Organization of Long Repeats of Sex-Chromosomal Heterochromatin in Common Vole Species

Two long repeats, MS3 and MS4, are predominantly located in sex-chromosomal heterochromatin in common vole species 1]. Their tandem arrangement was revealed by means of the PCR analysis of genomic DNAs of four Microtus species and by restriction mapping of clones selected from a M. rossiaemeridionalis genomic library. Several mobile elements proved to be incorporated in a monomeric unit of each repeat and amplified together with its other components. In addition, LINE inserts were found in MS4 tandem arrays. The copy number of both repeats per haploid genome was estimated at 100–300 for euchromatin and 20,000–40,000 for the M. rossiaemeridionalis genome. The repeats were assumed to be the major component of sex-chromosomal heterochromatin DNA.