Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

Structure and meiotic behaviour of B chromosomes in Sphaerium corneum/S. nucleus complex (Bivalvia: Sphaeriidae)

  • Published:
Genetica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Karyotypes of eight populations of Sphaerium corneum and two populations of S. nucleus (Bivalvia: Sphaeriidae) from central Europe were compared. The basic set of these hermaphroditic molluscs is formed by 30 biarmed autosomes and exhibits only slight interpopulational variation in morphology. These differences are not species-specific. One pair of nucleolar organiser regions was detected by silver staining. The prophase and metaphase of the first meiotic division is highly modified in both species. Pachytene is followed by a diffuse stage, characterized by decondensation of chromosomes and by enhanced metabolic activity. The diffuse stage has not been reported in bivalves so far. Bivalents of the following stages are achiasmatic both in the testicular and ovarian part of the gonad. The two species are further peculiar for occurrence of B chromosomes, which is a rare phenomenon in organisms with achiasmatic meiotic systems. The small metacentric B chromosomes exhibit intra- and interindividual variability in number, they show irregular meiotic pairing and segregation (formation of bivalents or univalents), and possess larger proportional amount of constitutive heterochromatin than the A chromosomes. Interestingly, the B chromosomes also undergo decondensation during the diffuse stage like A chromosomes which may indicate their transcriptional activity.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles and news from researchers in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.

References

  • Baršienė J, Baršytė Lovejoy D (2000) Environmental Genotoxicity in Klaipeda Port Area. Internat Rev Hydrobiol 85(5–6):663–672

    Google Scholar 

  • Beladjal L, Vandekerckhoūve TTM, Muyssen B, Heyrman J, de Caesemaeker J, Mertens J (2002) B chromosomes and male-biased sex ratio with paternal inheritance in the fairy shrimp Branchipus schaefferi (Crustacea, Anostraca). Heredity 88:56–360

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benavente R, Wettstein R (1980) Ultrastructural characterization of the sex chromosomes during spermatogenesis of spiders having holocentric chromosomes and long diffuse stage. Chromosoma 77:69–81

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bertolotto CEV, Pellegrino KCM, Yonenaga-Yassuda Y (2004) Occurrence of B chromosomes in lizards: a review. Cytogenet Genome Res 106:243–246

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Beukeboom L, Werren JH (1992) Population genetics of a parasitic chromosome: Experimental analysis of PSR in subdivided populations. Evolution 46(5):1257–1268

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Camacho JPM, Sharbel TF, Beukeboom LW (2000) B chromosome evolution. Phil T Roy Soc B 355:163–178

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Camacho JMP, Perfectti F, Teruel M, Lopéz-León MD, Cabrero J (2004) The odd-even effects in mitotically unstable B chromosomes in grasshoppers. Cytogenet Genome Res 106(2–4):325–331

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Christensen B (1961) Studies on cyto-taxonomy and reproduction in the Enchytraeidae: with note on parthenogenesis and polyploidy in the animal kingdom. Hereditas 47:387–450

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coluccia E, Cannas R, Cau A, Deiana AM, Salvadori S (2004) B chromosomes in Crustacea Decapoda. Cytogenet Genome Res 106(2–4):215–221

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Craig-Cameron TA, Southern DI, Pell PE (1973) Chiasmata and the synaptinemal complex in male meiosis of Glossina. Cytobios 8:199–207

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Davies EDG, Southern DI (1977) Female meiosis in two species of tsetse fly (Genus Glossina). Genetica 47:173–175

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Evans HJ (1960) Supernumerary chromosomes in wild populations of the snail Helix pomatia L. Heredity 15:129–138

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fagundes V, Camacho JMP, Yonenaga-Yassuda Y (2004) Are the dot-like chromosomes in Trinomys iheringi (Rodentia, Echimyidae) B chromosomes? Cytogenet Genome Res 106:159–164

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Feldberg E, Porto JIR, Alver-Brinn MN, Mendonca MNC, Benzaquem DC (2004) B chromosomes in Amazonian cichlid species. Cytogenet Genome Res 106(2–4):195–198

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fuster C, Rigola AM, Egozcue J (2004) Human supernumeraries: are they B chromosomes? Cytogenet Genome Res 106(2–4):165–172

