Abstract
The behaviour of heterochromatin during premature chromosome condensation (PCC) was studied in a cell line of Microtus agrestis after fusion with mitotic HeLa cells. In the G1- and G2-PCC, the heterochromatic nature of the X-chromosomes was detectable by their intense staining. The pulverized appearance of the S-phase PCC was correlated with incorporation of 3H TdR into the DNA. Three types of S-PCC were observed. PCC with a pulverized appearance of: (a) only the autosomes (early S); (b) autosomes and X-chromosomes (mid S); and (c) only the X-chromosomes (late S). The behaviour of heterochromatin during replication, as observed by the PCC method, was no different from that of euchromatin. The data on the sequence of chromosome replication indicate that the centromeric regions of the X-chromosomes were the last segments to replicate. The completion of DNA synthesis in the X-chromosomes appears to be followed by progressive chromosome condensation during G2 even before the actual initiation of prophase.
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Sperling, K., Rao, P.N. Mammalian cell fusion. Chromosoma 45, 121–131 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00362306
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00362306