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Synapsis, recombination, and chromatin remodeling in the XY body of armadillos

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Abstract

Three xenarthrans species Chaetophractus villosus, Chaetophractus vellerosus, and Zaedyus pichiy have been used for the analysis of the structure, behavior, and immunochemical features of the XY body during pachytene. In all these species, the sex chromosomes form an XY body easily identifiable in thin sections by the special and regular packing of the chromatin fibers of the internal region of the XY body (“differential” regions) and those of the peripheral region (synaptic region). Spermatocyte spreads show a complete synapsis between the X- and the Y-axis, which lasts up to the end of pachytene. From the early pachytene substages to the late ones, the X-axis develops prominent branches, which in late pachytene span the synaptic region. Synapsis is regular as shown by SYCP1 labeling. Axial development is followed by SYCP3 labeling and in the asynaptic region of the X-axis by BRCA1. Gamma-H2AX labels exclusively the differential (asynaptic) region of the X chromosome. A single focus is labeled by MLH1 in the synaptic region. The location of this MLH1 focus spans from 0.3 to 1.6 μm from the telomere in the analyzed xenarthrans, covering approximately half of the Y-axis length. It is concluded that xenarthrans, as basal placental mammals, harbor the largest pseudoautosomal regions of presently analyzed mammals, and shows the typical features of meiotic sex chromosome inactivation (MSCI).

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Abbreviations

AMEL:

AMELogenin

BRCA1:

BReast CAncer 1

Chr.:

Chromosome

CREST:

Calcinosis Raynaud’s phenomenon, Esophageal dysmotility, Sclerodactyly, and Telangiectasia

DABCO:

1,4-DiAzoBiCyclo-(2,2,2)-Octane

DAPI:

4,6-DiAmino-2-PhenylIndol

DNA:

Deoxyribonucleic acid

EM:

Electron Microscopy

FISH:

Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization

FITC:

Fluorescein IsoThioCyanate

MLH1:

MutL Homolog 1

MSCI:

Meiotic Sex Chromosomes Inactivation

MYA:

Million Years Ago

PAB:

PAR Boundary

PAR:

PseudoAutosomal Region

PBS:

Phosphate Buffer Saline

RN:

Recombination Nodule

RNAPol II:

RNA polymerase type II

SC:

Synaptonemal Complex

SMC3:

Structural Maintenance of Chromosomes 3

SYCP1:

SYnaptonemal Complex Protein 1

SYCP3:

SYnaptonemal Complex Protein 3

TRITC:

Tetramethyl Rhodamine IsoThioCyanate

XAR:

X-Added Region

XCI:

X-Chromosome Inactivation

XCR:

X Conserved Region

XG:

Xg blood group antigen

XIST:

X-Inactive Specific Transcript

γ-H2A.X:

phosphorylated (Ser139) Histone 2 A.X

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Acknowledgments

The able technical help of C. Deparci is gratefully acknowledged. This work was supported by UBACYT 20020100100030 (AJS), PICT-2010-2718 (RBS), and PIP 11220090100204 (“Phylogeny and Evolution of South American Xenarthrans, MSM”).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. 2da. Cátedra de Histología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Paraguay 2155 Piso 10 (C1121ABG), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Roberta B. Sciurano, Mónica I. Rahn, Luis Rossi, Juan Pablo Luaces, María Susana Merani & Alberto J. Solari

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  1. Roberta B. Sciurano
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  2. Mónica I. Rahn
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  3. Luis Rossi
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  4. Juan Pablo Luaces
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  5. María Susana Merani
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  6. Alberto J. Solari
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Correspondence to Alberto J. Solari.

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Responsible Editor: Walther Traut.

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Sciurano, R.B., Rahn, M.I., Rossi, L. et al. Synapsis, recombination, and chromatin remodeling in the XY body of armadillos. Chromosome Res 20, 293–302 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10577-012-9273-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10577-012-9273-4

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