Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'DNA; Chromosomes'

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2003.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 118-137). Also available in electronic version. Access restricted to campus users.

In this thesis, I describe the development of a single-molecule platform for analysing long DNA molecules that captures haplotype and large-scale structural variation (SV) in addition to DNA sequence. Cunent DNA sequencing methods cannot adequately examine haplotype and SV - both contribute to biological function and disease and are candidates for the location of "missing heritability" in the genome. Both haplotype and SV fundamentally relate to the structure of single chromosomes. Using a lab-on-a-chip nanofluidic device, SV was analysed on stretched (> 2 Mb) DNA fragments. In order to integrate this larger-scale SV information with the base-by-base sequence of the molecule being analysed, the DNA molecule was amplified and sequenced. I developed algorithms to handle the unique features of sequence data from amplified single DNA molecules. I obtained sequence and genotyping data, confirmed successful isolation of single DNA fragments from the chip, and validated the barcoding method used to detect SV. This lab-on-a-chip device for handling long DNAs can also serve as a 'reaction chamber' to answer more fundamental biological questions regarding chromosome structure as a whole. Using a microfluidic chip, I was able to provide the first direct images of DNA catenation within metaphase chromosomes and demonstrate that DNA catenation, in addition to proteins, plays a crucial role in metaphase chromosome architecture. The fluidic platform can be adapted to future 'third-generation' single-molecule sequencing applications that intenogate single DNA molecules directly. I have demonstrated this potential in two ways: First, I used intercalating dyes to form an optical waveguide along DNA to improve single-molecule detection. Secondly, I I engineered E. coli RNA Polymerase to detect single base translocation events along a DNA substrate. Such a polymerase could be used in future third-generation sequencing schemes based upon base-stepping motion or energy transfer to dye-modified nucleotides as the polymerase processes on a long DNA template.

The long-range structure of the Y chromosome alphoid satellite DNA has been determined in the cell lines 3E7 and OXEN. Variation in alphoid DNA block size and restriction enzyme sites were observed. The alphoid block size and restriction enzyme site variations were determined for a collection of 42 normal Y chromosomes. The alphoid DNA polymorphisms observed denned 24 Y chromosome alleles. Unexpectedly, the Y alphoid DNA alleles analysed revealed two distinct groups of Y chromosomes indicating that most of the Caucasian and Asian men analysed were descended from one of two males. The structure of the alphoid DNA was determined for 25 cell lines expected to contain abnormal Y chromosomes. Six of the cell lines lacked Y chromosomes. Four lacked both alphoid DNA and Y a centromere. 13 out of the remaining 15 Y chromosomes had centromeres and Y alphoid DNA block sizes and restriction enzyme site variation similar to that of normal Y chromosome alphoid DNA. Two of the abnormal cell lines had alphoid DNA blocks significantly different from the normal Y alphoid DNA structure. These results confirm that alphoid DNA is located very close to, or at the centromere and make it a prime candidate for a functional mammalian centromere sequence.

La transmission correcte du matériel génétique au cours de la mitose requiert l’attachement correct des chromosomes aux microtubules du fuseau mitotique. Les centromères au niveau des chromosomes servent de site d’assemblage aux kinétochores, interfaces multiprotéiques permettant la liaison des microtubules. Cependant, nous avons récemment mis en évidence chez la drosophile un mécanisme par lequel les fragments acentriques ségrégent normalement. Celui-­‐ci fonctionne grâce à un « tether », un filament d’ADN, qui relie les fragments acentriques à leurs partenaires centriques. L’intégrité du tether dépend de la fonction de BubR1, qui s’accumule au tether pendant de la mitose. BubR1 est une protéine clé dans le point de contrôle d’assemblage du fuseau mitotique, ou SAC (Spindle Assembly Checkpoint), qui contrôle l’attachement correct des kinétochores aux microtubules et inhibe l’entrée en anaphase. Nous avons voulu déterminer comment BubR1 est recrutée au tether, et nous avons montré que ce recrutement est dépendant du Bub3 Binding Domain de BubR1 et plus précisément de l’acide aminé E481 dans ce domaine. L’interaction Bub3-­‐BubR1 par l’intermédiaire de ce domaine est nécessaire à la localisation du complexe au tether. Nous avons également montré que BubR1 recrute à son tour Fzy par l’intermédiaire de son domaine KEN.Nous proposons un modèle dans lequel le recrutement successif de Bub3-­‐BubR1 et Fzy au niveau des chromosomes endommagés est nécessaire à leur bonne ségrégation en mitose
Accurate transmission of genome during mitosis requires proper chromosomes attachment to microtubules of the mitotic spindle. Centromeres of chromosomes are assembly sites for kinetochores, multiproteic interfaces for microtubule binding. However, we recently discovered in Drosophila a mechanism that permits proper acentric chromosomes segregation. This mechanism works through a DNA « tether » that binds together acentric chromosomes to their centric counterparts. Tether integrity depends on BubR1 function, which accumulates on the tether during mitosis. BubR1 is a key protein in the Spindle Assembly Checkpoint (SAC), which monitors proper kinetochore-­‐microtubule attachment, and inhibits anaphase onset until all kinetochores are properly bound to microtubules. We wanted to determine how BubR1 is recruted to the tether, and we showed that this recruitment is dependant on the Bub3-­‐Binding Domain of BubR1, and more precisely the E481 amino acid. Bub3-­‐BubR1 interaction mediated by this domain is necessary for complex localisation on the tether. We also discovered that BubR1 then recruits Fzy via its KEN domain. We propose a model where successive recruiting of Bub3-­‐BubR1 and Fzy at the broken chromosome level is mandatory to their proper segregation in mitosis

The integrity of the genome relies on the maintenance of chromosomes, the structural embodiment of the genetic material. Disruption of chromosome replication can lead to extensive genomic rearrangements, spanning kilobase (Kb) to megabase (Mb) regions. Some chromosome rearrangements are inherently dynamic, beginning as a single unstable rearrangement from which multiple rearrangements emerge. The rare formation and transient behavior of unstable chromosomes renders their study challenging. Here I characterize the genetic ontogeny of unstable chromosomes in a budding yeast model, from initial replication error to unstable chromosome formation to their resolution. I find that the initial error often arises in or near the telomere and frequently forms unstable chromosomes that later resolve to an internal "collection site" in the middle of the chromosome. The initial telomere-proximal unstable chromosome is increased in cells mutant for telomerase, the Tel1 checkpoint kinase and even the Rad9 checkpoint protein, with no known telomere-specific function. Defects in Tel1 and the Rrm3 DNA helicase, or the Tel1-MRX complex and 9-1-1 checkpoint clamp, synergize dramatically to generate unstable chromosomes, further illustrating the consequence of replication error in the telomere. I performed a candidate genetic screen of instability in telomere maintenance and DNA damage response (DDR) proteins to characterize the interplay of pathways regulating senescence and genomic instability. Collectively, my results suggest that unstable chromosomes form in or near damaged telomeres, independently of end degradation (Exo1-independent), by either nonhomologous end joining (partially Lig4-dependent) or by faulty template switch during replication (Lig4- and Rad52-independent). The telomere-proximal unstable chromosomes then rearrange further to the middle of the chromosome. These results implicate telomere replication errors as a common source of widespread genomic changes and make substantial progress to our understanding of the initiation and fate of unstable chromosomes in the eukaryotic genome.

