Abstract
The replication patterns of larval salivary gland chromosomes of D. hydei and D. melanogaster were studied by autoradiography with tritiated thymidine injected in mid third instar larvae. The male X chromosome showed a different replication behavior in comparison to that of the female X chromosome and autosomes. It is concluded that the male X chromosome finishes its replication earlier than the female X chromosome. Moreover, the time needed for a complete replication cycle of individual identical replication units was found to be shorter in the male than in the female X chromosome. Although the whole X chromosomes behave different there were no differences observed in the sequence of the discontinuous labeling patterns of the two types of X chromosome. One autosomal replication unit was observed which showed a different replication behavior in males and females. The possible origin of the differential behavior of the two X chromosomes is discussed in terms of their difference in degree of polyteny.
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Berendes, H.D. Differential replication of male and female X-chromosomes in Drosophila. Chromosoma 20, 32–43 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00331896
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00331896