Chromosome counts of eight Iranian endemic species of Nepeta L. (Lamiaceae)

In this survey, the chromosome counts of eight Nepeta L. species were investigated and the karyotypic diversity among these species was studied. The examined species belong to N. cephalotes Boiss. species group, namely N. eremokosmos Rech.f., N. gloeocephala Rech. f., cephalotes Boiss., N. pungens (Bunge) Benth., N. ispahanica Boiss., N. mahanensis Jamzad & Simonds, N. hormozganica Jamzad and N. denudata Benth. collected from different habitats in Iran. The ploidy levels, karyotype formula, chromosome length range, total karyotype length, several karyotype asymmetries values and Stebbins classification were determined in this study. Results showed the same chromosome number, 2n = 2x= 18 for all studied species. The basic chromosome number for the above mentioned species are x = 9. Also, the smallest chromosome length is 1.02 μm in N. mahanensis. The largest chromosome length is 2.3 μm in N. ispahanica. The chromosomes of species were metacentric or submetacentric. According to the Stebbins classification, these species were located into three classes 1A, 2A and 3A. The chromosome numbers for six of studied species are reported here for the first time.

Rapid speciation and karyotype evolution in Orthoptera

To test the hypothesis that high speciation rate in groups is coupled with high rate of karyotype evolution but also that younger groups having a higher rate of karyotypic diversity, I estimated rates of speciation and rates of karyotype evolution in 1,177 species belonging to 26 families in the insect order Orthoptera. Rates of karyotype evolution were estimated using the diploid number and the number of chromosome arms (fundamental number) from published karyotypes of Orthoptera. Rates of speciation were quantified considering the number of species examined karyotypically in each family, the most recent common ancestor of each family and the information about extinction rate. The rate of speciation was strongly correlated with rate of karyotype evolution and the average rates of speciation was nearly ~177 times higher than the background rate estimated for Orthoptera based on acoustic communication using phylogenomic data, as well as 8.4 and 35.6 times higher than the estimated speciation rate in vertebrates and bivalve mollusks respectively, indicating that Orthoptera has evolved very fast at chromosomal level. The findings supported the hypothesis of a high speciation rate in lineages with high rate of chromosomal evolution but there were not evidences that younger groups tended to have higher rate of karyotypic diversity. Furthermore, rates of karyotype evolution most closely fitted the punctuational evolutionary model indicating the existence of long periods of stasis of karyotype change with most karyotype change occurring quickly over short evolutionary times. I discussed genetic drift, divergent selection and meiotic drive as potential biological mechanisms to explain karyotype evolution allowing or impeding for the fixation of chromosomal rearrangements and in turn speciation in orthopterans lineages.

Microchromosomes are building blocks of bird, reptile and mammal chromosomes

Microchromosomes, once considered unimportant shreds of the chicken genome, are gene rich elements with a high GC content and few transposable elements. Their origin has been debated for decades. We used cytological and whole genome sequence comparisons, and chromosome conformation capture, to trace their origin and fate in genomes of reptiles, birds and mammals. We find that microchromosomes as well as macrochromosomes are highly conserved across birds, and share synteny with single small chromosomes of the chordate amphioxus, attesting to their origin as elements of an ancient animal genome. Turtles and squamates (snakes and lizards) share different subsets of ancestral microchromosomes, having independently lost microchromosomes by fusion with other microchromosomes or macrochromosomes. Patterns of fusions were quite different in different lineages. Cytological observations show that microchromosomes in all lineages are spatially separated into a central compartment at interphase and during mitosis and meiosis. This reflects higher interaction between microchromosomes than with macrochromosomes, as observed by chromosome conformation capture, and suggests some functional coherence. In highly rearranged genomes fused microchromosomes retain most ancestral characteristics, but these may erode over evolutionary time; surprisingly de novo microchromosomes have rapidly adopted high interaction. Some chromosomes of early branching monotreme mammals align to several bird microchromosomes, suggesting multiple microchromosome fusions in a mammalian ancestor. Subsequently multiple rearrangements fueled the extraordinary karyotypic diversity of therian mammals. Thus microchromosomes, far from being aberrant genetic elements, represent fundamental building blocks of amniote chromosomes, and it is mammals, rather than reptiles, that are atypical.

Karyotypic diversity and cryptic speciation: Have we vastly underestimated moss species diversity?

