Karyotype differentiation in 19 species of river loach fishes (Nemacheilidae, Teleostei): extensive variability associated with rDNA and heterochromatin distribution and its phylogenetic and ecological interpretation

GenBank accession numbers of cyt b, IRBP and RAG1 sequences of nemacheilids and one botiid species (B. lohachata). (XLSX 17 kb

Cytogenetics, genomics and biodiversity of the South American and African Arapaimidae fish family (Teleostei, Osteoglossiformes)

<div><p>Osteoglossiformes represents one of the most ancestral teleost lineages, currently widespread over almost all continents, except for Antarctica. However, data involving advanced molecular cytogenetics or comparative genomics are yet largely limited for this fish group. Therefore, the present investigations focus on the osteoglossiform family Arapaimidae, studying a unique fish model group with advanced molecular cytogenetic genomic tools. The aim is to better explore and clarify certain events and factors that had impact on evolutionary history of this fish group. For that, both South American and African representatives of Arapaimidae, namely <i>Arapaima gigas</i> and <i>Heterotis niloticus</i>, were examined. Both species differed markedly by diploid chromosome numbers, with 2n = 56 found in <i>A</i>. <i>gigas</i> and 2n = 40 exhibited by <i>H</i>. <i>niloticus</i>. Conventional cytogenetics along with fluorescence <i>in situ</i> hybridization revealed some general trends shared by most osteoglossiform species analyzed thus far, such as the presence of only one chromosome pair bearing 18S and 5S rDNA sites and karyotypes dominated by acrocentric chromosomes, resembling thus the patterns of hypothetical ancestral teleost karyotype. Furthermore, the genomes of <i>A</i>. <i>gigas</i> and <i>H</i>. <i>niloticus</i> display remarkable divergence in terms of repetitive DNA content and distribution, as revealed by comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). On the other hand, genomic diversity of single copy sequences studied through principal component analyses (PCA) based on SNP alleles genotyped by the DArT seq procedure demonstrated a very low genetic distance between the South American and African Arapaimidae species; this pattern contrasts sharply with the scenario found in other osteoglossiform species. Underlying evolutionary mechanisms potentially explaining the obtained data have been suggested and discussed.</p></div

Centric fusions behind the karyotype evolution of neotropical nannostomus pencilfishes (Characiforme, Lebiasinidae): First insights from a molecular cytogenetic perspective

Lebiasinidae is a Neotropical freshwater family widely distributed throughout South and Central America. Due to their often very small body size, Lebiasinidae species are cytogenetically challenging and hence largely underexplored. However, the available but limited karyotype data already suggested a high interspecific variability in the diploid chromosome number (2n), which is pronounced in the speciose genus Nannostomus, a popular taxon in ornamental fish trade due to its remarkable body coloration. Aiming to more deeply examine the karyotype diversification in Nannostomus, we combined conventional cytogenetics (Giemsa-staining and C-banding) with the chromosomal mapping of tandemly repeated 5S and 18S rDNA clusters and with interspecific comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) to investigate genomes of four representative Nannostomus species: N. beckfordi, N. eques, N. marginatus, and N. unifasciatus. Our data showed a remarkable variability in 2n, ranging from 2n = 22 in N. unifasciatus (karyotype composed exclusively of metacentrics/submetacentrics) to 2n = 44 in N. beckfordi (karyotype composed entirely of acrocentrics). On the other hand, patterns of 18S and 5S rDNA distribution in the analyzed karyotypes remained rather conservative, with only two 18S and two to four 5S rDNA sites. In view of the mostly unchanged number of chromosome arms (FN = 44) in all but one species (N. eques; FN = 36), and with respect to the current phylogenetic hypothesis, we propose Robertsonian translocations to be a significant contributor to the karyotype differentiation in (at least herein studied) Nannostomus species. Interspecific comparative genome hybridization (CGH) using whole genomic DNAs mapped against the chromosome background of N. beckfordi found a moderate divergence in the repetitive DNA content among the species’ genomes. Collectively, our data suggest that the karyotype differentiation in Nannostomus has been largely driven by major structural rearrangements, accompanied by only low to moderate dynamics of repetitive DNA at the sub-chromosomal level. Possible mechanisms and factors behind the elevated tolerance to such a rate of karyotype change in Nannostomus are discussed. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

Cytogenetics of the small-sized fish, Copeina guttata (Characiformes, Lebiasinidae): Novel insights into the karyotype differentiation of the family

Lebiasinidae is a small fish family composed by miniature to small-sized fishes with few cytogenetic data (most of them limited to descriptions of diploid chromosome numbers), thus preventing any evolutionary comparative studies at the chromosomal level. In the present study, we are providing, the first cytogenetic data for the red spotted tetra, Copeina guttata, including the standard karyotype, C-banding, repetitive DNA mapping by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and comparative genomic hybridization (CGH), providing chromosomal patterns and novel insights into the karyotype differentiation of the family. Males and females share diploid chromosome number 2n = 42 and karyotype composed of 2 metacentric (m), 4 submetacentric (sm) and 36 subtelocentric to acrocentric (st-a) chromosomes. Blocks of constitutive heterochromatin were observed in the centromeric and interstitial regions of several chromosomes, in addition to a remarkably large distal block, heteromorphic in size, which fully corresponded with the 18S rDNA sites in the fourth chromosomal pair. This overlap was confirmed by 5S/18S rDNA dual-color FISH. On the other hand, 5S rDNA clusters were situated in the long and short arms of the 2nd and 15th pairs, respectively. No sex-linked karyotype differences were revealed by male/female CGH experiments. The genomic probes from other two lebiasinid species, Lebiasina melanoguttata and Pyrrhulina brevis, showed positive hybridization signals only in the NOR region in the genome of C. guttata. We demonstrated that karyotype diversification in lebiasinids was accompanied by a series of structural and numeric chromosome rearrangements of different types, including particularly fusions and fissions. © 2019 Toma et al

