Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Chromosome plasticity in Ctenomys (Rodentia Octodontidae): chromosome 1 evolution and heterochromatin variation

  • Published:
Genetica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A chromosome 1 (Cr1) pericentric inversion is described in six of seven species in the genus Ctenomys (tuco-tucos) from Uruguay. The inversion was inferred from G-band analyses of subtelocentric Cr1 hypothesised to be derived from the ancestral metacentric condition. Cr1 varies across species in heterochromatin amount and localisation including a metacentric chromosome without positive C-bands in C. torquatus, a subtelocentric chromosome with heterochromatic short arms in C. rionegrensis, and a subtelocentric chromosome negative after C-banding in five of the species analysed here. Pachytene chromosomes from C. rionegrensis, a species with the highest heterochromatin content, and C. torquatus, one of the species with the lowest heterochromatin content, were analysed in order to assess possible mechanisms of heterochromatin evolution. This analysis revealed the presence of three heterochromatic chromocenters in C. rionegrensis where bivalents converge, while in C. torquatus only one chromocenter was observed. In both species, highly repetitive DNA was observed, localised in chromocenters after “in situ” hybridisation. Heterochromatin associated protein M31 was localised in chromocenters of both species after immuno-detection. The spread of heterochromatin in Ctenomys chromosomes could be produced by chromatin exchanges at the chromocenter level. We propose the exchange of this DNA associated proteins between non-homologous chromosomes in pachytene to be the responsible for the spread of heterochromatin through the karyotypes of species like C. rionegrensis

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • C. Altuna A. Novello E.P. Lessa (1985) ArticleTitleNotas sobre la morfología espermática de Ctenomys rionegrensis (Rodentia Octodontidae) del Uruguay Brenesia 24 397–401

    Google Scholar 

  • Cook, J.A., S. Anderson & T.L. Yates, 1990. Notes on Bolivian mammals 6. The genus Ctenomys (Rodentia Ctenomidae) in the highlands. Amer. Mus. Novitates 2980: 20–27, Cytogenet. Cell Genet. 67: 193–198

    Google Scholar 

  • Dover, G., S. Brown, E. Coen, J. Dallas, T. Strachan & M. Trick, 1982. The dynamics of genome evolution and species differentiation, pp. 343–372 in Genome Evolution edited by G. Dover & R.B. Flavell. Academic Press.

  • D.J. Driscoll G.C. Palmer A. Melman (1979) ArticleTitleNonhomologous associations of C-heterochromatin at human male meitoic prophase Cytogenet. Cell Genet. 23 23–32 Occurrence Handle761482 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:CSaC3cnkslE%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • R. Feito M. Gallardo (1982) ArticleTitleSperm morphology of the Chilean species of Ctenomys (Octodontidae) J. Mammal. 63 658–661

    Google Scholar 

  • T.R.O. Freitas (1994) ArticleTitleGeographical variation of heterochromatin in Ctenomys flamarioni (Rodentia Octodontidae) and its cytogenetic relationships with other species of the genus Cytogenet. Cell Genet. 67 193–198 Occurrence Handle8062596

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • T.R.O. Freitas E.P. Lessa (1984) ArticleTitleCytogenetics and morphology of Ctenomys torquatus (Rodentia Octodontidae) J. Mammal. 65 637–642

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Gallardo (1979) ArticleTitleLas especies chilenas de Ctenomys (Rodentia Octodontidae) I Estabilidad cariotípica Arch. Biol. Med. Exp. 12 71–82

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Gallardo (1991) ArticleTitleKaryotypic evolution in Ctenomys (Rodentia Octodontidae) J. Mammal. 72 11–21

    Google Scholar 

  • M.R. Lee F.F. Elder (1988) ArticleTitleYeast stimulation of bone marrow mitoses for cytogenetic investigation Cytogenet. Cell Genet. 26 36–40

    Google Scholar 

  • E.P. Lessa J.A. Cook (1998) ArticleTitleThe molecular phylogenetics of tuco-tucos (genus Ctenomys, Rodentia: Octodontidae) suggests an early burst of speciation Mol. Phylogen. Evol. 9 89–99

    Google Scholar 

  • A. Massarini M.A. Barros M.O. Ortells O.A. Reig (1991) ArticleTitleEvolutionary biology of fossorial ctenomyne rodents (Caviomorph Octodontidae). I. Chromosomal polymorphism and small karyotypic differentiation in Central Argentinian populations of tuco-tucos Genetica 83 131–144 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00058530

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • A.F. Novello E.P. Lessa (1986) ArticleTitleG-band homology in two karyomorphs of the Ctenomys pearsoni complex (Rodentia Octodontidae) of neotropical fossorial rodents Z. Säugetierkunde 51 378–380

    Google Scholar 

  • Novello, A., N. Brum-Zorrilla, H. Musto, H. Bruzzoni & M. Stoll, 1988. Cromosomas y caracterización del ADN de Ctenomys pearsoni (Rodentia Octodontidae). Montevideo, Uruguay: V Reunión Iberoamericana de Conservación y Zoología de Vertebrados

  • A. Novello E.P. Lessa C. Sambarino S. Monzón (1990) ArticleTitleChromosomal variation in two populations of the genus Ctenomys (Rodentia Octodontidae) from Uruguay Z. Säugetierkunde 55 43–48

