的竞争,可能决定了异染色质的开放,并为基因的转录提供了前提。     

Use of morphological characters for species separation within the genus Artemia (Crustacea, Branchiopoda)

Doubts have been raised about the use of morphological characters as criteria for species separation within the genus Artemia because of their relative validity. The characters considered to date, i.e. morphology of the frontal knobs of the male and the presence/absence of a spine-like projection on the basal part of the penis, are only partly efficacious, since they allow us to reliably distinguish only the Mediterranean species, Artemia salina, from the other bisexual species. While A. salina is characterized by subconical frontal knobs and the absence of the spine-like projection, the other species present subspherical frontal knobs and the spine-like projections. There is no information about the aspect of the frontal knobs in the Asian bisexual species. The aim of the present study is to clarify the situation by means of SEM observations of characters not considered in detail (ornamentation of the apical part of the spine-like projections) and by examination of the frontal knobs in the Asian species, which were not described at the time of the first studies.     

Heterochromatin variation in Cryptobothrus chrysophorus

Northern and southern races of the Australian grasshopper Cryptobothrus chrysophorus share the same diploid chromosome number (2n=23, 24). The northern race is differentiated from the southern by fixed extra blocks of heterochromatin located distally on five of the six medium pairs of autosomes (M4, 5, 6, 8 and 9). The megameric M7 pair, which is completely heterochromatic in both races, is also frequently larger in the northern race. Additionally, while there is considerable polymorphism for the presence of supernumerary heterochromatic segments on the two smallest autosome pairs (S10, 11) in both races, the precise character of this polymorphism is strikingly different between them. That found in the north is both more extensive and more variable. An analysis of the patterns of C-banding obtained in neuroblast c-mitoses indicates even more variation within and between races than was anticipated from the patterns of heteropycnosis seen at first prophase of male meiosis. Thus, while the distal blocks on the M4, 6, 8 and 9 elements in the northern race invariably C-band those of the M5 never do. On the other hand polymorphisms for C-bands on the M5, 6, 8 and 9 are seen in some populations of the southern race but in regions which are not visibly heteropycnotic at meiosis. Polymorphisms for the pattern of C-banding also occur in the northern race populations in the M4, 6, 8 and 9 elements and some of these are associated with clear length differences in the chromosomes concerned. Others involve differences in the expression of the distal C-bands in M8 and 9 which vary from dark to intermediate. The supernumerary segments on the S10 and 11 pairs are especially variable in respect of their C-banding properties. Some are entirely C-banded, some show no C-banding whatsoever and some are composed of both banded and unhanded regions. Banding is again most pronounced, however, in the northern race. Finally the character of the megameric M7 is strikingly different in the two races not only in respect of its size, which is sometimes larger than that of the south, but also in respect of the extent of C-banding which is always more complex in the northern form irrespective of its size.     

Heterochromatin variation in Cryptobothrus chrysophorus

The endemic grasshopper Cryptobothrus chrysophorus is widely distributed throughout S.E. Australia and its populations display an extensive and spectacular pattern of autosomal variation. While the standard telocentric complement of three long (L1–3), six medium (M4–9) and two short (S10–11) autosome pairs is present throughout most of its range, two quite distinct chromosome races can be defined within this species. Populations in the northern part of its distribution (northern N.S.W. and southern Queensland-northern race) are differentiated from the remainder (southern race) by fixed blocks of distal heterochromatin on autosomes M4, 5, 6, 8 and 9 and by differences in the character of the megameric M7 chromosome. Additionally, while many populations in both races show a polymorphic system of supernumerary segments on the two smallest autosomes (S10–11), that found in the northern race is both more variable and more complex. On the other hand all the populations of the southern race we have examined are polymorphic for a series of centric shifts which convert telocentrics into acro- or meta-centrics. These occur more commonly in the megameric M7 and the two smallest autosomes (S10–11) although in one population (Forbes Creek, N.S.W.) at least 12 different shifts involving 8 of the autosomes (L3, M4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and S10) are known. By contrast, in the northern erace only the small autosomes (S10–11) show centric shifts. These several floating and fixed variants thus involve all chromosomes of the standard set other than the two largest autosomes (L1–2) and the X-chromosome, which appear to be invariate. Finally, morphologically distinct supernumerary (B) chromosomes, intermediate in size between the standard S10 and the M9 elements, are found in both races but are especially common in Tasmania, the most southerly point of the species range. These B-chromosomes are partly heterochromatic and partly euchromatic so that they too add to the considerable heterochromatin variation in this species.     

Heterochromatin variation in Cryptobothrus chrysophorus

Synthetic F₁ hybrids between individuals taken from selected populations of the northern (Glenn Innés, Bolivia Hill) and southern (Forbes Creek, Mount Aggie) chromosome races of the grasshopper Cryptobothrus chrysophorus confirm that these two races are indeed distinguished by fixed differences in heterochromatin content. These differences affect five of the six medium sized members of the complement (M 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9). Added to this there is a marked change in the character of the remaining medium pair (M 7) which functions as the megameric in this species. — Meiosis in F₁ males is characterised by the presence of univalency in from 22–32% of the meiocytes. This appears to be genotypic in causation and may involve from one to three chromosome pairs in any one cell. Laggards produced from such univalents lead to a failure of anaphase separation at either first or second division or at both of them. Consequently from 17–36% of the sperm produced are giant (diploid or tetraploid) in size. Added to this the medium members commonly form end to end associations involving the heterochromatic (northern race) and euchromatic (southern race) terminii. This is a modified form of the heterochromatic end associations which occur between homologous medium pairs in northern populations. The two small pairs (S10 and 11) show comparable behaviour in both races when they carry terminal heterochromatic supernumerary segments. Such associations persist despite the fact that they are non-chiasmate in character. Moreover, despite the asynapsis found in F₁ males they produce F₂s when allowed to intersib mate, although many of the embryos fail to develop, presumably as a result of genotypic imbalance, or else are aneuploid in constitution. In the F₂s that do survive to maturity the chromosome differences which distinguish the northern and southern forms are recombined to give a wide variety of karyotypes in which the observed pairing is much improved and from which F₃s were subsequently obtained.