A Ordem Diptera é constituída de milhares de espécies, cujo tempo de divergência pode chegar a 250 milhões de anos entre representantes das Sub-Ordens Brachycera e Nematocera. Esta janela temporal, no entanto, não é suficiente para explicar o aparecimento de estruturas cromossômicas terminais alternativas aos telômeros canônicos, conservados desde eucariontes unicelulares até mamíferos. Alguns autores admitem que estruturas não canônicas tenham sido geradas e selecionadas a partir de eventos mutacionais que resultaram na perda da telomerase em espécies ancestrais. Especulações deste tipo, embora pertinentes, não levam em conta que o número de espécies de dípteros estudados até aqui quanto a telômeros e sub-telômeros está longe de representar a diversidade na Ordem. Como evidência negativa não constitui prova, a possível existência de dípteros dotados de telômeros canônicos não pode ser descartada. Também neste sentido, a possível ocorrência de retrotransposons especificamente terminais, como vistos em Drosophila, em espécies ainda não estudadas pode ser vista como possibilidade em aberto apesar da evidência negativa documentada no presente trabalho em R. Americana e em T. pubescens. Outra idéia que tem ganhado corpo com dados procedentes de telômeros não canônicos refere-se à possibilidade de que um organismo apresente mais de uma sequência de DNA terminal. Pouco comentada, esta noção teve início em meados da década de 1980 quando foram publicados os primeiros trabalhos sobre o DNA telomérico de espécies da família Chironomidae. O aparecimento destes dados na literatura praticamente coincidiu com a publicação da descoberta da telomerase. Mais tarde, estudos em Drosophila têm mostrado que três retrotransposons com sequências diferentes podem compor o DNA telomérico nesta espécie. Além disto, repetições aparentemente terminais em Anopheles hibridam em um único telômero, sugerindo que sequências desconhecidas estejam presentes em outros telômeros. Dados obtidos neste trabalho mostram em R. Americana uma nova repetição em tandem que apresenta características de sequência telomérica, a exemplo de duas outras caracterizadas com antecedência nesta espécie. Assim, R. Americana poderia ser vista como exemplo adicional de organismo dotado de mais de uma sequência de DNA terminal. No final da presente exploração, não foi possível a identificação de sequências comuns às extremidades cromossômicas de T. pubescens. Os resultados obtidos sugerem que esta espécie apresenta uma estrutura cromossômica terminal distinta se comparada àquelas de dípteros estudados até então. Uma das hipóteses levantadas a partir dos resultados observados é a de que sequências teloméricas estão presentes em todas as extremidades cromossômicas de T. pubescens; o problema estaria na impossibilidade de visualizá-las através de hibridação in situ em função do comprimento do DNA telomérico que estaria abaixo do limite da técnica de detecção. Isto implicaria deixar de lado os métodos usualmente empregados pelo laboratório na busca de DNA repetitivo terminal. Caso esta espécie apresentasse repetições terminais curtas como aquelas caracterizadas em R. Americana, uma das alternativas seria a de sequênciar massivamente clones obtidos por microdissecção e DOP-PCR até encontrarmos sequências com estas características. Em seguida, o ensaio com Bal-31 seria decisivo na determinação da posição cromossômica das mesmas. Finalmente, os dados sintetizados nos três capítulos deste trabalho reforçam a afirmação de que a Ordem Diptera é uma fornte privilegiada de diversidade quanto a estruturas cromossômicas terminais. Apesar das dificuldades inerentes à exploração de organismos não modelares, a continuidade dos estudos sobre telômeros e sub-telômeros nestas espécies certamente ampliará o conhecimento sobre alternativas de manutenção da integridade cromossômica a partir de suas extremidades
The vast majority of eukaryotic organisms have short tandem repeats and telomerase as components of telomeric structures. However, in dipteran species, this structural conservation is not found. While in Drosophila telomeres are composed of specific retrotransposons, complex tandem repeats are found in the genus Anopheles and in species of Chironomus. In Rhynchosciara americana (family Sciaridae), short repetitions (16 and 22 base pairs) arranged in tandem are observed at chromosome terminal regions. Moreover, in situ hybridization using RNA probes suggests that a third repetition enriched with homopolymeric (dA)/(dT) could occupy significant portions of this chromosomal region in R. americana. In addition, a retroelement named \"RaTART\" was described at chromosomal ends of R. americana; this element enables telomeric maintenance by retrotransposon action in basal dipterans. In this thesis, we present results that rule out the possibility that the \"RaTART\" element occupies the chromosome terminal structure in R. americana. Additional analyses were performed with the sequence RaTART from GenBank and primers designed for the amplification of significant portions of the regions 5′UTR, 3′UTR, and the coding region for reverse transcriptase (RT) of this retroelement. The sequencing and in situ hybridization of these three fragments obtained after PCR (5′UTR, 3′UTR, and RT) indicate that the retroelement RaTART corresponds to a chimeric genomic clone, consisting of distinct repetitive elements, of which only one might be present at the apparent enrichedment terminal. In the second phase of this thesis, we describe a method for the isolation and characterization of the homopolymeric (dA)/(dT) sequence described in the chromosome terminal regions of R. americana. Named T-14, this sequence shares some similarity with canonical telomeric repeats, suggesting that R. americana represents an additional example of an organism where more than one DNA sequence may extend toward the chromosome terminal regions. Finally, we present the results of heterologous hybridization to elucidate structural aspects of conservation and/or divergence in Sciaridae terminal heterochromatin. Three species of the family Sciaridae were assessed by in situ hybridization of polytene chromosomes: R. americana, Rhynchosciara milleri, and Trichosia pubescens. The DNA probe used was obtained by microdissection of non-centromeric chromosome ends from R. americana and T. pubescens, followed by amplification and labeling by degenerate oligonucleotide primed (DOP-PCR). When each probe was hybridized to own chromosome complement, two patterns were observed: (i) hybridization at all non-centromeric ends (R. americana), and most surprisingly, (ii) hybridization only at the end that gave the product of microdissection (T. pubescens). Probes obtained from R. americana produced no hybridization signals on chromosomes of T. pubescens and R. milleri. Unexpected results were obtained when the probe obtained from T. pubescens was hybridized with chromosomes of R. americana and R. milleri. Surprisingly, this probe, which scored only one end in its own chromosome complement, generated hybridization signals in all non-centromeric chromosomal ends of R. americana, as well as in its pericentromeric-centromeric heterochromatin. In R. milleri, the probe from T. pubescens clearly hybridized with centromere-associated heterochromatin of its chromosome C. The data obtained in this study support a process of chromosomal divergence between these three species of Sciaridae occurred by differential amplification of sequences of heterochromatin components, and point to an unusual structure in T. pubescens compared to other dipterans studied for terminal chromosome structure

La réplication de l’ADN est un processus essentiel qui doit avoir lieu une seule fois par cycle cellulaire. Ce processus hautement régulé et très conservé chez les eucaryotes, assure une complète duplication et donc une totale transmission de l’information génétique. Des changements dans le programme de réplication, qui est définit par le moment d’activation et la fréquence d’utilisation de l’ensemble des origines, ont été observés lors du développement, après induction de la différenciation chez des cellules souches embryonnaires de souris, ainsi que dans un grand nombre de cancers. La régulation de la réplication de l’ADN est donc un processus essentiel pour le maintien de l’intégrité du génome et le programme de réplication pourrait y contribuer de manière importante. Cependant, en dépit d’un grand nombre de travaux sur les différentes protéines et modifications impliquées dans la sélection des origines, les principaux déterminants ainsi que leur interdépendance restent étonnement méconnus. Mon projet de thèse se focalise sur l’identification des paramètres clés qui régulent le programme de réplication, en utilisant comme modèle la levure de fission, Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Premièrement, je me suis intéressé au rôle de la dynamique de l’activité des CDKs lors de la phase G1 ainsi que de leur niveau d’activité à la frontière G1/S dans la sélection des origines. J’ai démontré que changer la longueur de la phase G1 à travers la modulation de l’activité des CDKs se traduit par une modification du profil de réplication tout au long du génome. Plus précisément, les origines inefficaces sont utilisées plus fréquemment alors que les origines efficaces ont une activité réduite. D’un autre coté, nous avons également montré que le nombre d’origines actives pour une phase S donnée, dépend du niveau d’activité des CDKs lors de l’entrée en phase S, suggérant ainsi que cette activité est un facteur limitant dans la régulation de l’initiation de la réplication. Dans un second temps, j’ai utilisé une approche dans laquelle les cellules établissent un programme de réplication de novo après la sortie de quiescence, afin d’étudier les premières étapes de la sélection des origines de réplication, en se focalisant sur l’importance du recrutement de ORC (Origin Recognition Complex) aux origines. L’analyse du profil de liaison de ORC révèle une forte corrélation entre le niveau de liaison de ORC aux origines et l’efficacité de ces dernières, démontrant pour la première fois que ORC n’est pas simplement un marqueur des sites d’initiation potentiels mais plutôt un déterminant crucial dans l’établissement du programme de réplication. Finalement, j’ai observé que les origines efficaces ont tendance à être organisées en groupes tout au long du génome, suggérant que l’organisation chromosomique pourrait être importante dans la sélection des origines de réplication. Afin d’étudier cela, j’ai généré des souches contenant différents réarrangements chromosomiques. Nos résultats indiquent que la position relative d’une origines par rapport à son contexte chromosomique, joue un rôle important dans la régulation de son efficacité et que des régions distinctes peuvent avoir des effets opposés sur la sélection des origines en étant soit activatrices ou inhibitrices
DNA replication is an essential process that occurs only once in a cell cycle before cell division. Replication is highly regulated through conserved mechanisms to ensure the faithful duplication and transmission of genetic information. Interestingly, changes in the replication program, defined by the temporal and spatial pattern of replication origin activation, have been observed during development in distinct cell types, after induction of differentiation in mouse embryonic stem cells, and in various cancers. The regulation of DNA replication is therefore essential for ensuring the integrity of the genome, and the program of origin activation may be an important contributor to this process. However, despite a large body of work on the many enzymes and modifications involved in origin selection, the critical determinants as well as their interdependence remain surprisingly unknown. My thesis project focuses on identifying the key parameters that regulate the replication program, taking advantage of unique approaches using the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe as a model system. First, we investigated the qualitative and quantitative aspects of the role of CDK activity in determining the program of DNA replication. We demonstrated that changing the length of G1 phase through modulation of CDK activity has an impact on the profile of replication initiation along the chromosome. More specifically, inefficient origins show increases in their usage, while efficient origins have reduced activities. Moreover, we have shown that cells are highly sensitive to differences in CDK activity levels at the G1/S transition, which result in genome-wide changes in replication initiation across the entire spectrum of efficiencies. This suggests that CDK activity is a dose-dependent, limiting factor in the regulation of origin usage. Thus, our study establishes the integration of both temporal and quantitative regulation of CDK activity as a key determinant in defining the program of genome duplication. Second, using an approach in which cells establish a replication program de novo after exit from quiescence, we investigated the critical first steps of origin selection. We focused on the importance of the essential Origin Recognition Complex, whose recruitment to origins is required for the subsequent assembly of replication complexes. Our analysis reveals a strong correspondence between the level of ORC binding at origins and the efficiency of these origins in both cells exiting quiescence as well as those in vegetative growth conditions. Therefore, we demonstrate for the first time that ORC is not simply a marker of potential initiation sites but rather a crucial determinant in the program of origin usage.Finally, our observation that efficient origins are organized in distinct clusters in the de novo replication program suggested that chromosomal organization may be important for origin selection. To address this question, we have generated strains containing a series of distinct chromosomal rearrangements and assessed their origin efficiency profiles. Our findings indicate that the localization of an origin with respect to its chromosomal context plays an important role in regulating its efficiency. Moreover, distinct regions may have different effects on origin selection by being permissive or inhibitory for origin activity. Those observations could indicate a role for the spatial organization of the genome in origin selection and thus led us to study chromosome and nuclear organization in conditions where the replication program is different

