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Chromosome banding in amphibia

IV. Differentiation of GC- and AT-rich chromosome regions in Anura

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Abstract

The chromosomes of 26 species of Anura from variously highly evolved groups were analysed with the fluorescent GC-specific antibiotics mithramycin and chromomycin A3 as well as with the AT-specific quinacrine. The mithramycin- and chromomycin A3-stainings generally resulted in a pattern of the constitutive heterochromatin opposite to the one obtained with quinacrine stain. The weaker a heterochromatic region fluoresces with quinacrine, the stronger is the intensity of the fluorescence achieved with mithramycin and chromomycin A3. Some of the telomeric and interstitial heterochromatic regions, however, exhibit no enhanced fluorescence with any of the fluorochromes. The nucleolar constrictions of the nucleolus organizer regions (NORs) displayed the brightest mithramycin- and chromomycin A3-fluorescence in the karyotypes and interphase nuclei of all species examined. The contrast of the brightly fluorescing GC-rich heterochromatin and of the NORs is considerably enhanced, when the non-fluorescent AT-specific oligopeptide distamycin A is employed as a counterstain. No banding patterns were observed with the fluorochromes in the euchromatic regions of the metaphase chromosomes; this is attributed to the strong spiralization of the anuran chromosomes. A cytochemical classification of the various chromatin types in the anuran chromosomes is discussed on the basis of the differential labelings found on the constitutive heterochromatin by means of the fluorochromes.

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  1. M. Schmid

    Present address: Institut für Humangenetik, University of Göttingen, Nikolausberger Weg 5a, 3400, Göttingen, Federal Republic of Germany

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  1. Abteilung Humangenetik, University of Ulm, Federal Republic of Germany

    M. Schmid

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This paper is dedicated to Professor Dr. Hans Bauer on the occasion of his 75th birthday

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Schmid, M. Chromosome banding in amphibia. Chromosoma 77, 83–103 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00292043

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00292043

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