A novel chromosomal abnormality t (9;14)(p24;q13) in B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is a malignant disease of the bone marrow in which early lymphoid precursors proliferate and replace the normal hematopoietic cells of the marrow. We describe the clinical, morphologic, immunophenotypic and cytogenetic findings in the case of a 26-year-old man with B-lymphoblastic leukemia. Surface marker analysis revealed that they are positive for CD markers CD10, CD19, CD13, CD34, CD45 and HLA-DR, but negative for CD20, CD33, CD117 and CD11C markers. Cytogenetic analysis established a novel translocation, t (9;14)(p24;q13). Apart from this, spectral karyotyping revealed an additional translocation, t (6p; 14q). This is the first documented case of B-lymphoblastic leukemia with concurrent occurrence of both abnormalities. Further studies are needed to understand the role of this abnormality in carcinogenesis.     

Natural hybridisation in birch: triploid hybrids between Betula nana and B. pubescens

Hybridisation between diploid (2n=28) dwarf birch Betula nana L. and tetraploid (2n=56) downy birch B. pubescens Ehrh. has occurred in natural populations in Iceland. About 10% of birch plants randomly collected are triploid (2n=42) hybrids. Ribosomal gene mapping on chromosomes and genomic in situ hybridisation confirms the hybridity. However, the triploid hybrids are not morphologically distinct, i.e. they are not different from diploid and tetraploid birch plants that have intermediate morphology. The triploid hybrids have evidently played an important role in driving bi-directional gene flow between these two species. This paper reviews the extent of interspecific hybridisation in selected birch woodland populations and discusses the significance of natural hybridisation and introgression in birch.     

小麦-华山新麦草抗全蚀病新种质的分子细胞遗传学研究

对小麦-华山新麦草附加系H20和代换系H1的抗病性及分子细胞遗传学进行了研究。结果 表明,H20和H1的体细胞染色体数目范围分别为42～44和40～42,2n=44和2n=42的细胞频率分别为58.33%和90%;花粉母细胞减数分裂中期Ⅰ,染色体构型分别为21．55Ⅱ十0．90Ⅰ和20．74Ⅱ十0．52Ⅰ,22Ⅱ和21Ⅱ的细胞频率分别为61．56％和86．18％;与中国春测交,21Ⅱ十1Ⅰ和20Ⅱ十2Ⅰ的细胞频率分别为70．14％和88．59％。用华山新麦草基因组DNA作探针进行原位杂交,结果显示H20和H1中均有2条华山新麦草染色体,他们的染色体构成分别为2n=44=42W 2N和2n=42=40W 2N。对全蚀病菌,H20表现近高度抗病性,H1表现中度抗病性。     

Cytogenetic analysis of three sea catfish species (Teleostei, Siluriformes, Ariidae) with the first report of Ag-NOR in this fish family

Despite their ecological and economical importance, fishes of the family Ariidae are still genetically and cytogenetically poorly studied. Among the 133 known species of ariids, only eight have been karyotyped. Cytogenetic analyses performed on Genidens barbus and Sciades herzbergii revealed that both species have 2n = 56 chromosomes and Cathorops aff. mapale has 2n = 52 chromosomes: Genidens barbus has 10 Metacentrics (M), 14 Submetacentrics (SM), 26 Subtelocentrics (ST), and 6 Acrocentrics (A), Sciades herzbergii has 14M, 20SM, 18ST and 4A, whereas Cathorops aff. mapale has 14M, 20SM, and 18ST. The nucleolus organizer regions (NORs) were found in a single chromosome pair on the short arm of a large-sized ST pair in Genidens barbus and on the short arm of a middle-size SM pair in Cathorops aff. mapale. Multiple NORs on the short arms of two large-sized ST pairs were found in Sciades herzbergii. The occurrence of diploid numbers ranging from 2n = 52 through 56 chromosomes and the presence of different karyotypic compositions, besides the number and position of NORs suggest that several numeric and structural chromosome rearrangements were fixed during the evolutionary history of this fish family.     