Cromossomos sexuais evoluíram repetidas vezes independentemente nos grandes grupos de vertebrados. Sistemas sexuais altamente diferenciados e antigos são caracterizados por grandes diferenças morfológicas e de conteúdo gênico entre os dois cromossomos homólogos onde a recombinação é restrita a uma pequena região homóloga. Os sistemas recentes característicos de peixes caracterizam-se pela similaridade entre os cromossomos X e Y (ou Z e W), nos quais as diferenças observadas freqüentemente envolvem a presença de heterocromatina, translocações e inversões. A recombinação ocorre entre o par sexual na maior parte de sua extensão, sendo inibida apenas na região diretamente relacionada com a determinação sexual. Notavelmente, sistemas diferentes de determinação podem ser encontrados em espécies, ou mesmo populações. O gênero Eigenmannia compreende grupos de espécies crípticas do ponto de vista morfológico que exibem variação no número cromossômico e podem apresentar sistemas sexuais XY ou ZW, incluindo sistemas múltiplos (com translocação Y-autossomo). Estes sistemas estão entre os mais recentes descritos (<16ma) e estão dispostos de forma desordenada em árvores de relações filogenéticas, sugerindo origens múltiplas. No presente estudo, a técnicas de pintura cromossômica usando sondas obtidas por microdissecção de cromossomos sexuais foram empregadas para testar a homologia de dois sistemas XY encontrados nos citótipos (ou espécies) E. virescens e E. sp.2. Os resultados mostram que, de fato, ambos são não homólogos. A fusão Y-autossomo provavelmente ocorreu após a separação de E. sp.2 com sua espécie irmã, E. sp.1 uma vez que um evento de fusão independente, envolvendo um dos cromossomos homólogos ao Y, foi detectado em E. sp.1. A hibridação in sitμ do cromossomo X de E. virescens em sua população mais próxima (também com 38 cromossomos, mas sem cromossomos sexuais heteromórficos) mostrou que o cromossomo X é homólogo a um par de acrocêntricos, condizente com o modelo proposto de diferenciação por acúmulo de heterocromatina. Essa heterocromatina foi caracterizada e mostrou um padrão complexo de seqüências CG-ricas. Dois fragmentos de DNA repetitivo GC-ricos presentes no cromossomo X foram isolados e seqüenciados. Não foram detectadas similaridades em comparações com bases de dados e entre os fragmentos obtidos. Estes mostraram-se concentrados nas regiões cromomicina-positivas de E. virescens, incluindo regiões periteloméricas de sete pares e os dois maiores blocos heterocromáticos (nos cromossomos X e par n. 8), além de um cromossomo acrocêntrico, possivelmente o Y. Curiosamente, essas seqüências foram detectadas em apenas três pares cromossômicos na população mais próxima, incluindo um par acrocêntrico de morfologia semelhante à condição ancestral do X, sugerindo que processos dinâmicos de expansão e homogenização genômica ocorreram após a separação dessas populações
Sex chromosomes have evolved independently several times in all major groups of vertebrates. Highly differentiated sex chromosomes are characterized by extensive differences in morphology and gene content, whereas recombination is restricted to a small homologous region. Recent sex chromosomes are characteristic of fish, and display a high level of homology between X and Y (or Z and W) chromosomes, recombination is restricted only in a small sex determining region. Notably, different sex chromosome systems can be found in closely related groups, such as species or even populations. The genus Eigenmannia comprises a group of morphologically cryptic species that display a variety of diploid numbers and different sex chromosome systems, including XY, ZW and a multiple XY system (with a Y-autosome fusion). These systems are among the most recent known (<16ma) and occur with a lack of phylogenetic pattern, whereas frequently populations bearing heteromorphic sex chromosomes are closest related to populations displaying no sex chromosomes. In the present study, chromosome painting using probes derived from the microdissection of two different sex chromosomes where used to investigate the homology of both systems. Results show that, in fact, they are non-homologous and evolved independently. The Y-autosome hypothesis gained further support from the observation that a chromosome homologous to the Y in a close population is involved in yet a different fusion event. The X chromosome present in the E. virescens karyotype was found to be homologous to acrocentric chromosomes in all populations analyzed, thus supporting the notion that its differentiations is mainly due to the accumulation of heterochromatin. The X heterochromatic block was shown to form a complex pattern of GC-rich sequences, different from what was previously described. Two GC-rich fragments were isolated and sequenced; both showed no similarities to known sequences and to one another. These sequences were shown to be concentrated viii on the two largest heterochromatic blocks, those of the X and n.8 chromosomes besides peri-telomeric regions of seven additional pairs and the putative Y. Curiously, these sequences were detected in only three pairs in the closest population, including an acrocentric pair morphologically similar to undifferentiated sex pair. This suggests that dynamic evolutionary processes of expansion and genomic homogenization have occurred after the separation of these populations.

