Supernumerary chromosomes in the pufferfish Sphoeroides spengleri: first occurrence in marine Teleostean Tetraodontiformes fish

Cytogenetic analyses carried out in eight specimens of Sphoeroides spengleri revealed the presence of 2n = 46 chromosomes (20 M/SM and 26 ST/A). Besides the standard karyotypical set, the presence of B microchromosomes was observed in two individuals, ranging from 0 to 2 microchromosomes per cell. A karyotype composed by 2n = 46 chromosomes with occurrence of M and SM chromosomes is considered basal for the species from the clade comprising the families Tetraodontidae, Balistidae, and Diodontidae, although it represents a derived condition for the order Tetraodontiformes, whose basal karyotype would be composed by 2n = 48 acrocentric chromosomes. The occurrence of B microchromosomes in marine Tetraodontiformes fish was not known, and this represents the first report of such a chromosomal type.243245Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Cytogenetic characterization of F1, F2 and backcross hybrids of the Neotropical catfish species Pseudoplatystoma corruscans and Pseudoplatystoma reticulatum (Pimelodidae, Siluriformes)

The cytogenetic characteristics of Pseudoplatystoma corruscans and Pseudoplatystoma reticulatum and their F1, F2 and backcross hybrids were assessed by using chromosome banding techniques. The diploid number of 56 chromosomes was constant in all species and lineages, with a karyotypic formula containing 20 metacentric, 12 submetacentric, 12 subtelocentric and 12 acrocentric chromosomes. Nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) were identified in two subtelocentric chromosomes in the parents and hybrids, with partial nucleolar dominance in F1 and F2 specimens. Heterochromatic blocks were detected in the terminal and centromeric regions of some chromosomes in all individuals. For parental and hybrid lineages, 18S ribosomal clusters corresponding to NORs and 5S ribosomal genes were identified in distinct pairs of chromosomes. The striking conservation in the chromosomal macrostructure of the parental species may account for the fertility of their F1 hybrids. Similarly, the lack of marked alterations in the chromosomal structure of the F1 hybrids could account for the maintenance of these features in post-F1 lineages

Cytogenetic markers as diagnoses in the identification of the hybrid between Piauçu (Leporinus macrocephalus) and Piapara (Leporinus elongatus)

The genetic monitoring of interspecific hybrids involves the application of methodologies able to provide an easy and indubitable genetic characterization of both parental and hybrid individuals. In the present work, cytogenetic techniques were used to identify a hybrid lineage of Piaupara in order to caracterize them in relation to the parental species, Leporinus macrocephalus (piauçu) and L. elongatus (piapara). The cytogenetic analysis revealed that L. macrocephalus presented 2n = 54 chromosomes and a nucleolar organizer regions (NOR) at the telomere of the long arm of the submetacentric chromosome pair 2. Analysis of constitutive heterochromatin (C-banding) revealed a conspicuous block at the pericentromeric region on the long arm of a submetacentric chromosome pair. L. elongatus presented the same diploid number, 2n = 54, and a karyotypic formula similar to that of L. macrocephalus. The NORs were also at the telomere of the long arm of the submetacentric pair 2, which was morphologically different from that of L. macrocephalus. Heterochromatic blocks were observed at both telomeres of a submetacentric chromosome pair. The hybrid Piaupara presented the same diploid number (2n = 54) and karyotypic formula as the parental species and there were no visible differences between parental and hybrid individuals. Differently from the Giemsa staining, NOR- and C-banding analysis showed marked differences which allowed the identification of the hybrids by the different morphology and/or size of the chromosomes carrying the NORs and patterns of heterochromatin distribution in their chromosomes. Such genetic studies are important for fish culture since they can provide tools for monitoring natural and artificial hybridization. They are also useful in biological conservation programmes and in the proper management of natural and reared fish stocks.195202Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

A Long-Term Conserved Satellite DNA That Remains Unexpanded in Several Genomes of Characiformes Fish Is Actively Transcribed

Eukaryotic genomes contain large amounts of repetitive DNA sequences, such as tandemly repeated satellite DNAs (satDNAs). These sequences are highly dynamic and tend to be genus- or species-specific due to their particular evolutionary pathways, although there are few unusual cases of conserved satDNAs over long periods of time. Here, we used multiple approaches to reveal that an satDNA named CharSat01-52 originated in the last common ancestor of Characoidei fish, a superfamily within the Characiformes order, ∼140-78 Ma, whereas its nucleotide composition has remained considerably conserved in several taxa. We show that 14 distantly related species within Characoidei share the presence of this satDNA, which is highly amplified and clustered in subtelomeric regions in a single species (Characidium gomesi), while remained organized as small clusters in all the other species. Defying predictions of the molecular drive of satellite evolution, CharSat01-52 shows similar values of intra- and interspecific divergence. Although we did not provide evidence for a specific functional role of CharSat01-52, its transcriptional activity was demonstrated in different species. In addition, we identified short tandem arrays of CharSat01-52 embedded within single-molecule real-time long reads of Astyanax paranae (536 bp-3.1 kb) and A. mexicanus (501 bp-3.9 kb). Such arrays consisted of head-to-tail repeats and could be found interspersed with other sequences, inverted sequences, or neighbored by other satellites. Our results provide a detailed characterization of an old and conserved satDNA, challenging general predictions of satDNA evolution

Long-term persistence of supernumerary B chromosomes in multiple species of Astyanax fish

Background Eukaryote genomes frequently harbor supernumerary B chromosomes in addition to the “standard” A chromosome set. B chromosomes are thought to arise as byproducts of genome rearrangements and have mostly been considered intraspecific oddities. However, their evolutionary transcendence beyond species level has remained untested. Results Here we reveal that the large metacentric B chromosomes reported in several fish species of the genus Astyanax arose in a common ancestor at least 4 million years ago. We generated transcriptomes of A. scabripinnis and A. paranae 0B and 1B individuals and used these assemblies as a reference for mapping all gDNA and RNA libraries to quantify coverage differences between B-lacking and B-carrying genomes. We show that the B chromosomes of A. scabripinnis and A. paranae share 19 protein-coding genes, of which 14 and 11 were also present in the B chromosomes of A. bockmanni and A. fasciatus, respectively. Our search for B-specific single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified the presence of B-derived transcripts in B-carrying ovaries, 80% of which belonged to nobox, a gene involved in oogenesis regulation. Importantly, the B chromosome nobox paralog is expressed > 30× more than the A chromosome paralog. This indicates that the normal regulation of this gene is altered in B-carrying females, which could potentially facilitate B inheritance at higher rates than Mendelian law prediction. Conclusions Taken together, our results demonstrate the long-term survival of B chromosomes despite their lack of regular pairing and segregation during meiosis and that they can endure episodes of population divergence leading to species formation

Intraspecific crosses resulting in the first occurrence of eight and nine B chromosomes in Prochilodus lineatus (Characiformes, Prochilodontidae)

B chromosomes are supernumerary elements present in about 15% of eukaryotic species and are most frequently heterochromatic, behave parasitically, show a transmission rate higher than standard (A) chromosomes, and can provoke harmful effects on carriers. In the current work, Prochilodus lineatus individuals carrying eight and nine B chromosomes were obtained by induced crossing performed involving breeders with different B chromosome numbers in their cells. The high B chromosome numbers found in the offspring were recorded for the first time in this species. The use of cytogenetic techniques applied in the present study revealed that regardless of the increase in number of B chromosomes in the genome of these individuals, those elements did not presented active genes, and showed their normal heterochromatic characteristic