Karyotype analysis of Eucinostomus argenteus, E. gula, E. harengulus, and Eugerres plumieri (Teleostei, Gerreidae) from Florida and Puerto Rico

The karyotypes of four gerreids of the western Atlantic Ocean are documented. A diploid chromosome complement of 48 telocentric chromosomes was found in the four species (2N=48t, fundamental number FN=48). No differences were detected either in the number of chromosomes of the standard karyotype, in their karyotype size, or between the karyotypes derived from male or female specimens of any of the species. Chromosome length decreased progressively and slightly from pair 1 to pair 24. The Ag–NOR karyotypes of E. argenteus and E. harengulus were characterized by the position of the nucleolar organizer regions next to the centromere in chromosome pair 1, whereas in E. gula and E. plumieri Ag–NORs were detected in pair 4. The other 46 chromosomes showed a light staining of the centromere with no terminal or intermediate heterochromatic blocks. All Eucinostomus species showed Ag–NORs of similar size, while Eugerres plumieri showed Ag–NORs 10–20% larger than Eucinostomus species. A combination of size and position of the Ag–NORs identified E. gula, while size alone identified E. plumieri. However, the ancestral state for size and position of Ag–NORs could not be established. There was no differential staining of the chromosomes by G-banding. The karyotype of the gerreids appears similar to the hypothetical ancestral karyotype of fish. The phylogenetic relationships among these species could not be established because of the lack of chromosome G-bands. Most likely this indicates a homogeneous distribution of GC nucleotides in the chromosomes.     

Three-Dimensional Ultrastructural Karyotype Analysis from the Meiotic Parthenogenetic Nematode Heterodera betulae

Meiotic chromosome structure and function are described in the plant-parasitic nematode Heterodera betulae. Twelve synaptonemal complexes (SCs) were reconstructed from pachytene nuclei; therefore, n=12 is predicted for this species. Morphologically distinct sex chromosomes were not observed. Only one end of the SC is attached to the nuclear envelope, and there is no bouquet arrangement at pachytene. The structure of the SC in this meiotic parthenogenetic nematode was different than in other nematodes that reproduce via amphimixis; a striated central element with transverse filaments was not observed. Multiple SCs, or polycomplexes, were present in the nucleus. Recombination nodules were not observed. The centrioles were comprised of nine doublet microtubules connected by a ring, which is a distinct modification from the typical nine triplet microtubules without any interconnecting structure.     

First chromosome number determinations in south-eastern South American species of Lupinus L. (Leguminosae)

Chromosome numbers are presented for the first time for 30 accessions of nine south-eastern South American Lupinus species. Chromosome numbers of 2 n = 32 and 34 were found for L. bracteolaris (three out of five accessions with 2 n = 32) and L. linearis (two out of three accessions with 2 n = 32), and of 2 n = 36 for L. gibertianus , L. lanatus, L. magnistipulatus , L. multiflorus , L. rubriflorus , L. reitzii and L. uleanus . All the South American species examined have relatively low chromosome numbers when compared with most of the Old World and North American species. Our results, where 2 n = 36 is the rule, are in sharp contrast to the data for North American Lupinus species and reveal the following: (1) low chromosome numbers are the rule, at least in the southern part of eastern South America; (2) cytologically, the eastern South American species form a group distinct from the North American taxa; (3) high levels of polyploidy have not played as important a role in evolution and speciation in eastern South America as in North America; (4) the predominance of low chromosome numbers in eastern South American species and the existence of similar numbers in two of the six rough-seeded Old World species support the hypothesis that in the evolution of the genus the eastern South American species branched off first, followed by the rough-seeded group.  © 2002 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Socety , 2002, 139 , 395–400.     

Ogura CMS紫菜苔×萝卜×甘蓝型油菜杂种的获得及细胞遗传学研究

以OguraCMS紫菜苔×萝卜杂种F1(AR ,2n =19)为母本 ,以甘蓝型油菜 (AACC ,2n =38)为父本进行杂交 ,获得了 4棵杂种植株。其中 1株 (PRN 1)的花色为嵌合体 ,该植株上的花多为黄色 ,但是也有乳白色花 ,另外还有 1朵花甚至 1个花瓣上同时具有黄色和白色区域 ,其余 3株 (PRN 2、 3、 4 )都开白花。PRN 4的花药开花前退化 ,其余 3株都可以看到 3～ 6枚花药 ,能够产生部分花粉 ,但是PRN 2的花粉不能被I2 KI溶液染色。PRN 2具有 4个蜜腺 ,PRN 1和PRN 3具有 2个蜜腺 ,PRN 4无可见蜜腺。在低温下PRN 2叶色正常 ,其余 3株幼叶表现不同程度缺绿。PRN 1的染色体数目为 2n =38,染色体平均配对构型为 14 6 7Ⅰ +10 0 7Ⅱ +1 0 6Ⅲ ,其染色体组构成可能是AACR ;PRN 2的染色体数目为 2n =35 ,染色体平均配对构型为 13 89Ⅰ +8 33Ⅱ +1 33Ⅲ +0 11Ⅳ ,PRN 3的染色体数目为2n =33,染色体平均配对构型为 14 0 0Ⅰ +7 82Ⅱ +1 0 0Ⅲ +0 0 9Ⅳ。PRN 4的染色体数目未能确定。与甘蓝型油菜回交后PRN 1～ 3植株各自产生了一定数量的种子 ,而PRN 4则未产生种子。对这些杂种及其后代的遗传及育种意义进行了讨论     

The politics of biomedical platforms: controversy around the molecularization of cytogenetics in prenatal diagnosis

The introduction of a new technique based on molecular cytogenetics (the comparative genomic hybridization microarray, Chromosomal Micro-Array) in prenatal diagnosis is here used as an occasion to politically elaborate Cambrosio’s and Keating’s framework of “biomedical platform.” The uncertainty generated by molecularization leaves the field open for two different modalities of implementation: using targeted microarrays to completely replace traditional karyotyping versus using genome-wide analysis of chromosomal anomalies only in at-risk pregnancies. Retracing the global scientific controversy on this issue and, particularly, the heated debate that has taken place in Italy, the paper intends to analyze the rise of a biomedical platform in prenatal diagnosis as a multi-layered phenomenon. Diverging epistemological strategies to deal with uncertainty, professional interests, relationship between medical practice, innovation and research, and patient subjectivities interact with each other, by shedding light on the inherent political dimension in the epistemological and material of an emerging biomedical platform.     

Cranial and chromosomal geographic variation in manatees (Mammalia: Sirenia: Trichechidae) with the description of the Antillean manatee karyotype in Brazil

We employed landmark‐based 3D geometric morphometrics to assess cranial size and shape diversification in Trichechus manatus and T. inunguis to compare it with patterns among all manatee taxa (T. manatus latirostris, T. m. manatus, T. inunguis and T. senegalensis), and to analyse geographic variation within American manatee populations, using a sample of 189 skulls. Chromosome G‐ and C‐banding techniques were performed in T. m. manatus from Brazil. All taxa were statistically discriminated by skull shape. Trichechus m. manatus and T. m. latirostris have larger skulls than T. inunguis. A morphological discontinuity was noted within T. m. manatus, with the Brazilian population south of the Amazon discriminated from the T. m. manatus Caribbean and T. m. latirostris USA populations. Specimens from Suriname and Guyana had a skull shape more similar to the one from the Caribbean population. The Brazil Antillean manatee population exhibited morphological differences similar in magnitude to those found between the Amazonian and African species. Additionally, structural chromosome differences were detected between that population (chromosome pair 4 is metacentric and 10 is submetacentric) and manatees from Puerto Rico and Florida. Based on such morphological discontinuity and chromosomal divergence, we hypothesize that the Amazon River mouth may be acting as a reproductive barrier for the T. m. manatus population in Brazil, thus indicating that its taxonomic status and conservation strategies need an urgent reassessment.