19 research outputs found
Estimation of Demand for Health Tourism by Studying Consumers’ Internet Searches
The paper presents demand indices for health tourism, obtained by studying consumers’ Internet searches in search systems during the last 2 years. The most popular health tourism destinations with the Russians, such as Sochi, Anapa, Kislovodsk, Crimea, were detected. The Internet users display activity has no significant seasonal fluctuations
Хромосомы и видообразование у туко-туко (Ctenomys, Hystricognathi, Rodentia)
Tuco-tucos, South American rodents of the genus Ctenomys represent an interesting model of speciation. Their strict territorial and solitary life under the earth, vast but highly fragmented habitats, low migration activity were the causes of their very fast radiation. About 60 species of this genus have been described. They are found in a variety of habitats, from the mountains of the Andes to the coastal dunes of the Atlantic, from humid steppes of Pampas to dry deserts of Chaco. Tuco-tucos have a very high level of chromosomal polymorphism and polytypism based on Robertsonian and whole-arm reciprocal translocations and inversions, and can therefore be used to test different versions of chromosomal speciation hypothesis. The classic version of this hypothesis emphasizes the sterility of the hybrids, due to incorrect or incomplete chromosome synapsis in heterozygotes for rearrangements, germ cells death, chromosome nondisjunction and the generation of unbalanced gametes. The modern version of chromosomal speciation hypothesis suggests that the reduction of gene flow across chromosomal hybrid zones is due to the suppression of recombination in hybrids around the break points of rearrangements distinguishing the parental species. Field studies have not revealed strong negative effects of chromosomal heterozygosity on the fitness of the carriers. These results cast doubt on the validity of the classic version of the hypothesis. Analysis of chromosome behavior in the meiotic prophase in the chromosomal heterozygotes revealed significant changes in the frequency and distribution of recombination: crossingover suppression around the breakpoint and chiasma distalization. These changes can modulate the flow of genes between chromosomal races and amplify the divergence which has arisen due to spatial isolation. These data confirm the recombinational model of chromosomal speciation.Fil: Torgasheva, Anna A.. Novosibirsk State University; Rusia. Institute of Cytology and Genetics; RusiaFil: Savchenko, Ekaterina. Institute of Cytology and Genetics; RusiaFil: Gomez Fernandez, Maria Jimena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Mirol, Patricia Monica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Borodin, Pavel M.. Novosibirsk State University; Rusia. Institute of Cytology and Genetics; Rusi
Prioritization of causal genes for coronary artery disease based on cumulative evidence from experimental and in silico studies
Mendelian nightmares: The germline-restricted chromosome of songbirds
Germline-restricted chromosomes (GRCs) are accessory chromosomes that occur only in germ cells. They are eliminated from somatic cells through programmed DNA elimination during embryo development. GRCs have been observed in several unrelated animal taxa and show peculiar modes of non-Mendelian inheritance and within-individual elimination. Recent cytogenetic and phylogenomic evidence suggests that a GRC is present across the species-rich songbirds, but absent in non-passerine birds, implying that over half of all 10,500 bird species have extensive germline/soma genome differences. Here, we review recent insights gained from genomic, transcriptomic, and cytogenetic approaches with regard to the genetic content, phylogenetic distribution, and inheritance of the songbird GRC. While many questions remain unsolved in terms of GRC inheritance, elimination, and function, we discuss plausible scenarios and future directions for understanding this widespread form of programmed DNA elimination
Karyotypes and recombination patterns of the Common Swift (Apus apus Linnaeus, 1758) and Eurasian Hobby (Falco subbuteo Linnaeus, 1758)
Abstract Background Meiotic recombination is an important source of genetic variability. Studies on mammals demonstrate a substantial interspecies variation in overall recombination rate, which is dependent mainly on chromosome (2n) and chromosome arm number (FN). Bird karyotypes are very conservative with 2n being about 78–82 and FN being 80–90 in most species. However, some families such as Apodidae (swifts) and Falconidae (falcons) show a substantial karyotypic variation. In this study, we describe the somatic and pachytene karyotypes of the male Common Swift (Apus apus) and the pachytene karyotype of the male Eurasian Hobby (Falco subbuteo) and estimate the overall number and distribution of recombination events along the chromosomes of these species. Methods The somatic karyotype was examined in bone marrow cells. Pachytene chromosome spreads were prepared from spermatocytes of adult males. Synaptonemal complexes and mature recombination nodules were visualized with antibodies to SYCP3 and MLH1 proteins correspondingly. Results The karyotype of the Common Swift consists of three metacentric, three submetacentric and two telocentric macrochromosomes and 31 telocentric microchromosomes (2n = 78; FN = 90). It differs from the karyotypes of related Apodidae species described previously. The karyotype of the Eurasian Hobby contains one metacentric and 13 telocentric macrochromosomes and one metacentric and ten telocentric microchromosomes (2n = 50; FN = 54) and is similar to that described previously in 2n, but differs for macrochromosome morphology. Despite an about 40% difference in 2n and FN, these species have almost the same number of recombination nodules per genome: 51.4 ± 4.3 in the swift and 51.1 ± 6.7 in the hobby. The distribution of the recombination nodules along the macrochromosomes was extremely polarized in the Common Swift and was rather even in the Eurasian Hobby. Conclusions This study adds two more species to the short list of birds in which the number and distribution of recombination nodules have been examined. Our data confirm that recombination rate in birds is substantially higher than that in mammals, but shows rather a low interspecies variability. Even a substantial reduction in chromosome number does not lead to any substantial decrease in recombination rate. More data from different taxa are required to draw statistically supported conclusions about the evolution of recombination in birds
