Abstract
Induction of configurational changes in the helical chromatids of air dried chromosomes was used to explore the mechanism of G-banding. From the water-Giemsa stained metaphase spreads of Chinese hamster cells, chromosomes having clearly helical chromatids were selected and photographed. Then the chromosomes were decolorized, treated with trypsin, and restained with saline-Giemsa (1 x SSC). Such procedures were repeatedly carried out upon the same chromosomes. Subsequent examination of the chromosomes showed that configurational changes from a helical structure to a banded structure had occurred. Some chromosomes revealed a variety of transitional changes between these two configurations. During the repeated G-banding treatments, the distances between bands along the same chromatids changed each time. The results obtained seem to indicate that the G-banding results from locally induced compaction of chromosomal materials along the chromatids.
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Takayama, S. Configurational changes in chromatids from helical to banded structures. Chromosoma 56, 47–54 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00293729
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00293729