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Genetics Research

Table of Contents - April 2012 - Volume 94, Issue 02  

Research Papers

Different patterns of Robertsonian fusion pairing in Bovidae and the house mouse: the relationship between chromosome size and nuclear territories

PHILIPP L. WESCHEa1 c1 and TERENCE J. ROBINSONa1 c2

a1 Evolutionary Genomics Group, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602 South Africa

Summary

Using a dataset of karyotypic changes reported for bovids and the house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) together with information from the cattle (Bos taurus) and mouse genomes, we examined two principal variables that have been proposed to predict chromosomal positioning in the nucleus, chromosome size and GC content. These were expected to influence the distribution of Robertsonian (Rb) fusions, the predominant mode of chromosomal change in both taxa. We found the largest chromosomes to be most frequently involved in fusions in bovids, and confirm earlier reports that chromosomes of intermediate size were the most frequent fusers in mice. We then tested whether chromosomal positioning can explain Rb fusion frequencies. We classified chromosomes into groups by size and considered the frequency of interactions between specific groups. Among the interactions, mouse chromosomes showed a slight tendency to fuse with neighbouring chromosomes, in line with expectations of chromosomal positioning, but also resembling predictions from meiotic spindle-induced bias. Bovids, on the other hand, showed no trend in interactions, with small chromosomes being the least frequent partner for all size classes. We discuss the results in terms of nuclear organization at various cell cycle stages and the proposed mechanisms of Rb fusion formation, and note that the difference can be explained by (i) considering bovid species generally to be characterized by a greater intermingling of chromosomal size classes than the house mouse, or (ii) by the vastly different timescales underpinning their evolutionary histories.

(Received October 14 2011)

(Revised March 02 2012)

(Accepted March 08 2012)

Correspondence:

c1 Corresponding author: Evolutionary Genomics Group, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602 South Africa. E-mail: mail@philippwesche.org

c2 tjr@sun.ac.za

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