Relative Centromere Research Articles

Microsatellite-centromere mapping in Japanese scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis) through half-tetrad analysis in gynogenetic diploid families

Gene-centromere mapping is an essential prerequisite for understanding the composition and structure of genomes. Half-tetrad analysis is a powerful tool for mapping genes and understanding chromosomal behavior during meiosis. The Japanese scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis), a cold-tolerant species inhabiting the northwestern Pacific coast, is a commercially important marine bivalve in Asian countries. In this study, inheritance of 32 informative microsatellite loci was examined in 70-h D-shaped larvae of three induced meiogynogenetic diploid families of P. yessoensis for centromere mapping using half-tetrad analysis. The ratio of gynogenetic diploids was proven to be 100%, 100% and 96% in the three families, respectively. Inheritance analysis in the control crosses showed that 51 of the 53 genotypic ratios observed were in accordance with Mendelian expectations at the 5% level after Bonferroni correction. Seven of the 32 microsatellite loci showed the existence of null alleles in control crosses. The second division segregation frequency (y) of the microsatellite loci ranged from 0.07 to 0.85 with a mean of 0.38, suggesting the existence of positive interference after a single chiasma formation in some chromosomes in the scallop. Microsatellite-centromere distances ranged from 4 cM to 42 cM under the assumption of complete interference. Information on the positions of centromeres in relation to the microsatellite loci will represent a contribution towards the assembly of genetic maps in the commercially important scallop species.

Microsatellite-centromere mapping in bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis) using gynogenetic diploid families

Gene–centromere mapping using half-tetrad analysis is a powerful tool for understanding chromosomal behaviour and determining the position of centromeres in relation to genes or markers in fish. In this study, eight gynogenetic diploid families induced by inhibiting of the second meiotic division were genotyped at 66 microsatellite loci for microsatellite–centromere (M-C) mapping in bighead carp ( Aristichthys nobilis). The absence of paternal alleles verified the success of gynogenetic development in all gynogenetic families. All loci were consistent with Mendelian segregation in control families. The estimated recombination frequency (y) ranged from 0.057 to 0.875 with an average of 0.477 ± 0.222. Seventeen loci (25.76%) showed high M-C recombination frequencies of over 0.667. M-C distances ranged from 2.85 to 43.75 cM under the assumption of complete interference. Thus, these loci are distributed from the centromeres to the telomeres of their respective chromosomes, while mainly in the intermediate region. Information on centromere mapping could serve as a starting point to consolidate the genetic linkage groups in bighead carp.

Centromere mapping in the Pacific abalone (Haliotis discus hannai) through half‐tetrad analysis in gynogenetic diploid families

Centromere mapping is an essential prerequisite for our understanding of the composition and structure of genomes. For centromere mapping, in two meiogynogenetic families of the Pacific abalone (Haliotis discus hannai), we screened 97 microsatellite markers that cover all linkage groups from a currently available abalone linkage map. Microsatellite analysis showed that no unique paternal allele was found in all gynogenetic progeny, which confirmed 100% success of induction of gynogenesis. In the control crosses, all 97 microsatellite loci were compatible with Mendelian inheritance, while in meiogynogenetic progeny, 5.2% of the microsatellite loci showed segregation distortions from an expected 1:1 ratio of two homozygote classes. The second division segregation frequency of the microsatellites ranged from 0.037 to 0.950 with a mean of 0.399, indicating the existence of interference. Heterogeneity among linkage groups in the crossover distribution was observed. Centromere location was mostly in accordance with the abalone karyotype, but differences in marker order between linkage and centromere maps occurred. Information on the positions of centromeres in relation to the microsatellite loci will represent a contribution towards assembly of genetic maps in the commercially important abalone species.

