XX/XY sex chromosome system and chromosome markers in the snake eel Ophisurus serpens (Anguilliformes: Ophichtidae) |
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Authors: | Susanna Salvadori Anna Maria Deiana Federica Deidda Cinzia Lobina Antonello Mulas Elisabetta Coluccia |
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Affiliation: | Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy |
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Abstract: | We report evidence of an XX/XY sex chromosome system in the snake eel Ophisurus serpens (Anguilliformes: Ophichthidae). We characterized the male and female karyotypes by C-, replication- and HaeIII-bandings. The 45S and 5S ribosomal gene families were located using dual fluorescence in situ hybridization, which showed that the 5S rDNA sites were present on the X chromosome, beside an autosome pair. FISH with a telomeric peptide nucleic acid probe enabled recognition of Interstitial Telomeric Sequences (ITSs), likely remnants of chromosomal rearrangements, in five chromosome pairs, including the rDNA-bearing ones. Possible mechanisms of the origin of sex chromosomes in this species are discussed, considering the presence of a sex-linked marker and ITSs. |
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Keywords: | Audrey J. Geffen |
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