Karyotypic diversity is critical to catalyzing change in the evolution of all plants. By resulting in meiotic incompatibility among sets of homologous chromosomes, polyploidy and aneuploidy may facilitate reproductive isolation and the potential for speciation. Across plants, karyotypic variants in the form of allopolyploids receive greater taxonomic attention relative to autopolyploids and aneuploids. In particular, the prevalence and significance of autopolyploidy and aneuploidy in bryophytes is little understood. Using Fritsch’s 1991 compendium of bryophyte karyotypes with augmentation from karyological studies published since, we have quantified the prevalence of karyotypic variants among ~1500 extant morphological species of mosses. We assessed the phylogenetic distribution of karyological data, the frequency of autopolyploidy and aneuploidy, and the methodological correlates with karyotypic diversity. At least two ploidy levels were recorded from 17% of species potentially increasing current taxonomic diversity of mosses to over 15,000 species. We find that for a given species, the number of unique karyotypes recorded is correlated with the number of populations sampled. The evidence suggests that cytological diversity likely underlies yet undescribed species diversity in mosses, and that intensive karyological sampling is a needed tool for its discovery.

Comparative study of four Mystus species (Bagridae, Siluriformes) from Thailand: insights into their karyotypic diversity

Karyotypes of four catfishes of the genus Mystus Scopoli, 1777 (family Bagridae), M. atrifasciatus Fowler, 1937, M. mysticetus Roberts, 1992, M. singaringan (Bleeker, 1846) and M. wolffii (Bleeker, 1851), were analysed by conventional and Ag-NOR banding as well as fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) techniques. Microsatellite d(GC)15, d(CAA)10, d(CAT)10 and d(GAA)10 repeat probes were applied in FISH. The obtained data revealed that the four studied species have different chromosome complements. The diploid chromosome numbers (2n) and the fundamental numbers (NF) range between 52 and 102, 54 and 104, 56 and 98, or 58 and 108 in M. mysticetus, M. atrifasciatus, M. singaringan or M. wolffii, respectively. Karyotype formulae of M. mysticetus, M. atrifasciatus, M. singaringan and M. wolffii are 24m+26sm+4a, 26m+24sm+2a, 24m+18sm+14a and 30m+22sm+6a, respectively. A single pair of NORs was identified adjacent to the telomeres of the short arm of chromosome pairs 3 (metacentric) in M. atrifasciatus, 20 (submetacentric) in M. mysticetus, 15 (submetacentric) in M. singaringan, and 5 (metacentric) in M. wolffii. The d(GC)15, d(CAA)10, d(CAT)10 and d(GAA)10 repeats were abundantly distributed in species-specific patterns. Overall, we present a comparison of cytogenetic and molecular cytogenetic patterns of four species from genus Mystus providing insights into their karyotype diversity in the genus.

Comparative study of four Mystus species (Bagridae, Siluriformes) from Thailand: insights into their karyotypic diversity

Karyotypes of four catfishes of the genus Mystus Scopoli, 1777 (family Bagridae), M. atrifasciatus Fowler, 1937, M. mysticetus Roberts, 1992, M. singaringan (Bleeker, 1846) and M. wolffii (Bleeker, 1851), were analysed by conventional and Ag-NOR banding as well as fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) techniques. Microsatellite d(GC)15, d(CAA)10, d(CAT)10 and d(GAA)10 repeat probes were applied in FISH. The obtained data revealed that the four studied species have different chromosome complements. The diploid chromosome numbers (2n) and the fundamental numbers (NF) range between 52 and 102, 54 and 104, 56 and 98, or 58 and 108 in M. mysticetus, M. atrifasciatus, M. singaringan or M. wolffii, respectively. Karyotype formulae of M. mysticetus, M. atrifasciatus, M. singaringan and M. wolffii are 24m+26sm+4a, 26m+24sm+2a, 24m+18sm+14a and 30m+22sm+6a, respectively. A single pair of NORs was identified adjacent to the telomeres of the short arm of chromosome pairs 3 (metacentric) in M. atrifasciatus, 20 (submetacentric) in M. mysticetus, 15 (submetacentric) in M. singaringan, and 5 (metacentric) in M. wolffii. The d(GC)15, d(CAA)10, d(CAT)10 and d(GAA)10 repeats were abundantly distributed in species-specific patterns. Overall, we present a comparison of cytogenetic and molecular cytogenetic patterns of four species from genus Mystus providing insights into their karyotype diversity in the genus.

