Abstract
The germ line chromosomes of S. coprophila have been followed from the time of origin of the germ cells up to the time of meiosis in the male and up to first larval molt in the female. The mechanism which prevents the accumulation of L (limited) chromosomes in the germ line is a unique process of chromosome elimination: it occurs in male and female embryos after the germ cells have migrated from the pole plasm to the definitive gonad site, and it involves the movement of whole L chromosomes through the nuclear membrane into the cytoplasm. The extra paternal X chromosome is eliminated from the germ cells at the same time and in the same manner. Following this elimination there is a cytological differentiation of the chromosomes remaining inside the nucleus. First, the 4 paternal homologues of the regular complement undergo a loosening of coils and become light-staining whereas the maternal homologues remain condensed like the L's. Next, the L chromosomes undergo a process of extreme attenuation and dispersion following which they return to the condensed state. H3-thymidine autoradiography on gonial and premeiotic cells in the testis reveals that the L chromosomes undergo DNA replication at the end of the S period, also that there are asynchronies in DNA synthesis among the regular chromosomes. The phenomena of differential chromosome staining and asynchronous DNA replication are considered in the light of current theory regarding heterochromatization and gene inactivation, also in relation to the phenomenon of chromosome imprinting encountered in this genus.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Bantock, C.: Chromosome elimination in Cecidomyidae. Nature (Lond.) 190, 466–467 (1961).
Bauer, H., and W. Beermann: Der Chromosomencyclus der Orthocladinen (Nematocera, Diptera). Z. Naturforsch. 7, 557–563 (1952).
Beermann, W.: Ein Balbiani-Ring als Locus einer Speicheldrüsen-Mutation. Chromosoma (Berl.) 12, 1–25 (1961).
Berlowitz, L.: Correlation of genetic activity, heterochromatization, and RNA metabolism. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 53, 68–73 (1965).
Berry, R. O.: Chromosome behavior in the germ cells and development of the gonads in Sciara ocellaris. J. Morph. 68, 547–583 (1941).
Brown, S. W., and U. Nur: Heterochromatic chromosomes in the coccids. Science 145, 130–136 (1964).
Cannon, G. B.: Culture of insect salivary glands in a chemically defined medium. Science 146, 1063 (1964).
Carson, H. L.: The selective elimination of inversion dicentric chromatids during meiosis in the eggs of Sciara impatiens. Genetics 31, 95–113 (1946).
Clever, U.: Genaktivitäten in den Riesenchromosomen von Chironomus tentans und ihre Beziehung zur Entwicklung. II. Das Verhalten der Puffs während des letzten Larvenstadiums und der Puppenhäutung. Chromosoma (Berl.) 13, 385–436 (1962); - Genaktivitäten in den Riesenchromosomen von Chironomus tentans und ihre Beziehungen zur Entwicklung. IV. Das Verhalten der Puffs in der Larvenhäutung. Chromosoma (Berl.) 13, 651–675 (1963).
Cooper, K. W.: Cytogenetic analysis of major heterochromatic elements (especially Xh and Y) in Drosophila melanogaster, and the theory of “heterochromatin”. Chromosoma (Berl.) 10, 535–588 (1959).
Crouse, H. V.: Translocations in Sciara; their bearing on chromosome behavior and sex determination. Univ. Missouri Res. Bull. 379, 1–75 (1943); - The nature of the influence of X-translocations on sex of progeny in Sciara coprophila. Chromosoma (Berl.) 11, 146–166 (1960a); - The controlling element in sex chromosome behavior in Sciara. Genetics 45, 1429–1443 (1960b);- Experimental alterations in the chromosome constitution of Sciara. Chromosoma (Berl.) 16, 391–410 (1965); - An inducible change in state on the chromosomes of Sciara: its effects on the genetic components of the X. Chromosoma (Berl.) 18, 230–253 (1966).
—, and H. Smith-Stocking: New mutants in Sciara and their genetic behavior. Genetics 23, 275–282 (1938).
Darlington, C. D., and L. P. LaCour: The handling of chromosomes, rev. 2nd ed. London: George Allen and Unwin Ltd. 1947.
Dubois, A. M.: Chromosome behavior during cleavage in the eggs of Sciara coprophila (Diptera) in relation to the problem of sex determination. Z. Zellforsch. 19, 595–614 (1933).
