Chromosome synapsis and recombination in male hybrids between two chromosome races of the common shrew (Sorex araneus L., Soricidae, Eulipotyphla)

Hybrid zones between chromosome races of the common shrew (Sorex araneus) provide exceptional models to study the potential role of chromosome rearrangements in the initial steps of speciation. The Novosibirsk and Tomsk races differ by a series of Robertsonian fusions with monobrachial homology. They form a narrow hybrid zone and generate hybrids with both simple (chain of three chromosomes) and complex (chain of eight or nine) synaptic configurations. Using immunolocalisation of the meiotic proteins, we examined chromosome pairing and recombination in males from the hybrid zone. Homozygotes and simple heterozygotes for Robertsonian fusions showed a low frequency of synaptic aberrations (<10%). The carriers of complex synaptic configurations showed multiple pairing abnormalities, which might lead to reduced fertility. The recombination frequency in the proximal regions of most chromosomes of all karyotypes was much lower than in the other regions. The strong suppression of recombination in the pericentromeric regions and co-segregation of race specific chromosomes involved in the long chains would be expected to lead to linkage disequilibrium between genes located there. Genic differentiation, together with the high frequency of pairing aberrations in male carriers of the long chains, might contribute to maintenance of the narrow hybrid zone.This work was supported by INTAS (Grant # 03-51-4030) for J.B. Searle, The Russian Foundation for Basic Research (Grant # 16-04-00087) for P.M. Borodin and The Federal Agency for Scientific Organizations (Grant # 0324-2016-0024) for all authors of this paper affiliated with the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Department of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Chromosome rearrangements in sublines of human embryonic stem cell lines hESM01 and hESM03

Due to possible proliferative effects of karyotypic reorganization of human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines detailed genetic analysis are indicated prior to any application of hESCs. Molecular cytogenetic analysis of two different hESC sublines was performed and revealed aberrant chromosomes in both of them, i.e. in hESM01r18 (46,ХХ,-18,+mar) and hESM0309 (46,ХХ,del(4),dup(9)). This study shows that microdissection and multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization (mFISH) can be used to detect the chromosomal changes precisely of the derivative chromosomes that are difficult to identify by conventional G-banded chromosome analysis. In the present study chromosome microdissection and reverse FISH were applied using multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization (mFISH) for detailed characterization of the derivative chromosomes. The karyotypes of hESC lines were described as: 46,ХХ,r(18)(::p11.31→q21.2::q21.2→p11.31::) and 46,XX,del(4)(q25q31.1),dup(9)(q12q33), respectively. The potential role of the chromosomal regions involved in rearrangements for cell proliferation is discussed

Supplementary Material for: Comprehensive Analyses of White-Handed Gibbon Chromosomes Enables Access to 92 Evolutionary Conserved Breakpoints Compared to the Human Genome

<p>Gibbon species (Hylobatidae) impress with an unusually high number of numerical and structural chromosomal changes within the family itself as well as compared to other Hominoidea including humans. In former studies applying molecular cytogenetic methods, 86 evolutionary conserved breakpoints (ECBs) were reported in the white-handed gibbon (<i>Hylobates lar</i>, HLA) with respect to the human genome. To analyze those ECBs in more detail and also to achieve a better understanding of the fast karyotype evolution in Hylobatidae, molecular data for these regions are indispensably necessary. In the present study, we obtained whole chromosome-specific probes by microdissection of all 21 HLA autosomes and prepared them for aCGH. Locus-specific DNA probes were also used for further molecular cytogenetic characterization of selected regions. Thus, we could map 6 yet unreported ECBs in HLA with respect to the human genome. Additionally, in 26 of the 86 previously reported ECBs, the present approach enabled a more precise breakpoint mapping. Interestingly, a preferred localization of ECBs within segmental duplications, copy number variant regions, and fragile sites was observed.</p