Orientador: Luciana Bolsoni Lourenço Morandini
Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia
Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-16T00:03:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Nascimento_Juliana_M.pdf: 2159511 bytes, checksum: 592ca4a405512c2a06472a0c276eb206 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010
Resumo: Os primeiros resultados citogenéticos obtidos para a espécie Physalaemus ephippifer, atualmente alocada no grupo P. cuvieri, mostraram um interessante heteromorfismo cromossômico ligado ao sexo. As 14 fêmeas analisadas presentaram um par cromossômico 8 heteromórfico, enquanto nos 7 machos analisados esse par era homomórfico. A diferença entre os cromossomos das fêmeas era devida à presença de um segmento adicional, composto por uma NOR e uma banda heterocromática a ela adjacente, localizado na região terminal do braço curto de apenas um desses homólogos, denominado de morfo 8b. Apesar desse importante achado, o uso de técnicas citogenéticas convencionais nessa e em outras espécies do grupo P. cuvieri não foram suficientes para esclarecer os mecanismos envolvidos na evolução cromossômica, já que poucos caracteres citogenéticos informativos foram evidenciados e também uma grande variação em relação às NORs foi encontrada. Com a intenção de buscar novos marcadores citogenéticos que auxiliem no estudo dos cromossomos sexuais de P. ephippifer e que colaborem na análise citogenética desse grupo de Physalaemus, foram estudadas sequências de DNA repetitivo isoladas desta espécie. Para tanto, o DNA genômico extraído de duas fêmeas de P. ephippifer, provenientes de Belém (Pará), foi digerido com a enzima de restrição BamHI e os fragmentos gerados foram separados por eletroforese em gel de agarose. Fragmentos posteriormente denominados de Pep194, Pep165 e Pep320 isolados a partir desse gel, foram clonados, sequenciados e localizados in situ no cariótipo de P. ephippifer. A seqüência Pep320 mostrou correspondência parcial com o fragmento EU343727.1 isolado de P. cuvieri, cuja sequência está disponível no GenBank. Apesar desses fragmentos não apresentarem similaridade entre si, as sequências Pep165 e Pep320 foram mapeadas no mesmo sítio cromossômico, correspondente à banda pericentromérica do braço curto do cromossomo 3. Esse resultado levanta um questionamento, ainda não respondido, acerca da organização molecular dessas sequências, que podem estar arranjadas em clusters independentes ou representar partes de uma mesma unidade repetitiva. A sequência Pep194 foi mapeada em regiões coincidentes com as NORs, localizadas no braço longo dos cromossomos identificados como Z e W, e no braço curto do cromossomo W. Apesar deste resultado, a análise da sequência Pep194 não apresentou nenhuma similaridade com regiões codificadoras do DNAr nucleolar, nem mesmo com regiões intergênicas associadas a elas já descritas. Tal sequência apresentou interessante arranjo interno, sendo composta de duas repetições diretas terminais, cada uma com 63 pb, sendo ambas flanqueadoras deuma região interna de 68 pb. Para melhor investigar a organização desta sequência no genoma de P. ephippifer, foram analisados produtos resultantes da amplificação por PCR de segmentos do DNA genômico, efetuada com o auxílio de primers construídos especificamente para se anelarem em regiões internas do segmento isolado. Os resultados obtidos por essa análise evidenciaram a presença de uma unidade repetitiva de 131 pb, que representa parte do fragmento Pep194, diferindo desse por não apresentar uma das regiões de 63 pb. No entanto, não é possível descartar a co-existência de uma unidade repetitiva de 194 pb, não detectada nessas análises. Em paralelo a esses experimentos, sequências pertencentes a elementos retrotransponíveis Rex1 foram isoladas do genoma de P. ephippifer por PCR, clonadas, sequenciadas e mapeadas por FISH em uma região heterocromática pericentromérica do braço curto do cromossomo 3. A análise das sequências desses fragmentos comprovou serem correspondentes a parte da sequência codificadora da enzima transcriptase reversa do elemento Rex1. A fim de verificar a presença desse elemento em outras espécies de Physalaemus, os mesmos primers utilizados nos experimentos com P. ephippifer, foram usados para a amplificação de sequências a partir de amostras do DNA genômico de P. albifrons, P. albonotatus, P. henselli e P. spiniger. A sequência isolada de P. albonotatus apresentou uma deleção interna de cerca de 220 pb quando comparada com as sequências correspondentes, aqui descritas ou disponíveis no GenBank. Isso permite sugerir que, embora derivado de um elemento Rex1, esse segmento provavelmente deixou de ser um elemento de transposição ativo. Embora esse seja o primeiro trabalho que descreve a ocorrência de Rex1 em anuros, a presença desse elemento parece comum, pelo menos no gênero Physalaemus. Além de apresentar similaridade com o segmento de Rex1 e com os fragmentos Pep165 e Pep320, a banda heterocromática pericentromérica de 3p é também o sítio de ocorrência de DNAr 5S. Tal região, reconhecida como DAPI-positiva na presente análise, permite clara distinção entre os cromossomos 3 e 4 de P. ephippifer, frequentemente confundidos se analisados apenas em relação à sua morfologia. As quatro sequências repetitivas aqui isoladas apresentaram-se eficientes marcadores citogenéticos e poderão ser utilizadas para futuros estudos comparativos entre espécies do gênero Physalaemus.
Abstract: Previous cytogenetic studies of Physalaemus ephippifer, a species currently allocated to the group P. cuvieri, showed an interesting female-specific chromosome heteromorphism. In 14 females of P. ephippifer, chromosome pair 8 was heteromorphic with regard to the occurrence of an NOR anda terminal C-band. Such heteromorphism was not found in the seven analyzed male specimens. These findings suggest that the chromosomes of pair 8 may be sex chromosomes in P. ephippifer, characterizing a ZZ ?/ ZW ? sex-determination system in this species. Despite these important data, conventional cytogenetic techniques performed in this and other species of the Physalaemus group were not sufficient to clarify the processes involved in the karyological divergence in this anuran group. Aiming to look for new cytogenetic markers that may help in the study of P. ephippifer sex chromosomes and in the cytogenetic analysis of this group of Physalaemus, we studied repetitive DNA sequences isolated from P. ephippifer. Genomic DNA extracted from two females of P. ephippifer from Belém (Pará) was digested with the restriction enzyme BamHI. The restriction fragments were separated by electrophoresis in agarose gel. DNA fragments, which were ultimately named Pep194, Pep165, and Pep320, were isolated from the gel, cloned, sequenced, and localized in situ in the karyotype of P. ephippifer. The sequence Pep320 was very similar to the fragment EU343727.1 isolated from P. cuvieri. Although Pep320 and Pep165 were totally different in nucleotide sequence, they were mapped on the same chromosome site, which corresponded to the pericentromeric C-band in the short arm of chromosome 3. This raises doubts about the molecular organization of these sequences, which can be arranged in independent clusters, but can also represent partial regions of the same repeat unit. The sequence Pep194 was mapped in regions that coincided with the NORs, located in the long arm of Z and W chromosomes and in the short arm of the W chromosome. However, the Pep194 sequence had no similarity with the coding regions of the nucleolar rDNA or with intergenic spacers associated to them. The restriction fragment Pep194 had an interesting internal arrangement, being composed of two terminal direct repeats, each with 63 bp, flanking an internal region of 68 bp. To further investigate the organization of this sequence in the genome of P. ephippifer, we amplified some Pep194 segments from genomic DNA by PCR using specific primers designed to anneal in inner
Mestrado
Biologia Celular
Mestre em Biologia Celular e Estrutural

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:26:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2010-02-26Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:12:50Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 bardella_vb_me_sjrp.pdf: 973541 bytes, checksum: 2642d082f6fe5ee2cb77ab3b60832684 (MD5)
Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)
Os heterópteros apresentam a meiose cística nos túbulos seminíferos. Esses possuem o cisto espermatogonial envolto pelas células císticas, as quais desenvolvem a função de nutrição das células em divisão celular. Quanto às características citogenéticas, esses insetos apresentam cromossomos holocinéticos, baixa variabilidade cariotípica e meiose invertida dos cromossomos sexuais. No presente trabalho foram caracterizadas as células císticas quanto a sua localização, ultraestrutura e citogenética e, também, foram analisados os aspectos citogenéticos de quatro espécies do gênero Triatoma. Foram utilizadas as técnicas de microscopia eletrônica de transmissão, citogenética convencional (orceína e AgNOR), bandamento C CMA3/DAPI e a técnica de hibridização in situ fluorescente (FISH), com sonda de DNAr 45S de Drosophila melanogaster. Os resultados indicaram que a célula cística envolve um cisto espermatogonial e apresenta um grande núcleo com invaginações citoplasmáticas. Em todas as espécies foram observados vários graus de ploidia da célula cística. Triatoma infestans e T. infestans melanosoma apresentaram vários blocos heterocromáticos com a periferia CMA3 + e o interior DAPI+. Associada às bordas dos blocos heterocromáticos foram observados os segmentos de DNAr 45S, além da presença de vários nucléolos em cada núcleo. Triatoma matogrossensis, T. rubrovaria e T. brasiliensis apresentaram apenas um bloco heterocromático com as mesmas características, com exceção de T. brasiliensis, que apresentou em algumas células vários blocos CMA3 + dispersos. Nessas espécies foi observado apenas um nucléolo com similaridade na localização dos sítios de DNAr. Quanto aos aspectos citogenéticos, todas as espécies apresentaram 2n = 20A + XY, com decréscimo do tamanho relativo dos cromossomos. Em T. infestans melanosoma os cromossomos foram...
Heteroptera, or true bugs, exhibit meiosis in their seminiferous tubules. They posses the spermatogonial cysts that are enclosed by cyst cells, which develop the nutritional function of the cells during cell division. In terms of cytogenetic characteristics, these insects possess holokinetic chromosomes, low karyotype variability, and inverted meiosis in the sex chromosomes. In this study, cyst cells from four species of the genus Triatoma were characterized by their location, superstructure, and cytogenetic makeup. Electronic transmission microscopy techniques were used, as well as conventional cytogenetic techniques (Orcein and AgNOR), C-banding with CMA3 and DAPI banding, and Fluorescence in situ Hybridization (FISH) with a 45S DNA probe of Drosophila melanogaster. The results indicated that the the spermatogonial cyst is enclosed by the cyst cell, and that the cyst cell possesses a large nucleus with cytopasmic invaginations. In all species studied, varying degrees of ploidy were observed in the cyst cells. Triatoma infestans and T. infestans melanosoma presented with various heterochromatic blocks, with CMA3 + at the periphery and DAPI+ at the interior. Segments of rDNA 45S were found along the edges of the heterochromatic blocks, along with the presence of various nucleoli in each nucleus. Triatoma matogrossensis, T. rubrovaria and T. brasiliensis presented with only one heterochromatic block with the same characteristics (with the exception of T. brasiliensis, which presented with various dispersed CMA3 + blocks). In these species, only one nucleolus that was similar to the localization of the rDNA sites was found. All species presented with 2n = 20A + XY, with a decrease in size relative to the chromosomes. In the case of T. infestans melanosoma, the chromosomes were split into groups based on their relative sizes. The heterochromatin of this species presented... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Plasmids currently applied in clinical trials are generally < 20 kb, but the interest in larger circular vectors is rising. However, due to their size and character, filterability and irreversible damage intensified by elongational shear are major concerns during a sterilising filtration procedure. Therefore, key parameters affecting the normal-flow membrane filtration performance of solutions containing purified plasmid DNA and bacterial artificial chromosomes were investigated in this study. Two small scale filtration systems were designed to enable information on material properties to be obtained. Firstly, a pressure driven syringe system was used to conduct constant flux experiments. Data on transmission and degradation could be obtained rapidly and only required small sample volumes (< 1 mL). Secondly, a positive pressure filtration system which permitted operations at constant transmembrane pressure had been applied to determine the filter capacity, this information is useful to facilitate the scale-up of a membrane filtration process. The results showed transmission of DNA vectors decreased linearly with molecular size (6-1 16 kb) and confocal microscopy images confirmed that a fraction of the DNA molecules were being retained by the membrane filters. Degradation increased with molecular weight, flux and number of filtration passes for vectors > 20 kb. The filtration performance was affected by the membrane type used and could be improved by addition of NaCl in the formulation buffer. For filtrations performed at constant pressure, permeate flow decayed with time. As predicted from controlled flux experiments, transmission decreased with increasing molecule size. Initial permeate flux was affected by vector size, DNA concentration and operating pressure. Increase in plasmid size and operating pressure led to reduced membrane capacities. The small scale membrane (filtration area = 1 cm2) capacity was used successfully to predict the performance of a larger scale filtration (filtration area = 4 cm2).

