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A paradox revealed: karyotype evolution in the four-horned antelope occurs by tandem fusion (Mammalia, Bovidae, Tetracerus quadricornis)

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Abstract

The four-horned antelope, Tetracerus quadricornis, is a karyotypic novelty in Bovidae since chromosomal evolution in this species is driven by tandem fusions in contradiction to the overwhelming influence of Robertsonian fusions in other species within the family. Using a combination of differential staining and molecular cytogenetic techniques, we provide the first description of the species’ karyotype, draw phylogenetic inferences from the cytogenetic data and discuss possible mechanisms underlying the formation of the tandem fusions in this species. We show (a) that pairs 1–6 of Tetracerus correspond to a combination of Bos taurus orthologous chromosomes that are tandemly fused head to tail, (b) the presence of interstitial centromeric satellite DNA at the junctions of orthologous blocks defined by the cross-species painting data and (c) that in some instances, residual telomeric sequences persist at these sites. We conclude that the attendant result of each fusion is an enlarged acrocentric fusion element comprising a single functional centromere and two terminal telomeres that, collectively, led to a reduction of the 2n = 58 bovid ancestral acrocentric chromosomal complement to the 2n = 38 detected in the four-horned antelope.

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Abbreviations

BTA:

Bos taurus

DOP-PCR:

Degenerate oligonucleotide primed-PCR

DAPI:

4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole

FISH:

fluorescence in situ hybridisation

NORs:

nucleolar organiser regions

pter:

terminus of p arm

q-dist:

distal q arm

Rb fusions:

Robertsonian fusions

cenDNA:

centromeric DNA

TQU:

Tetracerus quadricornis

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Acknowledgements

Tetracerus skin biopsies were provided by Norin Chai (Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes, MNHN). Financial support from the MNHN, CNRS, the PPF “Etat et structure phylogénétique de la biodiversité actuelle et fossile” (A.H and A.R) as well as the National Research Foundation of South Africa (TJR and AR) is gratefully acknowledged. V.R.I. was funded through research grants MZE 0002716202 and GA CR P506/10/0421.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Evolutionary Genomics Group, Department of Botany and Zoology, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa

    Anne Ropiquet & Terence J. Robinson

  2. UMR 7205—Origine, Structure et Evolution de la Biodiversité, Département Systématique et Evolution, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Case postale N° 51, 55, rue Buffon, 75005, Paris, France

    Anne Ropiquet, Alexandre Hassanin & Michèle Gerbault-Seureau

  3. Service de Systématique Moléculaire, Département Systématique et Evolution, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, 43, rue Cuvier, 75005, Paris, France

    Alexandre Hassanin & Céline Bonillo

  4. Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 70, 621 00, Brno, Czech Republic

    Eva Pagacova, Halina Cernohorska, Svatka Kubickova & Jiri Rubes

Authors
  1. Anne Ropiquet
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  2. Alexandre Hassanin
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  3. Eva Pagacova
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  4. Michèle Gerbault-Seureau
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  5. Halina Cernohorska
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  6. Svatka Kubickova
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  7. Céline Bonillo
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  8. Jiri Rubes
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  9. Terence J. Robinson
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Anne Ropiquet or Terence J. Robinson.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: Herbert Macgregor.

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Table S1

Matrix of cytogenetic characters used in this study. Characters that are considered exclusive synapomorphies—red; homoplasies—green; autapomorphies—grey (DOC 1003 kb)

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Ropiquet, A., Hassanin, A., Pagacova, E. et al. A paradox revealed: karyotype evolution in the four-horned antelope occurs by tandem fusion (Mammalia, Bovidae, Tetracerus quadricornis). Chromosome Res 18, 277–286 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10577-010-9115-1

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