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Green DM (1990) Muller’s ratchet and the evolution of super-numerary chromosomes. Genome 33:818–824

    Google Scholar 

  • Howell WM, Black DA (1980) Controlled silver-staining of nucleolus organizer regions with a protective colloidal developer: a 1-step method. Experientia 36:1014

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Insua A, Thiriot-Quiévreux C (1992) Karyotypes of Cerastoderma edule, Venerupis pullastra and Venerupis rhomboides (Bivalvia, Veneroida). Aquat Living Resour 5:1–8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • John B (1990) Meiosis. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • John B, Hewitt GM (1965) The B-chromosome system of Myrmeleotettix maculatus (Thunb). Chromosoma 16:548–578

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jones RN (1991) B-chromosome drive. Amer Nat 137:431–442

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones RN (1995) Tansley review no. 85: B chromosomes in plants. New Phytol 131:411–434

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones GH, Albini SM, Whitehorn JAF (1991) Ultrastructure of meiotic pairing of B chromosomes in Crepis Capillaris. Chromosoma 100:193–202

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kartavtseva IV, Roslik GV (2004) A complex B chromosome system in the Korean field mouse, Apodemus peninsulae. Cytogenet Genome Res 106(2–4):271–278

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Keyl HG (1956) Beobachtungen über die ♂ meiose der muschel Sphaerium corneum. Chromosoma 8:12–17

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klášterská I (1977) The concept of the prophase of meiosis. Hereditas 86:205–210

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kořínková T, Morávková A (2010) Does polyploidy occur in central European species of the family Sphaeriidae (Mollusca: Bivalvia)? Cent Eur J Biol 5(6):777–784. doi:10.2478/s11535-010-0066-5

    Google Scholar 

  • Král J, Musilová J, Šťáhlavský F, Řezáč M, Akan Z, Edwards RL, Coyle FA, Almerje CR (2006) Evolution of the karyotype and sex chromosome systems in basal clades of araneomorph spiders. Chromosome Res 14:859–880

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Král J, Kováč L, Šťáhlavský F, Lonský P, Ĺuptáčik P (2008) The first karyotype study in palpigrades, a primitive order of arachnids (Arachnida: Palpigradi). Genetica 134:79–87

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Leach CR, Houben A, Timmis MN (2004) The B chromosomes in Brachycome. Cytogenet Genome Res 106:199–209

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lee T (1999) Meiosis and polyploidy in Sphaerium striatinum (Lamarck) and chromosome numbers in the Sphaeriidae (Bivalvia: Veneroida). Cytologia 64(3):247–252

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee T, Ó Foighil D (2002) 6-Phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (PGD) allele phylogeny is incongruent with a recent origin of polyploidization in some North American Sphaeriidae (Mollusca, Bivalvia). Mol Phylogenet Evol 25:112–124

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Leitão A, Chaves R (2008) Banding for chromosomal identification in bivalves: a 20-year history. Dyn Biochem Process Biotech Mol Biol 2(1):44–49

    Google Scholar 

  • Leitão A, Chaves R, Joaquim S, Matias D, Ruano F, Guedes-Pinto H (2008) Supernumerary chromosomes on Southern European populations of the cockle Cerastoderma edule: Consequence of environmental pollution? Estuar Coast Shelf S 79:152–156

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levan A, Fredga K, Sandberg AA (1964) Nomenclature for centromeric position on chromosomes. Hereditas 52:201–220

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nakamura H (1985) A review of molluscan cytogenetic information based on the CISMOCH : computerized index system for molluscan chromosomes: Bivalvia, Polyplacophora and Cephalopoda. Venus 44(3):193–225

    Google Scholar 

  • Noda S (1975) Achiasmate meiosis in the Fritillaria japonica group I. Different modes of bivalent formation in the two sex mother cells. Heredity 34:373–380

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nokkala S, Nokkala C (1983) Achiasmatic male meiosis in two species of Saldula (Saldidae, Hemiptera). Hereditas 99:131–134

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ó Foighil D, Thiriot-Quiévreux C (1991) Ploidy and pronuclear interaction in north-eastern Pacific Lasaea clones (Mollusca: Bivalvia). Biol Bull 181:222–231

