Molecular and cytological characterization of repetitive DNA sequences from the centromeric heterochromatin of Sciara coprophila

• Published in: Chromosoma Vol. 120; no. 4; pp. 387 - 397
• Main Authors: Escribá, M. Carmen, Greciano, Patricia G., Méndez-Lago, María, de Pablos, Beatriz, Trifonov, Vladimir A., Ferguson-Smith, Malcolm A., Goday, Clara, Villasante, Alfredo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.08.2011; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animal Genetics and Genomics; Animals; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cell Biology; Centromere - chemistry; Centromere - genetics; Chromosome Mapping; Developmental Biology; Diptera; Diptera - genetics; DNA - chemistry; DNA - genetics; Eukaryotic Microbiology; Heterochromatin - chemistry; Heterochromatin - genetics; Human Genetics; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; Larva - genetics; Life Sciences; Male; Meiosis - genetics; Molecular Sequence Data; Nematocera; Phylogeny; Polytene Chromosomes - chemistry; Polytene Chromosomes - genetics; Research Article; Salivary Glands - chemistry; Salivary Glands - cytology; Sciara; Tandem Repeat Sequences - genetics; Tissue Fixation; X Chromosome - chemistry; X Chromosome - genetics; Male Meiosis; Centromeric Heterochromatin; Meiotic Chromosome; Polytene Chromosome; Pericentromeric Region
• ISSN: 0009-5915; 1432-0886
• DOI: 10.1007/s00412-011-0320-2

Sciara coprophila (Diptera, Nematocera) constitutes a classic model to analyze unusual chromosome behavior such as the somatic elimination of paternal X chromosomes, the elimination of the whole paternal, plus non-disjunction of the maternal X chromosome at male meiosis. The molecular organization of the heterochromatin in S. coprophila is mostly unknown except for the ribosomal DNA located in the X chromosome pericentromeric heterochromatin. The characterization of the centromeric regions, thus, is an essential and required step for the establishment of S. coprophila as a model system to study fundamental mechanisms of chromosome segregation. To accomplish such a study, heterochromatic sections of the X chromosome centromeric region from salivary glands polytene chromosomes were microdissected and microcloned. Here, we report the identification and characterization of two tandem repeated DNA sequences from the pericentromeric region of the X chromosome, a pericentromeric RTE element and an AT-rich centromeric satellite. These sequences will be important tools for the cloning of S. coprophila centromeric heterochromatin using libraries of large genomic clones.