O gênero Rhamdia, popularmente conhecido como jundiá, pertence à família Heptapteridae, uma das maiores radiações de bagres neotropicais de água doce. Estes peixes de médio porte e hábitos oportunistas e noturnos são encontrados em pequenos rios e córregos. No passado, Rhamdia foi considerado um dos gêneros mais especiosos dentro de Siluriformes, contando com cerca de 100 espécies descritas. Entretanto, após uma revisão taxonômica recente o número de espécies desse gênero foi reduzido a 12. Dados genéticos, de natureza cromossômica e molecular, caracterizam o gênero Rhamdia como um grupo que apresenta grande diversidade, sugerindo a existência de complexos de espécies, principalmente para a espécie R. quelen, a única estudada do ponto de vista citogenético até o momento. No presente trabalho, foram utilizadas diferentes metodologias com o intuito de caracterizar cromossomicamente populações de diferentes espécies de Rhamdia, bem como estabelecer as relações evolutivas entre elas, contribuindo para o reconhecimento de padrões e processos evolutivos envolvidos em sua diferenciação. Foram analisados exemplares de R. enfurnada, R. itacaiunas, R. laukidi e R. quelen, provenientes das principais bacias hidrográficas da América do Sul, sendo somadas as análises sequências de genes mitocondriais de R. cinerascens, R. guatemalensis e R. laticauda provenientes do GenBank, totalizando sete das 12 espécies reconhecidas para o gênero. A análise de cinco regiões do genoma mitocondrial identificou a existência de 15 grupos bem definidos e com altos valores de suporte para o que hoje é reconhecido como R. quelen, confirmando a existência de um complexo de espécies. A divisão das espécies de Rhamdia em um grupo Cis-Andino e um grupo Trans-Andino, proposta anteriormente, também foi recuperada, embora o gênero não tenha sido confirmado como monofilético. Os dados citogenéticos permitiram o estabelecimento de tendências de evolução cromossômica dentro do grupo e a sugestão de um possível mecanismo de origem e diferenciação dos cromossomos supranumerários. O presente trabalho reforça a importância da utilização de diferentes abordagens na realização de estudos taxonômicos e evolutivos, sugerindo uma nova revisão do gênero Rhamdia que leve em consideração os dados genéticos obtidos.
The genus Rhamdia, popularly known as jundia, belongs to the family Heptapteridae, one of the greatest radiations within neotropical freshwater catfish. This group of middle-sized fish of opportunistic behavior is found in small rivers and streams. In the past, Rhamdia was considered one of the most specious genera of Siluriformes, comprising about 100 described species. However, after a recent taxonomic review, the number of species within this genus was reduced to 12. Genetic data, whether chromosomal or molecular, have characterized the genus Rhamdia as a high diverse group, suggesting the existence of species complexes, mainly in R. quelen, the only species where cytogenetic data are available so far. In the present work, different methodologies were used in order to characterize cytogenetically populations of distinct species of Rhamdia, as well as their evolutionary relationships, thus contributing to the recognition of evolutionary patterns and processes involved in their differentiation. Specimens of R. enfurnada, R. itacaiunas, R. laukidi and R. quelen, from the main South-American hydrographic basins were analyzed, coupled with sequence analyses of the mitochondrial genes of R. cinerascens, R. guatemalensis and R. laticauda, available in the GenBank, thereby comprising seven of the 12 valid species in the genus. The analysis of five regions of mitochondrial genome identified 15 well-defined groups with high bootstrap values within the so-called R. quelen, confirming the occurrence of a species complex. The division of Rhamdia species into a Cis-Andean group and a Trans- Andean group, as previously proposed, was also revalidated, although the genus seems not to be monophyletic. The cytogenetic data allowed establishing trends of chromosomal evolution within the group and a hypothesis for the origin and differentiation of supernumerary chromosomes could be drawn. The present work reinforces the importance of distinct approaches in taxonomic and evolutionary studies, suggesting a new revision within the genus Rhamdia that takes the present genetic data into account.

Submitted by Irene Nascimento (irene.kessia@ufpe.br) on 2016-08-12T19:39:07Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Tese_versão_final_biblioteca_português.pdf: 2265965 bytes, checksum: 707851ccf48e28513fc34178bca7c739 (MD5)
Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-12T19:39:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Tese_versão_final_biblioteca_português.pdf: 2265965 bytes, checksum: 707851ccf48e28513fc34178bca7c739 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-03-04
Capes
Cromossomos holocêntricos apresentam atividade cinetocórica difusa e essa organização favorece, em teoria, rápidas variações cromossômicas numéricas e o acúmulo de DNA satélite (DNAsat) predominantemente nas regiões terminais dos cromossomos. O gênero de plantas Rhynchospora (Cyperaceae), um dos diversos grupos com esse tipo cromossômico, apresenta espécies com cariótipos entre 2n = 4 e 2n = 58, cuja variação é atribuída à poliploidia e a eventos de quebra/fusão, levando a disploidias. Quanto à distribuição de DNAsat, o único relato até o momento revelou uma baixa proporção dessas sequências, com o único repeat identificado (Tyba) associado aos holocentrômeros. Com o intuito de entender como a estrutura centromérica difusa interfere na organização de sequências ao longo do cromossomo e na evolução do cariótipo como um todo, foram realizadas uma análise de reconstrução dos números cromossômicos ancestrais de Rhynchospora em um contexto filogenético e a caracterização de DNAsats em três espécies do gênero. O complemento cromossômico 2n = 10 foi indicado como o mais provável para o ancestral do gênero, tendo sido mantido em diferentes taxa. A maioria dos clados mostrou números estáveis e a homoplasia de cariótipos foi observada em uma frequência relativamente baixa. Os genomas de R. ciliata/R. globosa e R. tenuis apresentaram duas e uma família(s) de DNAsat, respectivamente, com um padrão de condensação típico (blocos condensados em intérfase). Uma localização preferencial nos terminais cromossômicos foi observada apenas para os DNAsat de R. globosa. Três tipos de cromatina foram revelados pela distribuição dessas sequências: (1) associadas à heterocromatina e presente na forma de cromocentros em intérfase e blocos nos cromossomos metafásicos (R. ciliata e R. globosa); (2) compactados em interfase mas parcialmente descondensados em metáfase e não diretamente associados à heterocromatina (R. ciliata e R. tenuis); ou (3) associados aos holocentrômeros (R. ciliata e R. tenuis). De forma geral em Rhynchospora, os eventos de fusão e fissão parecem atuar localmente no remodelamento dos cariótipos e as sequências satélites não mostram uma tendência única de distribuição. A estrutura centromérica difusa, portanto, não determina em larga escala a dinâmica evolutiva dos cromossomos do gênero.
Holocentric chromosomes show diffuse kinetochore activity, what would lead to fast evolution of chromosome numbers and a biased distribution of satellite repeats. The plant genus Rhynchospora (Cyperaceae) possesses holocentric chromosomes and shows a large chromosome number variation (2n = 4 to 2n = 58) attributed to polyploidy and frequent fusion/fission events, leading to dysploidy. Regarding satellite repeats (satDNA), the only investigated species showed a low proportion of these sequences, with the single family identified associated to the holocentromeres. In the present work, aiming to better understand how the diffuse centromere organisation could interfere with the distribution of satellite repeats along the chromosomes and with the karyotype evolution as a whole, we combined a reconstruction of Rhynchospora chromosome numbers in a phylogenetic framework and the characterisation of satellite repeats in three selected species. The karyotype with 2n = 10 was suggested as the ancestral state and was maintained in different lineages. Most of the clades showed stable chromosome number and recurrent karyotypes changes (leading to homoplasies) were detected in low frequency. All Rhynchospora species analysed (R. ciliata, R. globosa and R. tenuis) showed a higher diversity of satellite repeats than R. pubera, with most of the repeats showing a typical condensation profile (clustered in interphase). A preferential terminal location on chromosomes was only observed for R. globosa satDNAs. These sequences, however, might represent different chromatin types, organized in distinct ways: (1) associated to the heterochromatin and clustered in interphase and metaphase (identified in R. ciliata and R. globosa only); (2) clustered in interphase but partially decondensed in metaphase and not associated to heterochromatin domains (R. ciliata e R. tenuis); (3) associated to the holocentromeres (R. ciliata e R. tenuis). Taken together, at least for Rhynchospora, fusion/fission events may not act in a broader way in the reshuffling of karyotypes and satellite repeats distribution do not appeared to be biased towards the chromosome termini. A non-localized centromere, therefore, must not constrain, in a large scale, the chromosome evolution of the genus.

