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The role of chromosome rearrangements in the evolution of mole voles of the genus Ellobius (Rodentia, Mammalia)

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Abstract

Modern mole voles of the genus Ellobius are characterized by species-specific features of autosomes and sex chromosomes. Owing to the use of the Zoo-FISH method, the nomenclature of chromosomes was refined and nonhomologous Robertsonian translocations indistinguishable by G-staining were identified for Ellobius tancrei, which is a species with a wide chromosome variation of the Robertsonian type. The electron-microscopic analysis of synaptonemal complexes in F1 hybrids of forms with 2n = 50 and 2n = 48 revealed the formation of a closed SC-pentavalent composed of three metacentrics with monobrachial homology and two acrocentrics. Segregation of chromosomes of such complex systems is impeded by disturbances in the nucleus architecture leading to the formation of unbalanced gametes and to a dramatic reduction in fertility of hybrids. Our data support the hypothesis that the formation of monobrachial homologous metacentric chromosomes can be considered as a way of chromosomal speciation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Koltsov Institute of Developmental Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia

    I. Yu. Bakloushinskaya & E. A. Lyapunova

  2. Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia

    S. A. Romanenko & A. S. Graphodatsky

  3. Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia

    S. N. Matveevsky & O. L. Kolomiets

Authors
  1. I. Yu. Bakloushinskaya
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  2. S. A. Romanenko
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  3. A. S. Graphodatsky
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  4. S. N. Matveevsky
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  5. E. A. Lyapunova
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  6. O. L. Kolomiets
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Correspondence to I. Yu. Bakloushinskaya.

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Original Russian Text © I.Yu. Bakloushinskaya, S.A. Romanenko, A.S. Graphodatsky, S.N. Matveevsky, E.A. Lyapunova, O.L. Kolomiets, 2010, published in Genetika, 2010, Vol. 46, No. 9, pp. 1290–1293.

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Bakloushinskaya, I.Y., Romanenko, S.A., Graphodatsky, A.S. et al. The role of chromosome rearrangements in the evolution of mole voles of the genus Ellobius (Rodentia, Mammalia). Russ J Genet 46, 1143–1145 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1022795410090346

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1022795410090346

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