Precise identification of chicken chromosomes in the lampbrush form using chromosome painting probes

Karyotypes of water frogs from the Pelophylax esculentus complex: results of cross-species chromosomal painting

Amphibian species have the largest genome size enriched with repetitive sequences and relatively similar karyotypes. Moreover, many amphibian species frequently hybridize causing nuclear and mitochondrial genome introgressions. In addition, hybridization in some amphibian species may lead to clonality and polyploidization. All such events were found in water frogs from the genus Pelophylax. Among the species within the genus Pelophylax, P. esculentus complex is the most widely distributed and well-studied. This complex includes two parental species, P. ridibundus and P. lessonae, and their hybrids, P. esculentus, reproducing hemiclonally. Parental species and their hybrids have similar but slightly polymorphic karyotypes, so their precise identification is still required. Here, we have developed a complete set of 13 chromosome painting probes for two parental species allowing the precise identification of all chromosomes. Applying chromosomal painting, we identified homologous chromosomes in both parental species and orthologous chromosomes in their diploid hemiclonal hybrids. Comparative painting did not reveal interchromosomal exchanges between the studied water frog species and their hybrids. Using cross-specific chromosome painting, we detected unequal distribution of the signals along chromosomes suggesting the presence of species-specific tandem repeats. Application of chromosomal paints to the karyotypes of hybrids revealed differences in the intensity of staining for P. ridibundus and P. lessonae chromosomes. Thus, both parental genomes have a divergence in unique sequences. Obtained chromosome probes may serve as a powerful tool to unravel chromosomal evolution in phylogenetically related species, identify individual chromosomes in different cell types, and investigate the elimination of chromosomes in hybrid water frogs.

Comparison of the somatic TADs and lampbrush chromomere-loop complexes in transcriptionally active prophase I oocytes

In diplotene oocyte nuclei of all vertebrate species, except mammals, chromosomes lack interchromosomal contacts and chromatin is linearly compartmentalized into distinct chromomere-loop complexes forming lampbrush chromosomes. However, the mechanisms underlying the formation of chromomere-loop complexes remain unexplored. Here we aimed to compare somatic topologically associating domains (TADs), recently identified in chicken embryonic fibroblasts, with chromomere-loop complexes in lampbrush meiotic chromosomes. By measuring 3D-distances and colocalization between linear equidistantly located genomic loci, positioned within one TAD or separated by a TAD border, we confirmed the presence of predicted TADs in chicken embryonic fibroblast nuclei. Using three-colored FISH with BAC probes, we mapped equidistant genomic regions included in several sequential somatic TADs on isolated chicken lampbrush chromosomes. Eight genomic regions, each comprising two or three somatic TADs, were mapped to non-overlapping neighboring lampbrush chromatin domains - lateral loops, chromomeres, or chromomere-loop complexes. Genomic loci from the neighboring somatic TADs could localize in one lampbrush chromomere-loop complex, while genomic loci belonging to the same somatic TAD could be localized in neighboring lampbrush chromomere-loop domains. In addition, FISH-mapping of BAC probes to the nascent transcripts on the lateral loops indicates transcription of at least 17 protein-coding genes and 2 non-coding RNA genes during the lampbrush stage of chicken oogenesis, including genes involved in oocyte maturation and early embryo development.

Identification of Genomic Loci Responsible for the Formation of Nuclear Domains Using Lampbrush Chromosomes

In the cell nuclei, various types of nuclear domains assemble as a result of transcriptional activity at specific chromosomal loci. Giant transcriptionally active lampbrush chromosomes, which form in oocyte nuclei of amphibians and birds enable the mapping of genomic sequences with high resolution and the visualization of individual transcription units. This makes avian and amphibian oocyte nuclei an advantageous model for studying locus-specific nuclear domains. We developed two strategies for identification and comprehensive analysis of the genomic loci involved in nuclear domain formation on lampbrush chromosomes. The first approach was based on the sequential FISH-mapping of BAC clones containing genomic DNA fragments with a known chromosomal position close to the locus of a nuclear domain. The second approach involved mechanical microdissection of the chromosomal region adjacent to the nuclear domain followed by the generation of FISH-probes and DNA sequencing. Furthermore, deciphering the DNA sequences from the dissected material by high throughput sequencing technologies and their mapping to the reference genome helps to identify the genomic region responsible for the formation of the nuclear domain. For those nuclear domains structured by nascent transcripts, identification of genomic loci of their formation is a crucial step in the identification of scaffold RNAs.