Submitted by OCTAVIO MANUEL PALACIOS GIMÉNEZ null (opalacios7@gmail.com) on 2018-01-10T10:10:20Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tesis_completa.pdf: 26112515 bytes, checksum: 3ddefcdf63a47077ccb1b62c384cae1b (MD5)
Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Aparecida Puerta null (dripuerta@rc.unesp.br) on 2018-01-10T18:40:10Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 gimenez_omp_dr_rcla.pdf: 25788766 bytes, checksum: da0e0599de64bcf81bfb8ddceda0c8e7 (MD5)
Made available in DSpace on 2018-01-10T18:40:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 gimenez_omp_dr_rcla.pdf: 25788766 bytes, checksum: da0e0599de64bcf81bfb8ddceda0c8e7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-12-12
Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)
Os cromossomos sexuais se originam independentemente de um par de homólogos autossômicos e em várias linhagens apresentam características comuns, tais como acúmulo de vários tipos de DNA repetitivo, restrição da recombinação e perda ou ganho de genes devido á diferenciação morfológica e genética entre os cromossomos sexuais X e Y ou Z e W. Estas características representam um exemplo fascinante de convergência evolutiva. Em Orthoptera, o sistema cromossômico sexual comumente encontrado na maioria das espécies estudadas é do tipo X0♂/XX♀. Entretanto, sistemas cromossômicos sexuais derivados dos tipos neo-XY♂/XX♀ e neo- X1X2Y♂/X1X1X2X2♀ são também observados, surgindo repetidamente por fusões cêntricas e em tandem, inversões e dissociações envolvendo cromossomos sexuais ancestrais e autossomos. O presente trabalho teve três objetivos. Primeiro, entender o possível papel dos DNAs repetitivos na estrutura/diversificação dos cromossomos sexuais simples e derivados, a partir do isolamento e mapeamento físico de sequências, tais como, famílias multigênicas, DNA satélite (DNAsat) e microssatélites, nas espécies Gryllus assimilis, Cycloptiloides americanus e Eneoptera surinamensis. Segundo, testar e comparar transcrição diferencial de DNAsat entre diferentes tecidos, sexos e espécies a partir de transcriptomas de Gryllus assimilis, G. bimaculatus, G. firmus e G. rubens, com o objetivo de entender os possíveis papéis funcionais destas sequências na regulação gênica, modulação da cromatina e como componentes funcionais de importantes estruturas como telômeros, centrômeros e cromossomos sexuais. Terceiro, a partir de transcriptomas de espécies de grilos (Gryllus assimilis, G. bimaculatus e G. firmus) prospectar genes codificadores de proteínas relacionados com a determinação sexual, envolvidos com o fitness reprodutivo e genes enviesados do sexo, responsáveis pelas diferenças fenotípicas entre machos e fêmeas, e tentar elucidar de uma maneira comparativa os fatores evolutivos atuando nestes loci. Origem de novo de cromossomos sexuais mediante rearranjos cromossômicos, assim como acúmulo de DNA repetitivo que levaram a diferenciação entre cromossomos sexuais são relatados em C. americanus (X1X20) e E. surianmensis (neo-X1X2Y). Estas características observadas em grilos representam outro caso notável de convergência evolutiva devido os cromossomos sexuais não relacionados compartilharem muitas propriedades entre táxons distantes. Acúmulo surpreendente de loci de DNAsat foi encontrado no neo-Y altamente diferenciado de E. surinamensis, incluindo 39 DNAsat representados em excesso neste cromossomo, que é a maior diversidade de DNAsat até agora relatada para cromossomos sexuais. Foi documentado que, particularmente os DNAsat, contribuíram grandemente para o aumento de tamanho genômico entre G. assimilis e E. surinamensis. Um achado interessante foi a identificação de DNAsat conservados entre espécies de grilos (Gryllus assimilis, G. bimaculatus e G. firmus), mas transcritos diferencialmente. Os dados relativos à presença de DNAsat no genoma de G. assimilis foram discutidos em um contexto evolutivo, com dados transcricionais permitindo comparações entre os sexos e entre os tecidos quando possível. Foram discutidas hipóteses para a conservação e transcrição de DNAsat em Gryllus, que podem resultar do seu papel na diferenciação sexual no nível da cromatina, na formação da heterocromatina e na função centromérica. Outra descoberta foi a identificação de genes determinantes do sexo e outros genes relacionados ao fitness reprodutivo, como a biossíntese de hormônios de insetos e ritmo circadiano entre espécies de Gryllus. Os efetores e os alvos downstream das vias de determinação do sexo foram previamente identificados em outros insetos, mas nunca em Orthoptera. Usando G. assimilis como modelo para estudar genes enviesados do sexo foi possível identificar um conjunto de genes altamente expressos que podem explicar diferenças fenotípicas entre os sexos. Estimou-se que os genes codificadores de proteínas relacionadas com a diferenciação sexual e com o fitness reprodutivo evoluem mais rapidamente do que os genes não reprodutivos (genes housekeeping) como resultado de uma forte seleção positiva nos primeiros. Além disso, foi encontrado que as espécies estudadas apresentam níveis excepcionalmente elevados de duplicações gênicas. As descobertas sugerem que as duplicações gênicas podem desempenhar um papel na expressão de genes enviesados do sexo no grilo de campo G. assimilis, uma espécie que no futuro provavelmente irá fornecer informações sobre genômica funcional e epigenética da determinação do sexo.
Sex chromosomes have arisen independently from an ordinary autosomal pair and in several lineages they present common characteristics, such as accumulation of distinct classes of repetitive DNAs, restriction of the recombination and loss or gain of genes due to the morphological and genetic differentiation between the sexual chromosomes X and Y or Z and W. These characteristics represent a fascinating example of evolutionary convergence. In Orthoptera, the X0♂/XX♀ sex-determining system is considered modal but eventually, diverse sex chromosome systems evolved several times, such as neo-XY♂/XX♀, X1X20♂/X1X1X2X2♀ and even neo- X1X2Y♂/X1X1X2X2♀. It was found that particularly centric fusions (i.e., Robertsonian translocations) and tandem fusions with autosomes, dissociations and inversions contributed to the formation of neo-sex chromosomes in Orthoptera. The present work had three objectives. First, get insights of the role of repetitive DNAs in the structure/diversification of simple and derivative sex-chromosomes by isolation and physical mapping of repetitive DNA sequences, such as multigene families, satellite DNA (satDNA) and microsatellites using Gryllus assimilis, Cycloptiloides americanus e Eneoptera surinamensis, as models. Second, looking at differential satDNA transcription between different tissues, sexes, and species from transcriptomes of Gryllus assimilis, G. bimaculatus, G. firmus and G. rubens, I tried to understand the possible functional roles of these sequences in gene regulation, chromatin modulation and as functional components of important structures such as telomeres, centromeres and sex chromosomes. Third, using transcriptomes from cricket species (Gryllus assimilis, G. bimaculatus and G. firmus), I searched for genes encoding proteins related to sexual determination, reproductive fitness and sex-biased genes which are responsible for the phenotypic differences between males and females. I also tried to elucidate in a comparative way the evolutionary factors acting at these loci. De novo origin of sex chromosomes by chromosomal rearrangements, as well as repetitive DNA accumulation that led to the differentiation between sex chromosomes are reported for C. americanus (X1X20) e E. surianmensis (neo-X1X2Y). These features observed in crickets represent another remarkable case of evolutionary convergence because unrelated sex chromosomes share many common properties among distant taxa. Especially astonishing accumulation of satDNAs loci was found in the highly differentiated neo-Y, including 39 satDNAs over-represented in this chromosome, which is the greatest satDNAs diversity yet reported for sex chromosomes. It has been documented that, particularly the satDNA, contributed greatly to the increase in genomic size between G. assimilis and E. surinamensis. An interesting finding was the identification of satDNA conserved among species of crickets (Gryllus assimilis, G. bimaculatus and G. firmus), but differentially transcribed. The data regarding satDNA presence in G. assimilis genome was discussed in an evolutionary context, with transcriptional data enabling comparisons between sexes and across tissues when possible. I discussed hypotheses for the conservation and transcription of satDNAs in Gryllus, which might result from their role in sexual differentiation at the chromatin level, heterochromatin formation, and centromeric function. Another finding was the identification of sex-determining genes and other genes related to reproductive fitness, such as biosynthesis of insect hormones and circadian rhythm among Gryllus species. The effectors as well as downstream targets of sex-determination pathways have been previously identified in other insects but never in Orthoptera. Using G. assimilis to study sex-biased genes I identified a set of highly expressed genes that might account for phenotypic differences between sexes. Furthermore, I estimated that proteinencoding reproductive genes evolve faster than non-reproductive genes as result of strong positive selection at those loci. It was documented that the species studied harbor exceptionally high levels of gene duplications. The findings suggest that gene duplications may play a role in sex-biased genes expression in the field cricket G. assimilis, a species likely to yield insights into the functional genomics and epigenetics of sex determination.
FAPESP: 2014/02038-8

