Abstract
The distribution of the (TTAGGG)n telomeric sequence was studied in chromosomes of the wood lemming, Myopus schisticolor, by fluorescence in-situ hybridization. As expected, the hybridization signals were observed at telomeres of all chromosomes. However, quite a number of interstitial telomeric sites were present in the pericentric heterochromatic regions. Consistent strong hybridization signals were also seen at one terminus of chromosomes 5, 7 and 12–15. By post-hybridization G-banding and silver-staining, the large blocks of the telomeric sequences on chromosomes 5 and 12 were localized to nucleolus organizer regions (NORs).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abuin M, Martinez P, Sanchez L (1996) Localisation of repetitive telomeric sequence (TTAGGG)n in four salmonid species. Genome 39: 1035-1038.
Adam RD, Nash TE, Wellems TE (1991) Telomeric location of Giardia rDNA genes. Mol Cell Biol 11: 3326-3330.
Biessmann H, Mason JM (1992) Genetics and molecular biology of telomeres. Adv Genet 30: 185-249.
Baker RJ, Bickham JW (1986) Speciation by monobrachial centric fusions. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 83: 8245-8248.
Butler DK (1992) Ribosomal DNA is a site of chromosome breakage in aneuploid strains of Neurospora. Genetics 131: 581-592.
Clark MS, Wall WJ (1996) Chromosomes, the Complex Code. London: Chapman & Hall, p. 34.
Copenhaver GP, Pikaard CS (1996) RFLP and physical mapping with an rDNA-specific endonuclease reveals that nucleolus organizer regions of Arabidopsis thaliana adjoin the telomeres on chromosomes 2 and 4. Plant J 9: 259-272.
de Lange T (1995) Telomere dynamics and genome instability in human cancer. In: Blackburn EH, Greider CW, eds. Telomeres. Cold Spring Harbour: Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory Press, pp 265-293.
de la Sena C, Chowdhary BP, Gustavsson I (1995) Localization of the telomeric (TTAGGG)n sequences in chromosomes of some domestic animals by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Hereditas 123: 269-274.
Dernburg AF, Sedat JW, Cande WZ, Bass HW (1995) Cytology of telomeres. In: Blackburn EH, Greider CW, eds. Telomeres. Cold Spring Harbour: Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory Press, pp 295-338.
Fredga K (1988) Aberrant chromosomal sex-determining mechanisms in mammals, with special reference to species with XY females. Phil Trans R Soc Lond B 322: 83-95.
Fredga K, Gropp A, Winking H, Frank F (1976) Fertile XX-and XY-type females in the wood lemming Myopus schisticolor. Nature 261: 225-227.
Gilson E, Laroche T, Gasser SM (1993) Telomeres and the functional architecture of the nucleus. Trends Cell Biol 3: 128-134.
Harley CB (1995) Telomeres and ageing. In: Blackburn EH, Greider CW, eds. Telomeres. Cold Spring Harbour: Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory Press, pp 247-263.
Henderson E (1995) Telomere DNA structure. In: Blackburn EH, Greider CE, eds. Telomeres. Cold Spring Harbour: Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory Press, pp 11-34.
Holmquist GP, Dancis B (1979) Telomeric replication, kinetochore organisers, and satellite DNA evolution. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 76: 4566-4570.
Kaplan FS, Murray J, Sylvester JE et al. (1993) The topographic organization of repetitive DNA in the human nucleolus. Genomics 15: 123-132.
Kennedy BK, Gotta M, Sinclair DA et al. (1997) Redistribution of silencing proteins from telomeres to the nucleolus is associated with extension of life span in S. cerevisiae. Cell 89: 381-391.
Liu W-S, Eriksson L, Fredga K (1998) XY sex reversal in the wood lemming is associated with deletion of Xp21–23 as revealed by chromosome microdissection and fluorescence in-situ hybridization. Chrom Res 6: 379-383.
Meyne J, Baker RJ, Hobart HH et al. (1990) Distribution of non-telomeric sites of the (TTAGGG)n telomeric sequence in vertebrate chromosomes. Chromosoma 99: 3-10.
Rawlins DJ, Highett MI, Shaw PJ (1991) Localisation of telomeres in plant interphase nuclei by in situ hybridisation and 3D confocal microscopy. Chromosoma 100: 424-431.
Royle NJ (1995) The proterminal regions and telomeres of human chromosomes. Adv Genet 32: 272-316.
Salvadori S, Deiana AM, Elisabetta C, Floridia G, Rossi E, Zuffardi O (1995) Colocalization of (TTAGGG)n telomeric sequences and ribosomal genes in Atlantic eels. Chrom Res 3: 54-58.
Slijepcevic P (1998) Telomeres and mechanisms of Robertsonian fusion. Chromosoma 107: 136-140.
Tartof KD, Bishop C, Jones M, Hobbs CA, Locke J (1989) Towards an understanding of position effect variegation. Devel Genet 10: 162-176.
Wolf KW, Winking H, Fredga K (1987) Relationship between nucleoli and sex chromosomes during meiosis of the male wood lemming Myopus schisticolor: a fine-structure study. Biol Cell 60: 15-24.
Yu G-L, Blackburn EH (1991) Developmentally programmed healing of the chromosomes by telomerase in Tetrahymena. Cell 67: 823-832.
Zakian VA (1997) Life and cancer without telomerase. Cell 91: 1-3.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Liu, Ws., Fredga, K. Telomeric (TTAGGG)n Sequences Are Associated With Nucleolus Organizer Regions (NORs) in the Wood Lemming. Chromosome Res 7, 235–240 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009255517764
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009255517764