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ó Foighil D, Thiriot-Quiévreux C (1999) Sympatric Australian Lasaea species (Mollusca: Bivalvia) differ in their ploidy levels, reproductive modes and developmental modes. Zool J Linn Soc 127:477–494

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oakley HA (1982) Meiosis in Mesostoma ehrenbergii ehrenbergii (Turbellaria, Rhabdocoela). Chromosoma 87:133–147

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Okada K (1935) Some notes on Musculium heterodon, a freshwater bivalve I. The genital system and the gametogenesis. Sci Rep Tohoku Univ Ser 4 9:415–428

    Google Scholar 

  • Park G-M, Yong T-S, Im K-I, Chung E-Y (2000) Karyotypes of three species of Corbicula (Bivalvia: Veneroida) in Korea. J Shellfish Res 19(2):979–982

    Google Scholar 

  • Parker JS, Jones GH, Edgar LA, Whitehouse CL (1989) The population cytogenetics of Crepis capillaris. II. The stability and inheritance of B chromosomes. Heredity 63:19–27

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parker JS, Jones GH, Edgar LA, Whitehouse C (1990) The population cytogenetics of Crepis capillaris. Ill. B chromosome effects on meiosis. Heredity 64:377–385

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Patterson CM (1969) Chromosomes of molluscs. In: Proceedings of the second symposium of Mollusca, Ernakulam, vol 2, Marine Biological Association of India, Cochin, pp 635–689

  • Patterson CM (1973) Cytogenetics in gastropod molluscs. Malacological Review 6:141–150

    Google Scholar 

  • Petkevičiūtė R, Stunžėnas V, Stanevičiūtė G (2006) Polymorphism of the Sphaerium corneum (Bivalvia, Veneroida, Sphaeriidae) revealed by cytogenetic and sequence comparison. Biol J Linn Soc 89:53–64

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petkevičiūtė R, Stanevičiūtė G, Stunžėnas V, Lee T, Ó Foighil D (2007) Pronounced karyological divergence of the North American congeners Sphaerium rhomboideum and S. occidentale (Bivalvia: Veneroida: Sphaeriidae). J Moll Stud 73:315–321

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skuza L, Łabęcka AM, Domagała J (2009) Cytogenetic and morphological characterization of Corbicula fluminalis (O. F. Müller, 1774) (Bivalvia: Veneroida: Corbiculidae): taxonomic status assessment of a freshwater clam. Folia Biol (Krakow) 57:177–185

  • Šťáhlavský F, Král J, Harvey MS, Haddad CR (2006) A karyotype study on the pseudoscorpion families Geogarypidae, Garypinidae and Olpiidae (Arachnida: Pseudoscorpiones). Eur J Entomol 103:277–289

    Google Scholar 

  • Thiriot-Quiévreux C (2002) Review of the literature on bivalve cytogenetics in the last ten years. Cah Biol Mar 43:17–26

    Google Scholar 

  • Vujošević M, Blagojević J (2004) B chromosome in populations of mammals. Cytogenet Genome Res 106(2–4):247–256

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • White MJD (1973) Animal cytology and evolution, 3rd edn. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The first author is very grateful to colleagues who provided material or helped her with field sampling, namely L. Juřičková (Charles University, Praha, Czech Republic), H. Reise (State Museum of Natural History, Görlitz, Germany), R. Petkevičiūtė and G. Stanevičiūtė (Institute of Ecology, Vilnius, Lithuania). Furthermore, we are very thankful to J. Hutchinson (State Museum of Natural History, Görlitz, Germany) for comments and revision of the language and to two anonymous reviewers for their valuable advice. J.K. was supported by the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports (project No. 0021620828) and both authors received support from the Charles University in Prague (SVV project No. 261214).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44, Praha 2, Czech Republic

    Tereza Kořínková

  2. Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 5, 128 44, Praha 2, Czech Republic

    Tereza Kořínková & Jiří Král

Authors
  1. Tereza Kořínková
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jiří Král
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tereza Kořínková.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kořínková, T., Král, J. Structure and meiotic behaviour of B chromosomes in Sphaerium corneum/S. nucleus complex (Bivalvia: Sphaeriidae). Genetica 139, 155–165 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10709-010-9533-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10709-010-9533-1

Keywords