Translesion Synthesis or Repair by Specialized DNA Polymerases Limits Excessive Genomic Instability upon Replication Stress

DNA can experience “replication stress”, an important source of genome instability, induced by various external or endogenous impediments that slow down or stall DNA synthesis. While genome instability is largely documented to favor both tumor formation and heterogeneity, as well as drug resistance, conversely, excessive instability appears to suppress tumorigenesis and is associated with improved prognosis. These findings support the view that karyotypic diversity, necessary to adapt to selective pressures, may be limited in tumors so as to reduce the risk of excessive instability. This review aims to highlight the contribution of specialized DNA polymerases in limiting extreme genetic instability by allowing DNA replication to occur even in the presence of DNA damage, to either avoid broken forks or favor their repair after collapse. These mechanisms and their key regulators Rad18 and Polθ not only offer diversity and evolutionary advantage by increasing mutagenic events, but also provide cancer cells with a way to escape anti-cancer therapies that target replication forks.

Cytogenetic studies of three cultivated hill cotton (Gossypium arboreum L.) varieties from Bangladesh

Three hill cotton (Gossypium arboreum L.) varieties viz., HC-1, HC-2 and HC-3, released by Bangladesh Cotton Development Board were investigated through orcein, CMAand DAPI-banding for cytogenetical characterization and to elucidate the karyotypic diversity among these varieties. All these three varieties were found to possess 2n = 26 metacentric chromosomes with ‘1A’ karyotype. Based on TF%, AsK% and Syi index, HC-3 was little advanced over HC-1 and HC-2. These three varieties showed differential Chromomycin A3 (CMA)- and 4Ê-6 Diamidino-2-Phenyl Indole (DAPI)-banding patterns and a tendency of acumulation of repetitive sequences at the terminal regions was observed. Despite possessing same somatic chromosome number these three hill cotton varieties could be characterized by diversified karyotypic parameters through differential staining.

Karyotypic diversity among eight Zea mays L. varieties

Staining property of interphase nuclei and prophase chromosomes, diploid chromosome number, total chromosome length (TCL), symmetric and asymmetric indices of karyotype were studied in eight maize varieties released by BARI. 2n = 20 chromosomes were found in Barnali, Mohor, Khoi Vhutta, BS-1, B-5 and BM-7 whereas 2n = 22 chromosomes in China and 2n = 24 chromosomes in B-73 were observed. TCL was highest in Mohor (190.49 ± 5.61 μm) and lowest in B-73 (69.30 ± 2.51 μm). These varieties showed significant variation in cytogenetical parameters. Results obtained are expected to supplement genetic identification of maize varieties in variety conservation efforts.

Corrigenda: Cytogenetic markers as a tool for characterization of hybrids of Astyanax Baird & Girard, 1854 and Hyphessobrycon Eigenmann, 1907. Comparative Cytogenetics 14(2): 231–242. https://doi.org/10.3897/CompCytogen.v14i2.49513

Astyanax Baird et Girard, 1854, is one of the largest genera in the family Characidae and comprises 177 valid species. This genus has been the focus of cytogenetic studies primarily owing to the presence of B chromosomes and high karyotypic diversity among different populations. The intense genetic variability in Astyanax is one of the factors responsible for the occurrence of species complexes, which are groups (1) with certain difficulties in establishing common genetic pools or (2) belonging to different cryptic species. To evaluate cytogenetic marker inheritance and the possibility of the identification of these hybrids, this study aimed to describe cytogenetic hybrids from three strains of species of the genera Astyanax and Hyphessobrycon Eigenmann, 1908. A. lacustris Lütken, 1875, A. schubarti Britski, 1964, A. fasciatus Cuvier, 1819, and H. anisitsi Eigenmann, 1907 were used to generate three hybrid lineages. The diploid number, heterochromatin sites, and ribosomal genes (18S and 5S rDNA) of the parental strains and the hybrids were analyzed. The results indicated that the three hybrid lineages had cytogenetic markers of both parents, presenting Mendelian inheritance. However, differences in distribution of heterochromatic blocks were observed between the hybrids and the parent strains. Our results allowed the identification of the hybrid strains based on the cytogenetic markers applied, reinforcing the efficiency of cytogenetic markers as tools for identification and indicating that such events may increase the karyotypic diversity in the genera Astyanax and Hyphessobrycon.