Karyotype study of selected species of whip spiders (Amblypygi; Arachnida)

Katedra genetiky a mikrobiologieDepartment of Genetics and MicrobiologyFaculty of SciencePřírodovědecká fakult

Karyotype analysis of selected representatives of two pedipalpid orders, Amblypygi and Uropygi

Karyotype analysis of selected species from arachnid orders Amblypygi and Uropygi Whip spiders (Amblypygi) and whip scorpions (Uropygi) represent relict arachnid orders which has been found already at Upper Carboniferous strata. Although cytogenetic data from amblypygids and uropygids might be important to reconstruct karyotype evolution of arachnids, cytogenetics of these orders is almost unknown. Presented study is aimed in analysis of karyotype and meiosis in 16 species of Amblypygi and 4 species of Uropygi. Both groups are characterized by considerable range of diploid chromosome numbers (2n = 24 - 86 in Amblypygi and 36 - 66 in Uropygi). Analysed species does not exhibit morfologically differentiated sex chromosomes. Differentiation of sex chromosomes on molecular level was revealed in amblypygid Paraphrynus mexicanus by comparative genome hybridization. Obtained data indicate XY/XX sex chromosome system in this species. Comparison of karyotype data indicates reduction of chromosome numbers during evolution of both orders. In Amblypygi, this reduction was accompanied by increase of number of biarmed chromosomes. This trend is not apparent in Uropygi. Karyotypes of most analysed amblypygids and uropygids are also characterized by low amount of heterochromatin. Most studied species exhibit two pairs..

Cytogenetics of selected groups of ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii): Evolutionary-ecological questions associated with the dynamics of repetitive sequences and the occurrence of polyploidy

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii) exhibit the greatest biodiversity among vertebrates. The vast majority of extant actinopterygian fish species belong to clade Teleostei - a lineage whose significant evolutionary success might have resulted from a teleost specific whole- genome duplication (TSGD) that occurred at the onset of this group, subsequent to its divergence from the rest of actinopterygian lineages. Despite the growing body of sequenced fish genomes and analyses of their transcriptomes, the largest contribution to understanding fish genomes comes from analyses of DNA content and from cytogenetics. Genomes of ray-finned fishes and especially those of Teleostei exhibit vast diversity and rapid dynamics of repetitive DNA sequences whose variability is reflected in a wide range of fish genome sizes and in the dynamics behind karyotype differentiation. Therefore, ray-finned fishes offer a unique opportunity to study genome variability as a driving force underlying morphological and ecological diversification, evolution and adaptation. Particularly, the mapping of repetitive DNA sequences by means of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) has proven to be a very useful and informative approach during the last two decades and contributed greatly to our understanding of the fish genome..

Karyotype differentiation in the Nothobranchius ugandensis species group (Teleostei, Cyprinodontiformes), seasonal fishes from the east African inland plateau, in the context of phylogeny and biogeography

The karyotype differentiation of the twelve known members of the Nothobranchius ugandensis Wildekamp, 1994 species group is reviewed and the karyotype composition of seven of its species is described herein for the first time using a conventional cytogenetic protocol. Changes in the architecture of eukaryotic genomes often have a major impact on processes underlying reproductive isolation, adaptation and diversification. African annual killifishes of the genus Nothobranchius Peters, 1868 (Teleostei: Nothobranchiidae), which are adapted to an extreme environment of ephemeral wetland pools in African savannahs, feature extensive karyotype evolution in small, isolated populations and thus are suitable models for studying the interplay between karyotype change and species evolution. The present investigation reveals a highly conserved diploid chromosome number (2n = 36) but a variable number of chromosomal arms (46–64) among members of the N. ugandensis species group, implying a significant role of pericentric inversions and/or other types of centromeric shift in the karyotype evolution of the group. When superimposed onto a phylogenetic tree based on molecular analyses of two mitochondrial genes the cytogenetic characteristics did not show any correlation with the phylogenetic relationships within the lineage. While karyotypes of many other Nothobranchius spp. studied to date diversified mainly via chromosome fusions and fissions, the N. ugandensis species group maintains stable 2n and the karyotype differentiation seems to be constrained to intrachromosomal rearrangements. Possible reasons for this difference in the trajectory of karyotype differentiation are discussed. While genetic drift seems to be a major factor in the fixation of chromosome rearrangements in Nothobranchius, future studies are needed to assess the impact of predicted multiple inversions on the genome evolution and species diversification within the N. ugandensis species group