Microsatellite-centromere mapping in sea cucumber ( Apostichopus japonicus) using gynogenetic diploid families

Two families of gynogenetic sea cucumber ( Apostichopus japonicu) were produced by fertilizing eggs with UV-irradiated sperm followed by inhibition of the second meiotic division. Inheritance of 43 microsatellite markers were examined in the two meiogynogenetic diploid families for centromere mapping using half-tetrad analysis. The ratio of gynogenesis was proven to be 93.3% and 100% in the two families, respectively. Inheritance analyses in the control crosses showed that 2.3% microsatellite loci deviated from Mendelian ratios. The second division segregation frequency ( y) of the microsatellites ranged from 0.00 to 0.80, suggesting the existence of positive interference after a single chiasma formation. The mean recombination frequency was 0.21, corresponding to a fixation index of 0.79 in one generation. This is 3.2 times the expected increase in homozygosity after one generation of sib mating (0.25), suggesting meiotic gynogenesis may be an effective means of rapid inbreeding in the sea cucumber. Microsatellite-centromere distances ranged from 0.0 cM to 40.0 cM under the assumption of complete interference. The information about the positions of centromeres in relation to the microsatellite loci will be useful for the future gene mapping in this commercially important species.

Microsatellite–centromere mapping in zhikong scallop ( Chlamys farreri) through half-tetrad analysis in D-shaped larvae of gynogenetic diploid families

Inheritance of 27 informative microsatellite loci was examined in 40-h D-shaped larvae of three induced meiogynogenetic diploid families of zhikong scallop ( Chlamys farreri) for centromere mapping using half-tetrad analysis. Mendelian inheritance was confirmed for the loci by examining the genotypic segregation in three control crosses. Nine of the 27 microsatellite loci showed the existence of null alleles in control crosses. All gynogenetic offspring only possessed the alleles of the mother, indicating 100% success level for the three families. The second division segregation frequency ( y) of the microsatellite loci ranged from 0.05 to 0.78 with a mean of 0.41, suggesting the existence of positive interference after a single chiasma formation in some chromosomes in the scallop. Microsatellite–centromere (M–C) distances ranged from 3 cM to 39 cM under the assumption of complete interference. Information on the positions of centromeres in relation to the microsatellite loci will represent a contribution towards assembly of genetic maps in the commercially important scallop species.

Microsatellite-centromere distances and microsatellite diversity in different ploidy classes of Chinese shrimp (Fenneropenaeus Chinensis)

This is the first report of microsatellite-centromere mapping in this commercial species Fenneropenaeus Chinensis, and will be important for providing fixed points in the linkage groups of genetic maps. Triploid Chinese shrimp was induced by heat shock. The fertilized eggs were treated either by retention of the first polar body or the second polar body to produce Meiosis I (MI) or Meiosis II (MII) triploid. The triploidy status in each Chinese shrimp could be confirmed by nine polymorphic microsatellite loci, in which the parents with different alleles and the female parents were each heterozygous. The nine loci were mapped in relation to their centromeres in three MII triploid families, which were induced by retention of the second polar bodies after fertilization with sperm. Microsatellite-centromere (M-C) distances ranged from 9.6 cM to 37 cM under the assumption of complete interference. Information on the positions of centromeres in relation to the microsatellite loci will represent a contribution towards assembly of genetic maps in F. chinensis. Twelve polymorphic microsatellites were used to assess the heterozygosity and allelic diversity in different ploidy classes. As expected, triploids were significantly more polymorphic than diploids. The diploids had an average heterozygosity and allelic diversity value of 0.86, whereas the triploids heterozygosity averaged 0.93 and had allelic diversity value of 1.29. However, MI triploids were not significantly more polymorphic than MII in the microsatellite loci.

Microsatellite analysis of gynogenetic families in the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas

Five families of gynogenetic diploid Pacific oyster ( Crassostrea gigas) were induced by inhibiting the second polar body in meiotic cell division of eggs fertilized with UV-irradiated sperm. Segregation patterns of eight microsatellite loci were investigated in the gynogenetic diploid offspring; the proportion of heterozygous progeny was used to estimate microsatellite–centromere (M–C) distances. Mendelian inheritance was confirmed for the eight loci by examining the genotypic segregation in the control crosses. Three of the eight microsatellite loci showed the existence of null alleles in four control crosses. All gynogenetic offspring only possessed the alleles of the mother, indicating 100% success level for the five families. The M–C recombination frequency estimates ranged from 0.62 to 0.77 (0.72 mean), comparable to those in the oyster based on allozyme markers and suggesting that meiotic gynogenesis does not appear to be a very efficient inbreeding method in the oyster. Recombination frequencies observed were often higher than the theoretical maximum of 0.67, indicating the existence of positive interference after a single chiasma formation in some chromosomes. Information on the positions of centromeres in relation to the microsatellite loci will represent a contribution toward assembly of genetic maps in C. gigas.