    Google Scholar 

  • A. Novello M.N. Cortinas M. Suarez H. Musto (1996) ArticleTitleCytogenetic and molecular analysis of the satellite DNA of the genus Ctenomys (Rodentia Octodontidae) from Uruguay Chromosome Res. 4 335–339 Occurrence Handle8871821 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK28Xlt1Kns7o%3D Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF02257268

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • A. Novello C.A. Altuna (2002) ArticleTitleCytogenetics and distribution of two new karyomorphs of the Ctenomys pearsoni complex (Rodentia, Octodontidae) from southern Uruguay Mamm. biol. 67 188–192

    Google Scholar 

  • M.O. Ortells (1995) ArticleTitlePhylogenetic analysis of G-banded karyotypes among the South American subterranean rodents of the genus Ctenomys (Caviomorpha: Octodontidae), with special reference to chromosomal evolution and speciation Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 54 43–70 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0024-4066(95)90036-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • A.G.E. Pearse (1968) Histochemistry EditionNumber2 Churchill Livingstone London 427

    Google Scholar 

  • O.A. Reig C. Bush M.O. Ortells J.R. Contreras (1990 ) An overview of evolution, systematics, population biology, cytogenetics, molecular biology and speciation in Ctenomys E. Nevo O.A. Reig (Eds) Evolution of Subterranean Mammals at the Organismal and Molecular Levels Alan R Liss 71–96

    Google Scholar 

  • O.A. Reig P. Kiblisky (1969) ArticleTitleChromosome multiformity in the genus Ctenomys (Rodentia Octodontidae). A progress report Chromosoma 28 211–244 Occurrence Handle4904544 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:CS%2BC3c%2FisVM%3D Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF00331531

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • M.S. Rossi O.A. Reig J. Zorzopulos (1990) ArticleTitleEvidence for rolling-circle replication in a major satellite DNA from the South American rodents of the genus Ctenomys Mol. Biol. Evol. 7 340–350 Occurrence Handle1974692 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK3cXltFSgsro%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • M.S. Rossi C.A. Redi G. Viale A.I. Massarini E. Capanna (1995) ArticleTitleChromosomal distribution of the major satellite DNA of South American rodents of the genus Ctenomys Cytogenet. Cell Genet. 69 179–184 Occurrence Handle7698006 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:ByqB3M3hsFQ%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • L.A. Ruedas J.A. Cook J.W. Yates (1992) ArticleTitleComparative genome size and rapid chromosomal evolution in the South American tuco-tucos (Rodentia: Ctenomydae) Genome 36 449–458

    Google Scholar 

  • H. Saumweber (1987) Arrangement of chromosomes in interphase cell nuclei W. Henning (Eds) Results and Problems in Cell Differentiation 14, Structure and Function of Eukaryotic Chromosomes Springer-Verlag Berlin 227–234

    Google Scholar 

  • T. Schwarzacher J.S. Heslop-Harrison (2000) Practical In␣Situ Hybridization Bios Scientific Press UK 203

    Google Scholar 

  • D. Schweizer L. Loidl B. Hamilton (1987 ) Heterochromatin and the phenomenon of chromosome banding W. Hennig (Eds) in Results and Problems in Cell Differentiation 14, Structure and Function of Eukaryotic Chromosomes Springer-Verlag Berlin 235–254

    Google Scholar 

  • P. Singh J. Ross J. Pearce R. Khotary R. Burton R. Paro T.C. James S.J. Gaunt (1991) ArticleTitleA sequence motif found in a Drosophila heterochromatin protein is conserved in animals and plants Nucleic Acids Res. 19 789–794 Occurrence Handle1708124 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK3MXlsFaitLY%3D

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • C.H. Slamovits M.S. Rossi (2002) ArticleTitleSatellite DNA: agent of chromosomal evolution in mammals. A review J. Neotrop. Mammal. 9 297–308

    Google Scholar 

  • A.T. Sumner (1972) ArticleTitleA simple technique for demonstrating centromeric heterochromatin Exp. Cell Res. 75 304–306 Occurrence Handle4117921 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:CSyD2cjltFI%3D Occurrence Handle10.1016/0014-4827(72)90558-7

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • M. Switonsky I. Gustavsson (1991) ArticleTitleCentric-fusion translocation and whole-arm heterochromatin in the karyotype of the blue fox (Alopex lagopus L.): synaptonemal complex analysis Cytogenet. Cell Genet. 57 1–8 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0165-4608(91)90183-U

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • K.A. Weggrett P.S. Hill F. James A. Hutchings G.W. Butcher P. Singh (1994) ArticleTitleA mammalian homologue of Drosophila heterochromatin 1 (HP1) is a component of constitutive heterochromatin Cytogenet. Cell Genet. 66 99–103 Occurrence Handle10.1159/000133676

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sección Genética, Facultad de Ciencias, Iguá 4225 P5, Montevideo, Uruguay

    Alvaro Novello & Silvia Villar

Authors
  1. Alvaro Novello
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Silvia Villar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alvaro Novello.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Novello, A., Villar, S. Chromosome plasticity in Ctenomys (Rodentia Octodontidae): chromosome 1 evolution and heterochromatin variation. Genetica 127, 303–309 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10709-005-5048-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10709-005-5048-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation