A comparison of the fluorescent karyotypes of the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) and man

Individual chimpanzee chromosomes have been identified by their characteristic banding revealed by quinacrine fluorescent staining. A fluorescent karyotype of this species was set up to be compared with the standard human fluorescent karyotype. It was found that chromosomes 1, 3, 11, 12, 14 and X-chromosome of the chimpanzee appear to have banding patterns similar to the equivalent human chromosomes. Chromosomes 6, 7, 8, 10 and 13 also had a fluorescent pattern corresponding to the human chromosomes of the same number, particularly in the long arm. Remarkable variation in intensity and/or size of fluorescent regions was frequently found in the short arm of satellited acrocentric chromosomes 13, 14, 15, 22 and 23. Variations occurred between homologues and between individuals. Such variable fluorescence in a specific chromosomal region of an individual animal is a reproducible characteristic. Unlike its human counterpart, the distal segment in the long arm of the chimp's Y-chromosome is not brightly fluorescent. An earlier report is thus confirmed.