Traditional cytogenetic approaches allow analysis of the chromosomal composition (karyotype) of mitotic cells fixed on slides cells by microscopy. The combination of karyotyping and Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) enables the detection of specific target sequences on individual chromosomes. Disadvantages are that traditional cytogenetic approaches are very labor and time consuming and that chromosome specific information from only a few dozen cells has poor statistical power. An alternative is flow karyotyping, a method to analyze chromosomes in suspension by flow cytometry. For flow karyotyping, the DNA composition of specific chromosomes in suspension is measured based on the DNA-specific dyes Hoechst 33258 (HO) and Chromomycin A3 (CA3). My thesis work has focused on the development of a new method to analyze and sort chromosomes using FISH with labeled peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probes on chromosomes in suspension. I found that, following FISH, flow karyotyping can be used to detect and quantify repetitive DNA sequences within individual chromosomes. Using chromosome flow FISH (CFF), chromosomes isolated from cells of various species were hybridized to PNA probes and analyzed by flow cytometry. CFF was used to detect a variety of repeats; interstitial telomeric sequences in Chinese Hamster chromosomes, major satellite in mouse chromosomes and D18Z1 alpha satellite repeats in human chromosomes. Quantitative measurements of repeat length by CFF were validated by comparison with measurements obtained using Q-FISH. We found that parental homologs of human chromosome 18 with different D18Z1 satellite repeat array size could be purified using CFF and Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting (FACS). Illumina short read sequencing of libraries built from these purified chromosomes enabled us to determine, with a high resolution, the allelic phasing of each homolog over the entire chromosome 18. Finally, CFF was modified to study sister chromatids separately. Using a cell model with inducible separation of sister chromatids, flow karyograms were generated. Using chromosome orientation FISH (CO-FISH) in suspension, we could identify sister chromatids according to the presence of DNA template strands. We anticipate that this approach will allow the purification of sister chromatids to study epigenetic differences between sister chromatids defined on the basis of DNA template strands.

Microsatellites are simple repetitive DNA sequences that are used as genetic markers throughout the biological sciences. The high levels of variation observed at microsatellite loci contribute to their utility in studies at the population and individual levels. This variation is a consequence of mutations that change the length of microsatellite repeat tracts. Current understanding suggests that most mutations are caused by polymerase slippage during DNA replication and lead to changes of a single repeat unit in length, but some changes involving multiple repeats can also occur. Despite this simplistic overview, there is evidence for considerable heterogeneity in mutation processes between species, loci and alleles. Such complex patterns suggest that other mechanisms, including those associated with DNA recombination, are also involved in the generation of microsatellite mutations. Understanding which mutational mechanisms are responsible for variation at microsatellite markers is essential to enable accurate data interpretation in genotyping projects, as many commonly used statistics assume specific mutation models. I developed microsatellite markers specific to the X and Y chromosomes and an autosome in the tammar wallaby, Macropus eugenii, and investigated their evolutionary properties using two approaches: indirectly, as inferred from population data, and directly, from observation of mutation events. First, I found that allelic richness increased with repeat length and that two popular mutation models, the stepwise mutation model and the infinite allele model, were poor at predicting the number of alleles per locus, particularly when gene diversity was high. These results suggest that neither model can account for all mutations at tammar wallaby microsatellites and hint at the involvement of more complex mechanisms than replication slippage. I also determined levels of variation at each locus in two tammar wallaby populations. I found that allelic richness was highest for chromosome 2, intermediate for the X chromosome and lowest for the Y chromosome in both populations. Thus, allelic richness varied between chromosomes in the manner predicted by their relative exposure to recombination, although these results may also be explained by the relative effective population sizes of the chromosomes studied. Second, I used small-pool PCR from sperm DNA to observe de novo mutation events at three of the most polymorphic autosomal markers. To determine the reliability of my observations I developed and applied strict criteria for scoring alleles and mutations at microsatellite loci. I observed mutations at all three markers, with rate variation between loci. Single step mutations could not be distinguished because of the limitations of the approach, but 24 multi-step mutations, involving changes of up to 35 repeat units, were recorded. Many of these mutations involved changes that could not be explained by the gain or loss of whole repeat units. These results imply that a large number of mutations at tammar wallaby microsatellites are caused by mechanisms other than replication slippage and are consistent with a role for recombination in the mutation process. Taken as a whole, my results provide evidence for complex mutation processes at tammar wallaby microsatellites. I conclude that careful characterisation of microsatellite mutation properties should be conducted on a case-by-case basis to determine the most appropriate mutation models and analysis tools for each locus. In addition, my work has provided a set of chromosome-specific markers for use in macropod genetic studies, which includes the first marsupial Y chromosome microsatellites. Sex chromosome microsatellites open a new range of possibilities for population studies, as they provide opportunities to investigate gene flow in a male context, to complement data from autosomal and maternally-inherited mitochondrial markers.