Participation of Survivin in mitotic and apoptotic activities of normal and tumor-derived cells.

Survivin is a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) gene family, containing a single baculovirus IAP repeat (BIR) and no RING finger, that is expressed in many human cancers. Although it has been proposed to be involved in mitotic and cytokinetic processes, its functional subcellular distribution in the cytoplasm and nucleus, and its binding to centrosomes, spindle fibers, and centromeres in relation to these processes, is not fully resolved. We have analyzed the localization of Survivin in normal (Detroit 551, IMR-90) and tumor-derived (HeLa, Saos-2) cell lines, and found that it does colocalize with centrosomes in the cytoplasm during interphase, then moves to centromeres during mitosis, and finally localizes to the midbody spindle fibers during telophase. However, Taxol, a popular microtubule stabilizing agent that is frequently used in the study of these processes, severely disrupted the localization of Survivin. Taxol treatment of cells promoted extensive relocalization of Survivin with alpha-tubulin on microtubules during either interphase or mitosis. Survivin antisense oligonucleotide markedly sensitized HeLa cells to cell death induced by agents acting at the level of cell surface receptor (Fas pathway) or at the level of mitochondria (etoposide). HeLa cell death induced by Survivin antisense oligonucleotide could be partially complemented by Deterin, the Drosophila homolog of Survivin (Jones et al. [2000] J. Biol. Chem. 275:22157-22166). Reciprocally, a chimera of the Deterin BIR domain and Survivin C-terminus could rescue Drosophila Kc cells from death induced by transfection of a human caspase-7-expressing plasmid. These results indicate common components of Survivin and Deterin antiapoptotic action in the vertebrate and invertebrate phyla.

Pollen markers for gene-centromere mapping in diploid potato

The utility of two pollen genetic markers for estimating the extent of meiotic recombination between the centromere and a marker gene was tested in 2n pollen of diploid potato clones. One of these markers was the distal locus amylose-free (amf) on chromosome 8 and the other was the isozyme locus alcohol dehydrogenase (Adh-1) on chromosome 4. In the case of the amf locus, the gene-centromere distance was estimated in a normal synaptic and a desynaptic genotype. In both cases the genetic analysis was confined to: (1) a direct estimation of the phenotypic (blue vs red) segregation ratios in FDR (first-division restitution) 2n pollen and (2) a classification of the 4 x progeny from 4x (nulliplex amf) x 2x (Amf/amf) crosses into duplex, simplex and nulliplex classes. The recombination frequency between the centromere and the amf locus in the normal synaptic genotype B92-7015-4 corresponded to a gene-centromere distance of 48.8 cM, whereas this distance amounted to 13.3 cM in the desynaptic genotype RS93-8025-1. Hence desynapsis reduced crossing-over by 73%. The observed genetic distance of 48.8 cM in the normal synaptic clone, B92-7015-4, is the highest gene-centromere distance reported so far in potato and this could be explained on the assumption of absolute chiasma interference. For the Adh-1 locus, it was found that heterozygous 2n pollen grains could be detected in pollen samples of the diploid clones, because of the occurrence of a heterodimeric band of the isozyme. Unlike the amf locus, the genecentromere distance for the Adh-1 locus was estimated only on the basis of the duplex, simplex and nulliplex classes in the progenies from 4x (nulliplex Adh-1 (2) )x B92-7015-4 (Adh-1 (1) /Adh-1 (2) )crosses and was found to be 19.4 cM. Because the accurate positions of centromeres in relation to other loci are not available in the existing genetic maps of potato, which are saturated with molecular markers, halftetrad analysis is a promising additional approach to the basic genetics of this crop.