Comparative chromosome painting between chicken and spectacled owl (Pulsatrix perspicillata): implications for chromosomal evolution in the Strigidae (Aves, Strigiformes)

Abstract

The spectacled owl (Pulsatrix perspicillata), a species found in the Neotropical region, has 76 chromosomes, with a high number of biarmed chromosomes. In order to define homologies between Gallus gallus and Pulsatrixperspicillata (Strigiformes, Strigidae), we used chromosome painting with chicken DNA probes of chromosomes 1–10 and Z and telomeric sequences. This approach allowed a comparison between Pulsatrixperspicillata and other species of Strigidae already analyzed by chromosome painting (Strix nebulosa and Bubo bubo, both with 2n = 80). The results show that centric fusions and fissions have occurred in different chromosomal pairs and are responsible for the karyotypic variation observed in this group. No interstitial telomeric sequences were found. Although the largest pair of chromosomes in P. perspicillata and Bubo bubo are submetacentric, they are homologous to different chicken chromosomes: GGA1/GGA2 in P. perspicillata and GGA2/GGA4 in B. bubo.