Heterochromatin and sibling species of Simulium praelargum s.l. (Diptera: Simuliidae)

Genome ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 223-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sachin Thapa ◽  
William Procunier ◽  
Willie Henry ◽  
Shailika Chhetri
Keyword(s):  
Sibling Species ◽  
West Bengal ◽  
Somatic Tissue ◽  
Mitotic Metaphase ◽  
Metaphase Chromosomes ◽  
Interphase Cells ◽  
Chromosomal Polymorphisms ◽  
Chromosome Iii ◽  
Mitosis And Meiosis ◽  
Structural Aspects

Cytological descriptions are given for two sympatric sibling species, Simulium praelargum IIIL-st and Simulium praelargum IIIL-1.2, from Darjeeling, West Bengal, India. Sibling IIIL-1.2 differs from IIIL-st by a two step fixed included inversion (IIIL-1.2) found on the long arm of chromosome III. Both siblings possess heterochromatinized IIIS polytene chromosome ends, while IIIL-1.2 is unique within the Simuliidae in that it exhibits a very large enhanced chromocentre that persists in normal somatic tissue, contrary to other chromocentre-containing taxa. In IIIL-1.2, the chromocentre occurs as a positively allocyclic heteropycnotic body in normal mitotic interphase cells of neuroblast ganglia, oogonia, and spermatogonia. In mitotic metaphase chromosomes, the chromocentre forms large pronounced primary (centromere) constrictions and appears to be associated with nonhomologous pairing. Initial cytological studies on taxa within the feuerborni group have revealed heterochromatic chromosomal polymorphisms. Progressive fixation of these polymorphisms in different taxa within the group opens up the possibility of using comparative molecular or genomic approaches to begin to define the functional and structural aspects of the epigenome and to further characterize mitosis and meiosis in S. praelargum IIIL-1.2.

scholarly journals Kinetochore microtubule numbers of different sized chromosomes

1979 ◽  
Vol 83 (3) ◽  
pp. 556-561 ◽  
Author(s):  
PB Moens
Keyword(s):  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Spindle Pole ◽  
Mitotic Metaphase ◽  
Robertsonian Fusion ◽  
Metaphase Chromosomes ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Kinetochore Region ◽  
Mitosis And Meiosis ◽  
Metaphase I

For three species of grasshoppers the volumes of the largest and the smallest metaphase chromosome differ by a factor of 10, but the microtubules (MTs) attached to the individual kinetochores show no corresponding range in numbers. Locusta mitotic metaphase chromosomes range from 2 to 21 μm, and the average number of MTs per kinetochore is 21 with an SD of 4.6. Locusta meiotic bivalents at late metaphase I range from 4 to 40 μm(3), and the kinetochore regions (= two sister kinetochores facing the same spindle pole) have an average of 25 kinetochore microtubules (kMTs) with an SD of 4.9. Anaphase velocities are the same at mitosis and meiosis I. The smaller mitotic metaphase chromosomes of neopodismopsis are similar in size, 6 to 45 μm(3), to Locusta, but they have an average more kMTs, 33, SD = 9.2. The four large Robertsonian fusion chromosomes of neopodismopsis have an average of 67 MTs per kinetochore, the large number possibly the result of a permanent dicentric condition. Chloealtis has three pairs of Robertsonian fusion chromosomes which, at late meiotic metaphase I, form bivalents of 116, 134, and 152 μm (3) with an average of 67 MTs per kinetochore similar to Locusta bivalents, but with a much higher average of 42 MTs per kinetochore region. It is speculated that, in addition to mechanical demands of force, load, and viscosity, the kMT numbers are governed by cell type and evolutionary history of the karyotype in these grasshoppers.

The effects of diazepam on mitosis and the microtubule cytoskeleton. I. Observations on the diatoms Hantzschia amphioxys and Surirella robusta

1994 ◽  
Vol 107 (9) ◽  
pp. 2643-2651
Author(s):  
T.P. Spurck ◽  
J.D. Pickett-Heaps
Keyword(s):  
Time Lapse ◽  
Detectable Effect ◽  
Metaphase Chromosomes ◽  
Central Spindle ◽  
Cell Cleavage ◽  
Spindle Poles ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Live Diatoms ◽  
Interphase Cells ◽  
Chromosome Motion

The effects of diazepam (DZP) on mitosis and the microtubule (MT) cytoskeleton in the live diatoms Hantzschia amphioxys and Surirella robusta were followed using time-lapse video microscopy. Similarly treated cells were fixed and later examined for immunoflouresence staining of MTs or for transmission electron microscopy. DZP treatment (250 microM) had no effect on interphase cells but affected mitosis, resulting in the majority of prometaphase and metaphase chromosomes releasing from one or both spindle poles and collecting irregularly along the central spindle. Chromosomes remaining attached to one pole continued to display slight prometaphase oscillations; however, this activity was never observed in metaphase spindles. Following removal of DZP, some chromosomes still bipolarly attached, immediately released elastically from one pole. Within the first 2 minutes of recovery, all chromosomes recommenced spindle attachment, exhibiting normal prometaphase oscillations and proceeded through mitosis. DZP treatment during anaphase had no detectable effect on chromosome motion or cell cleavage. These results suggest that DZP acts as an anti-MT agent, selectively affecting polar MTs at prophase, prometaphase and metaphase, and thereby weakening kinetochore connection to the poles. From these and other results (unpublished), its mode of action is different to that of most anti-MT agents.

scholarly journals Different sensitivity of chromatin to acid denaturation in quiescent and cycling cells as revealed by flow cytometry.

