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Molecular cloning of zebra finch W chromosome repetitive sequences: evolution of the avian W chromosome

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Abstract

The zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) has a large Z chromosome and highly condensed W chromosome. We used the random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique to isolate female-specific sequences ZBM1 and ZBM2. Southern blot hybridization to male and female zebra finch genomic DNA suggested that these sequences were located on the W chromosome, although homologous sequences appeared to be autosomal or Z-linked. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) using bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones corresponding to ZBM sequences showed hybridization to the whole W chromosome, suggesting that the BACs encode sequences that are repeated across the entire W chromosome. Based on the sequencing of a ZBM repetitive sequence and Z chromosome derived BAC clones, we demonstrate a random distribution of repeat sequences that are specific to the W chromosome or encoded by both Z and W. The positions of ZW-common repeat sequences mapped to a noncoding region of a Z chromosome BAC clone containing the CHD1Z gene. The apparent lineage-specificity of W chromosome repeat sequences in passerines and galliform birds suggest that the W chromosome had not differentiated well from the Z at the time of divergence of these lineages.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by NIH grant DC00217 to A.P. Arnold and a Yamada Science Foundation grant to Y. Itoh. BAC clones were sequenced by the Washington University Genome Center. Thanks to Esther Melamed, Jun Kato, and Wes Warren for assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiological Science and Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology of the Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1606, USA

    Yuichiro Itoh, Kathy Kampf & Arthur P. Arnold

  2. Department of Physiological Science, UCLA 621 Charles E. Young Drive South, Room 4117, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1606, USA

    Arthur P. Arnold

Authors
  1. Yuichiro Itoh
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  2. Kathy Kampf
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  3. Arthur P. Arnold
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Correspondence to Arthur P. Arnold.

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Communicated by S. Henikoff

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Fig. S1

Comparison of FISH signal enhancement using BACs containing repeats or no repeats. a, b ZBM BAC 201O20 hybridization to male chromosome spreads and c, d androgen receptor BAC (319A15, Luo et al 2006) hybridization to female chromosome spreads as a control experiment. The signal (red) was enhanced identically in the two experiments, as described in Fig. 4c,d. b The amplification of ZBM signal in male metaphase spread allowed visualization of the distribution of ZBM sequence on numerous chromosomes including the Z chromosome. d In contrast, hybridization of the androgen receptor BAC showed specific labeling of a microchromosome. a, c DAPI staining. Scale bar = 10 μm. (JPG 27.5 kb)

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Itoh, Y., Kampf, K. & Arnold, A.P. Molecular cloning of zebra finch W chromosome repetitive sequences: evolution of the avian W chromosome. Chromosoma 117, 111–121 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00412-007-0130-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00412-007-0130-8

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