Fahmy, O.: A new type of meiosis in Plastosciara pectiventris (Nematocera, Diptera) and its evolutionary significance. Proc. Egypt. Acad. Sci 5, 12–42 (1949).
Gabrusewycz-Garcia, N.: Cytological and autoradiographic studies on Sciara coprophila salivary gland chromosomes. Chromosoma (Berl.) 15, 312–344 (1964).
Geyer-Duszynska, I.: Experimental research on chromosome elimination in Cecidomyidae (Diptera). J. exp. Zool. 141, 391–448 (1959).
Goldstein, L.: Localization of nucleus specific protein as shown by transplantation experiments in Amoeba proteus. Exp. Cell Res. 15, 635–637 (1958).
Grumbach, M. M., A. Morishima, and J. H. Taylor: Human sex chromosome abnormalities in relation t DNA replication and heterochromatinization. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 49, 518–589 (1963).
Heitz, E.: Das Heterochromatin der Moose I. Jb. Bot. 69, 762–818 (1928).
Kraczkiewicz, Z.: Recherches cytologiques sur les chromosomes de Lasioptera rubi. Heeg. (Cecidomyidae). Zool. polon. 5, 73–117 (1950).
Lima-de-Faria, A.: Differential uptake of tritiated thymidine into hetero - and euchromatin in Melanoplus and Secale. J. biophys. biochem. Cytol. 6, 457–466 (1959).
Lyon, M. F.: Gene action in the X-chromosome of the mouse (Mus musculus L.). Nature (Lond.) 190, 372–373 (1961).
McClintock, B.: The fusion of broken ends of sister half chromatids following chromatid breakage at meiotic anaphases. Univ. of Missouri Res. Bull. 290, 1–46 (1938).
Metcalfe, M. E.: The germ cell cycle in Phytophaga destructor Say. Quart. J. micr. Sci. 77, 585–603 (1935).
Metz, C. W.: Chromosome behavior and genetic behavior in Sciara (Diptera). II. Genetic evidence of selective segregation in S. coprophila. Z. indukt. Abstamm.- u. Vererb.-L. 45, 184–200 (1927); - Chromosome behavior, inheritance, and sex determination in Sciara. Amer. Naturalist 72, 485–520 (1938).
—, M. S. Moses, and E. N. Hoppe: Chromosome behavior and genetic behavior in Sciara (Diptera). I. Chromosome behavior in the spermatocyte divisions. Z. indukt. Abstamm.- u. Vererb.-L. 42, 237–270 (1928).
Morishima, A., M. M. Grumbach, and J. H. Taylor: Asynchronous duplication of human chromosomes and the origin of sex chromatin. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 48, 756–763 (1962).
Ohno, S., and B. M. Cattanach: Cytological study of an X-autosome translocation in Mus musculus. Cytogenetics 1, 129–140 (1962).
Reitberger, A.: Das Verhalten der Chromosomen bei der pädogenetischen Entwicklung der Cecidomyide Oligarces paradoxus mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der Chromosomenelimination. Verh. Schweiz. naturforsch. Ges. 115, 359–360 (1934).
Roman, H.: Mitotic nondisjunction in the case of interchanges involving the B-type chromosomes in maize. Genetics 32, 391–409 (1947).
Schmuck, M. L., and C. W. Metz: The maturation division and fertilization in eggs of Sciara coprophila Lint. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 18, 349–352 (1932).
Taylor, J. H.: Regulation of DNA replication and variegation-type position effects. Symp. Internat. Soc. Cell Biol., vol. 3 (R. J. G. Harris, ed.). New York: Academic Press 1964.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
The studies reported here were supported by the National Science Foundation grants GB-42 and GB-2857, and in part by Contract No. AT-(40-1)-2690 under the Division of Biology and Medicine, U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, in the Faculty of Pure Science, Department of Botany, Columbia University. This work was carried out in the laboratory of Professor J. Herbert Taylor and has been supported in part by U.S. Public Health Training Grant No. 2 T 1-GM-216-05. Grateful acknowledgement is made to Professor Spencer W. Brown, Department of Genetics, University of California, Berkeley, in whose laboratory the final studies were completed.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rieffel, S.M., Crouse, H.V. The elimination and differentiation of chromosomes in the germ line of sciara. Chromosoma 19, 231–276 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00326917
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00326917