1979 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 478-485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z Darzynkiewicz ◽  
F Traganos ◽  
M Andreeff ◽  
T Sharpless ◽  
M R Melamed
Keyword(s):  
Acridine Orange ◽  
Condensed Chromatin ◽  
Metaphase Chromosomes ◽  
Quiescent Cells ◽  
Acid Denaturation ◽  
Interphase Cells ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Cell Subpopulations ◽  
G1 Cells ◽  
Dna Complex

The properties of DNA in situ as reflected by its staining with acridine orange are different in quiescent nonstimulated lymphocytes as compared with interphase lymphocytes that have entered the cell cycle after stimulation by mitogens. The difference is seen after cell treatment with buffers at pH 1.5 (1.3-1.9 range) followed by staining with acridine orange at pH 2.6 (2.3-2.9). Under these conditions the red metachromatic fluorescence of the acridine orange-DNA complex is higher in quiescent cells than in the cycling lymphocytes while the orthochromatic green fluorescence is higher in the cycling, interphase cells. The results suggest that DNA in condensed chromatin of quiescent lymphocytes (as in metaphase chromosomes) is more sensitive to acid-denaturation than DNA in dispersed chromatin of the cycling interphase cells. The phenomenon is used for flow cytometric differentiation between G0 and G1 cells and between G2 and M cells. In contrast to normal lymphocytes the method applied to neoplastic cells indicates the presence of cell subpopulations with condensed chromatin but with DNA content characteristic not only of G1 but also of S and G2 cells. The possibility that these cells represent quiescent (resting) subpopulations, arrested in G1, S and/or G2, is discussed.

scholarly journals PROPHASING OF INTERPHASE NUCLEI AND INDUCTION OF NUCLEAR ENVELOPES AROUND METAPHASE CHROMOSOMES IN HELA AND CHINESE HAMSTER HOMO- AND HETEROKARYONS

1974 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 104-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshitaka Obara ◽  
Lee S. Chai ◽  
Herbert Weinfeld ◽  
Avery A. Sandberg
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Envelope ◽  
Hela Cells ◽  
Interphase Nucleus ◽  
Chinese Hamster ◽  
Binucleate Cell ◽  
Metaphase Chromosomes ◽  
Interphase Nuclei ◽  
Multinucleate Cells ◽  
Interphase Cells ◽  
Nuclear Envelope Formation

Fusing human HeLa metaphase cells with HeLa interphase cells resulted within 30 min in either of two phenomena in the resultant binucleate cell: either prophasing of the interphase nucleus or formation of a normal-appearing nuclear envelope around the metaphase chromosomes. The frequency of either occurrence was strongly dependent on environmental pH. At pH's of 6.6–8.0, prophasing predominated; at pH 8.5 nuclear envelope formation predominated. Additionally, the frequencies of the two events in multinucleate cells depended on the metaphase/interphase ratio. When the ratio was 0.33 nuclear envelope formation predominated; when it was 2.0 prophasing predominated. In their general features, the results with fused HeLa cells resembled those reported earlier with fused Chinese hamster Don cells. However, the results provided an indication that between pH 6.6 and 8.0 the HeLa metaphase cells possessed a much greater capacity than the Don metaphase cells to induce prophasing. Fusion of Don metaphase cells with HeLa interphase cells or of Don interphase cells with HeLa metaphase cells at pH 8.0 resulted in nuclear envelope formation or prophasing in each kind of heterokaryon. As in the homokaryons, the frequencies of the two events in the heterokaryons depended on the metaphase/interphase ratio. The statistics of prophasing and nuclear envelope formation in the homo- and heterokaryon populations were consistent with the notion that disruption or formation of the nuclear envelope depends on the balance attained between disruptive and formative processes.

scholarly journals INDUCTION OF PROPHASE IN INTERPHASE NUCLEI BY FUSION WITH METAPHASE CELLS

1972 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 120-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sei-Ichi Matsui ◽  
Hiroshi Yoshida ◽  
Herbert Weinfeld ◽  
Avery A. Sandberg
Keyword(s):  
Cell Fusion ◽  
Sendai Virus ◽  
Morphological Changes ◽  
Metaphase Chromosomes ◽  
Interphase Nuclei ◽  
Interphase Cell ◽  
Binucleate Cells ◽  
Sequence Of Events ◽  
Interphase Cells ◽  
Nuclear Stage

Fusion of an interphase cell with a metaphase cell results in profound changes in the interphase chromatin that have been called "chromosome pulverization" or "premature chromosome condensation" In addition to the usual light microscopy, the nature of the changes has been investigated in the present study with electron microscopy and biochemical techniques Metaphase and interphase cells were mixed and fused at 37°C by means of ultraviolet-inactivated Sendai virus. After cell fusion, morphological changes in interphase nuclei occurred only in binucleate cells which contained one intact set of metaphase chromosomes Irrespective of the nuclear stage at the time of cell fusion, the morphologic changes that occurred 5–20 min later simulated very closely a sequence of events that characterizes the normal G2-prophase transition. Radioautography revealed that, late in the process, substantial amounts of RNA and probably protein were transferred from the interphase nucleus into the cytoplasm of fused cells. Thus, the findings indicate the existence in metaphase cells of factor(s) which are capable of initiating biochemical and morphological events in interphase nuclei intrinsic to the normal mitotic process.

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