Chromosome synapsis and recombination in simple and complex chromosomal heterozygotes of tuco-tuco (Ctenomys talarum: Rodentia: Ctenomyidae):Rodentia: Ctenomyidae)
The chromosomal speciation hypothesis suggests that irregularities in synapsis, recombination, and segregation in heterozygotes for chromosome rearrangements may restrict gene flow between karyotypically distinct populations and promote speciation. Ctenomys talarum is a South American subterranean rodent inhabiting the coastal regions of Argentina, whose populations polymorphic for Robertsonian and tandem translocations seem to have a very restricted gene flow. To test if chromosomal differences are involved in isolation among its populations, we examined chromosome pairing, recombination, and meiotic silencing of unsynapsed chromatin in male meiosis of simple and complex translocation heterozygotes using immunolocalization of the MLH1 marking mature recombination nodules and phosphorylated histone γH2A.X marking unrepaired double-strand breaks. We observed small asynaptic areas labeled by γH2A.X in pericentromeric regions of the chromosomes involved in the trivalents and quadrivalents. We also observed a decrease of recombination frequency and a distalization of the crossover distribution in the heterozygotes and metacentric homozygotes compared to acrocentric homozygotes. We suggest that the asynapsis of the pericentromeric regions are unlikely to induce germ cell death and decrease fertility of the heterozygotes; however, suppressed recombination in pericentromeric areas of the multivalents may reduce gene flow between chromosomally different populations of the Talas tuco-tuco.Fil: Basheva, Ekaterina A.. Russian Academy of Sciences; RusiaFil: Torgasheva, Anna A.. Russian Academy of Sciences; RusiaFil: Gomez Fernandez, Maria Jimena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Boston, Emma. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Mirol, Patricia Monica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Borodin, Pavel M.. Novosibirsk National Research University; Rusi
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
Recombination Map of the Common Shrew, Sorex araneus (Eulipotyphla, Mammalia)
The Eurasian common shrew (Sorex araneus L.) is characterized by spectacular chromosomal variation, both autosomal variation of the Robertsonian type and an XX/XY1Y2 system of sex determination. It is an important mammalian model of chromosomal and genome evolution as it is one of the few species with a complete genome sequence. Here we generate a high-precision cytological recombination map for the species, the third such map produced in mammals, following those for humans and house mice. We prepared synaptonemal complex (SC) spreads of meiotic chromosomes from 638 spermatocytes of 22 males of nine different Robertsonian karyotypes, identifying each autosome arm by differential DAPI staining. Altogether we mapped 13,983 recombination sites along 7095 individual autosomes, using immunolocalization of MLH1, a mismatch repair protein marking recombination sites. We estimated the total recombination length of the shrew genome as 1145 cM. The majority of bivalents showed a high recombination frequency near the telomeres and a low frequency near the centromeres. The distances between MLH1 foci were consistent with crossover interference both within chromosome arms and across the centromere in metacentric bivalents. The pattern of recombination along a chromosome arm was a function of its length, interference, and centromere and telomere effects. The specific DNA sequence must also be important because chromosome arms of the same length differed substantially in their recombination pattern. These features of recombination show great similarity with humans and mice and suggest generality among mammals. However, contrary to a widespread perception, the metacentric bivalent tu usually lacked an MLH1 focus on one of its chromosome arms, arguing against a minimum requirement of one chiasma per chromosome arm for correct segregation. With regard to autosomal chromosomal variation, the chromosomes showing Robertsonian polymorphism display MLH1 foci that become increasingly distal when comparing acrocentric homozygotes, heterozygotes, and metacentric homozygotes. Within the sex trivalent XY1Y2, the autosomal part of the complex behaves similarly to other autosomes
Spatial organization of fibroblast and spermatocyte nuclei with different B chromosome content in Korean field mouse Apodemus peninsulae (Rodentia, Muridae)
Korean field mouse (Apodemus peninsulae) shows a wide variation in the number of B chromosomes composed of constitutive heterochromatin. For this reason, it provides a good model to study the influence of the number of centromeres and amount of heterochromatin on spatial organization of interphase nuclei. We analyzed the three-dimensional organization of fibroblast and spermatocyte nuclei of the field mice carrying different number of B chromosomes using laser scanning microscopy and 3D fluorescence in situ hybridization. We detected a co-localization of the B chromosomes with constitutive heterochromatin of the chromosomes of the basic set. We showed not random distribution of B chromosomes in the spermatocyte nuclei. Unpaired B chromosomes showed tendency to occur in the compartment formed by unpaired part of XY-bivalent.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author
Germline-restricted chromosome (GRC) in the sand martin and the pale martin (Hirundinidae, Aves): synapsis, recombination and copy number variation
All songbirds studied to date have an additional Germline Restricted Chromosome (GRC), which is no