Transcription of highly repetitive tandemly organized DNA in amphibians and birds: A historical overview and modern concepts

Tandemly organized highly repetitive DNA sequences are crucial structural and functional elements of eukaryotic genomes. Despite extensive evidence, satellite DNA remains an enigmatic part of the eukaryotic genome, with biological role and significance of tandem repeat transcripts remaining rather obscure. Data on tandem repeats transcription in amphibian and avian model organisms is fragmentary despite their genomes being thoroughly characterized. Review systematically covers historical and modern data on transcription of amphibian and avian satellite DNA in somatic cells and during meiosis when chromosomes acquire special lampbrush form. We highlight how transcription of tandemly repetitive DNA sequences is organized in interphase nucleus and on lampbrush chromosomes. We offer LTR-activation hypotheses of widespread satellite DNA transcription initiation during oogenesis. Recent explanations are provided for the significance of high-yield production of non-coding RNA derived from tandemly organized highly repetitive DNA. In many cases the data on the transcription of satellite DNA can be extrapolated from lampbrush chromosomes to interphase chromosomes. Lampbrush chromosomes with applied novel technical approaches such as superresolution imaging, chromosome microdissection followed by high-throughput sequencing, dynamic observation in life-like conditions provide amazing opportunities for investigation mechanisms of the satellite DNA transcription.

Localization of single-copy sequences on chicken synaptonemal complex spreads using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)

Synaptonemal complex (SC) spreads from bird oocytes and spermatocytes show the complete chromosome complement and can be observed at the light microscope using immunostaining of the proteins that compose the lateral elements. To investigate the use of avian SC spreads as substrates for fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) in combination with immunostaining, we applied two single-copy sequences to chicken oocyte spreads. Signals for both target sequences were consistently observed on the short arm of bivalent 1 in a large number of nuclei. Based on previous data about the size of chromosome 1 and from measurements on probed SC spreads, an estimate of the physical distance in Mb between each sequence and the telomere was calculated. The crossover frequencies along SC 1 obtained by immunolocalization of MLH1 foci during pachytene were used to calculate the distances in cM to the target sequences and to compare this cytogenetic SC map with the consensus linkage map for GGA1. The combination of SC-FISH and immunostaining could be generally applied to obtain high-resolution mapping of single-copy sequences in birds and, coupled with MLH1 crossover maps, it could be a reliable approach to obtain genetic distances between markers to test the genetic linkage maps generated from molecular markers.

On the positions of centromeres in chicken lampbrush chromosomes

Using immunostaining with antibodies against cohesin subunits, we show here that cohesin-enriched structures analogous to the so-called centromere protein bodies (PB) are the characteristic of galliform lampbrush chromosomes. Their centromeric location was verified by FISH with certain DNA probes. PB-like structures were used as markers for centromere localization in chicken lampbrush chromosomes. The gap predicted to be centromeric in current chicken chromosome 3 sequence assembly was found to correspond to the non-centromeric cluster of CNM repeat on the q-arm of chromosome 3; the centromere is proposed to be placed at another position. The majority of chicken microchromosomes were found to be acrocentric, in contrast to Japanese quail microchromosomes which are biarmed. Centromere cohesin-enriched structures on chicken and quail lampbrush microchromosomes co-localize with pericentromeric CNM and BglII- repeats respectively. FISH to the nascent transcripts on chicken lampbrush chromosomes revealed numerous non-centromeric CNM clusters in addition to pericentromeric arrays. Complementary CNM transcripts from both C- and G-rich DNA strands were revealed during the lampbrush stage.

FISH on avian lampbrush chromosomes produces higher resolution gene mapping

Giant lampbrush chromosomes, which are characteristic of the diplotene stage of prophase I during avian oogenesis, represent a very promising system for precise physical gene mapping. We applied 35 chicken BAC and 4 PAC clones to both mitotic metaphase chromosomes and meiotic lampbrush chromosomes of chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) and Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) mapping on lampbrush chromosomes allowed us to distinguish closely located probes and revealed gene order more precisely. Our data extended the data earlier obtained using FISH to chicken and quail metaphase chromosomes 1-6 and Z. Extremely low levels of inter- and intra-chromosomal rearrangements in the chicken and Japanese quail were demonstrated again. Moreover, we did not confirm the presence of a pericentric inversion in Japanese quail chromosome 4 as compared to chicken chromosome 4. Twelve BAC clones specific for chicken chromosome 4p and 4q showed the same order in quail as in chicken when FISH was performed on lampbrush chromosomes. The centromeres of chicken and quail chromosomes 4 seem to have formed independently after centric fusion of ancestral chromosome 4 and a microchromosome.