Orientador: Eliana Regina Forni Martins
Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia
Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-11T11:47:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Oliveira_VanessaMancusode_M.pdf: 2101182 bytes, checksum: 4b6aba0f8011aa1dbf7656da7b98141b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008
Resumo: O gênero Vernonia é o maior da tribo Vernonieae (Asteraceae), possuindo mais de 1.000 espécies. O Brasil é o maior centro de diversidade das espécies do Novo Mundo deste gênero. As subdivisões de Vernonia têm sido de difícil circunscrição devido ao seu tamanho, que acomoda muitas variações e paralelismos. Recentemente, este gênero foi segregado em outros 22, e o mesmo ficou restrito apenas aos representantes da América do Norte. Entretanto, essa mudança não foi aceita por alguns autores. O objetivo deste trabalho foi subsidiar a proposta sobre a segregação de Vernonia em gêneros menores (sensu ROBINSON) ou da manutenção de sua integridade (sensu BAKER) mediante a comparação de cariótipo. No total, foram estudadas 14 espécies de Vernonia. Oito delas, pertencentes à seção Lepidaploa, correspondentes às subseções Axilliflorae, Macrocephalae, Oligocephalae, Paniculatae e Scorpioideae foram estudadas através da técnica de Giemsa. As espécies foram coletadas em áreas de cerrado e de campo rupestre e em ambiente perturbado, nos Estados de São Paulo, Minas Gerais e Goiás. Foram realizadas contagens cromossômicas nestas mesma espécies, que variaram de 2n=20 a 2n=60 e, elaborados cariótipos, verificando-se o predomínio de cromossomos metacêntricos, e alguns submetacêntricos. O tamanho dos cromossomos variou de 0,73 a 3,5µm, o tamanho total de cromatina (CTC) de 23,5 a 44,9 µm e, o índice de assimetria TF% de 32,2 a 45,9. O índice de assimetria intracromossômica (A1) variou de 0,30 a 0,85, enquanto o índice de assimetria intercromossômica (A2) de 0,14 a 0,40. Vernonia rubriramea foi a espécie que mostrou ter cariótipo mais simétrico. Também foi elaborada uma coletânea dos números cromossômicos das espécies de Vernonia, incluindo os resultados obtidos e os disponíveis em literatura, como publicações de revisão e artigos específicos. Foram aplicadas as técnicas de bandamentos AgNOR e CMA/DA/DAPI e a técnica de FISH com a seqüência de DNAr 45S em algumas espécies de Vernonia, incluindo também algumas que tiveram seu cariótipo elaborado com técnicas de coloração convencional (Giemsa). De modo geral, as espécies apresentaram dois sítios de DNAr 45S terminais, sempre localizados no braço curto do cromossomo, com exceção de V. condensata e V. geminata, com quatro, e V. bardanoides, com seis sítios. A hibridação in situ evidenciou, na população de V. geminata coletada em Assis, um par de sítios de DNAr 45S centromérico, e na população coletada em Analândia, dois sítios apareceram em cromossomos B. Foram observados até seis cromossomos Bs nesta última população. Essa foi a única espécie que apresentou cromossomos extranumerários. Os bandamentos CMA/DA/DAPI e AgNOR evidenciaram em algumas espécies, um par de bandas CMA+ e um par de bandas NOR, sempre localizadas na região terminal do braço curto dos cromossomos, com exceção de V. platensis e V. scorpioides, que apresentaram três pares de bandas CMA+. Os dados cariotípicos obtidos no presente trabalho e mais dados em literatura não são suficientes para apoiar conclusivamente qualquer das propostas taxonômicas vigentes para Vernonia, devido à inexistência de um padrão cariotípico característico/distintivo para cada grupo taxonômico, ou seja, para suas seções e subseções (sensu BAKER) ou para os novos gêneros (sensu ROBINSON), considerados a partir de seu desmembramento. No entanto, até o momento, parece existir uma tênue relação com a conceituação de ROBINSON (1999a) para os gêneros Lessingianthus, Vernonanthura, e Chrysolaena, com os números cromossômicos obtidos. Diante da não disponibilidade de sondas funcionais com as seqüências de DNAr 5S e DNA telomérico, tentou-se a obtenção de sondas específicas para Vernonia mediante a técnica de PCR com primers específicos. Obteve-se sucesso apenas na amplificação do DNA telomérico com os primers de Arabidopsis (Tel-1 e Tel-2)
Abstract: The genus Vernonia is the largest of the tribe Vernonieae (Asteraceae), comprising more than 1.000 species. The greatest center of diversity of this genus from the New World is in Brazil. The subdivisions of Vernonia have been a difficult constituency because of its size, which accommodates many variations and parallels. Recently, this genus was dismembered into 22 genera and Vernonia was restricted to North America. However, most of the modifications proposed were not accepted for others workers in this field. In order to assess the validity of maintaining this genus (sensu BAKER) or dividing it into several lesser genera (sensu ROBINSON), we described a mitotic analyses (Giemsa technique) of eight species of Vernonia, belonging to subsections Axilliflorae, Macrocephalae, Oligocephalae, Paniculatae and Scorpioideae of the section Lepidaploa. Specimens were collected in ¿cerrado¿, rupiculous and disturbed areas, in the states of Sao Paulo, Minas Gerais and Goiás. Chromosome numbers (2n=20 to 2n=60) and karyotypes were analyzed, with predominance of metacentric and some submetacentric chromosomes. The chromosomes size varied from 0.73 to 3.5µm, the total chromatin length (TCL) ranged from 23.5 to 44.9µm, and the asymmetry index TF% ranged from 32.2 to 45.9%. The intrachromosomal asymmetry index (A1) varied from 0.30 to 0.85, while the interchromosomal asymmetry index (A2) ranged from 0.14 to 0.40. The species V. rubriramea had the most symmetrical karyotype. We prepared a compilation of the chromosome numbers of species of Vernonia, including the results obtained here and the available literature, as publications of review and specific articles. We applied AgNOR and CMA/DA/DAPI banding and FISH with the sequence of rDNA 45S in some species of Vernonia, including some that had their karyotype analyzed with the Giemsa technique. The chromosome number ranged from 2n = 20 to 60, but most frequent chromosomal numbers were 2n = 32 and 34. Generally, the species showed two terminals sites of rDNA 45S, always located on the short arm of chromosome, except for V. condensata and V. geminata, with four, and V. bardanoides, with six sites. The technique of FISH showed in the population of V. geminata collected in Assis, one pair of centromeric sites of rDNA 45S, and the population collected in Analândia, two sites appeared in B chromosomes. That was the only species that showed extra numerous chromosomes. The CMA/DA/DAPI and AgNOR banding neither evidenced in some species, one pair of CMA+ bands and one pair of NOR bands, always located in the terminal region of the short arm of chromosome, except for V. platensis and V. scorpioides, which had three pairs of CMA+ bands. Despite of the little representativity of the samples, the karyotypic characters obtained in this study and in literature did not allow conclusive support to the taxonomic proposes to Vernonia, due to the inexistence of a distinctive/characteristic karyotypic pattern for each taxonomic group, which means, sections and subsections (sensu BAKER) or new genera (sensu ROBINSON). Nevertheless, the available data indicate only a tenuous relationship between the chromosome numbers observed here and reported in the literature compared to the taxonomic reorganization of the genera Lessingianthus, Vernonanthura and Chrysolaena. Due to the non-availability of functional probes with the rDNA 5S and telomeric sequences, we tried to obtain probes specific for Vernonia with the PCR technique with specific primers. We had sucess only in the DNA amplification with telomeric primers of Arabidopsis (Tel-1 and Tel-2)
Mestrado
Doutor em Biologia Vegetal

Com a idéia de identificar proteínas envolvidas no processo de enovelamento das proteínas sintetizadas na glândula salivar de Rhynchosciara americana, no início deste projeto adotou-se como estratégia o seqüenciamento de uma biblioteca de cDNA. Esta biblioteca foi construída utilizando-se glândulas salivares de Rhynchosciara americana do período de seu desenvolvimento onde tem início a síntese de seu casulo. Mensagens de proteínas envolvidas no processo de enovelamento, transporte e proteólise foram isoladas, alguns exemplos são hsc70, hsp83, hip, hop, dnaJ, trap1 e prolil isomerase, sec61α/β, sec23, peptidase de sinal, rab7, partícula reconhecedora de sinal (srp), enzima conjugadora de ubiquitina e complexo regulatório proteassomo 26, cop 1 e ubiquitina ligase. A identificação destes genes permitiu o isolamento de clones genômicos através de triagem em banco de fagos e caracterização dos genes hsc70 e hsp83 para verificação de sua organização em Rhynchosciara americana. A expressão dos seus respectivos mRNAs foi avaliada em vários períodos do último estágio larval. A localização por hibridização in situ mostrou que estes genes estão localizados em regiões dos cromossomos politênicos próximas a dois pufes de DNA, C3 e C8. O estudo dos níveis de expressão das proteínas codificadas pelos genes hsc70 e hsp83 mostrou a diferença de comportamento destes genes sob condições de estresse térmico e que a expressão destas proteínas deve ser regulada pelo período de desenvolvimento das larvas de Rhynchosciara americana. Quando evidenciada por imunofluorescência a proteína Hsc70 mostra localização predominantemente no citoplasma.
With the idea of identify some of these proteins involved in the folding process of the proteins synthesized on the Rhynchosciara salivary gland, this project started adopting the shotgun cDNA sequencing strategy. This cDNA library was constructed utilizing salivary glands of Rhynchosciara americana at a developmental period where the cocoon construction begins. Messengers of important proteins involved in the folding, transport and proteolysis process were isolated, some examples are hsc70, hsp83, hip, hop, sec61 α/β, sec23, signal peptidase, rab7, signal recognition particle (srp), ubiquitin conjugating enzyme e 26 proteasome regulatory complex, cop 1 and ubiquitin ligase. Identification of these genes allowed the screening of genomic clones from a phage library; hsc70 and hsp83 characterization was carried out to verify the arrangement of these genes on genome of Rhynchosciara americana. The study of these genes will contribute with phylogenetic information about the specie. The mRNA expression of these genes was analyzed during several periods of the last larval developmental stage. In situ localization showed that these genes are located in polytene chromosomes regions near two DNAs puffs, C3 and C8. The expression levels of the proteins codified by genes hsc70 and hsp83 showed different behaviors of these genes under heat stress conditions and mainly, that the regulation of the proteins Hsc70 and Hsp83 can be related to the period of development of the larvae of Rhynchosciara americana. When revealed by immunofluorescence, Hsc70 protein shows localization predominantly on the cytoplasm.

Chez les animaux, la conformation unique du noyau du spermatozoïde dont la chromatine est organisée avec des protéines chromosomiques spécifiques telles que les protamines le rend totalement inactif. Le remodelage de la chromatine paternelle à la fécondation par des activités d'origine maternelle sont donc des processus essentiels à la formation d'un embryon diploïde, dont les mécanismes restent très mal connus. Lors de ma thèse j'ai essayé de mieux comprendre ces processus par l'étude, chez la drosophile, d'un mutant létal embryonnaire à effet maternel : maternal haploid (mh). Ce mutant affecte l'incorporation des chromosomes paternels à la première division zygotique menant à la formation d'embryons haploïdes gynogénétiques. L'identification du gène de mh comme CG9203 m'ont permis de caractériser sa fonction. Dans les œufs mh, les chromosomes paternels se condensent anormalement et ne parviennent pas à se diviser correctement lors de la première mitose de l'embryon. Récemment, des études sur son orthologue humain, appelé Spartan/DVC1, ont montré qu'il était impliqué dans la synthèse translésionnelle (TLS), un mécanisme de tolérance aux dommages d'ADN. J'ai pu démontrer que dans les cellules somatiques, la fonction de Spartan dans le TLS est conservée chez la drosophile. Cependant, la fonction maternelle de MH ne relève pas du TLS canonique, mais permet de maintenir l'intégrité de l'ADN paternel avant la réplication. Ensemble, mes travaux soulignent la singularité du pronoyau mâle et la complexité que présente le maintien de son intégrité à la fécondation
In animals, sexual reproduction requires the union between two distinct parental gametes: the spermatozoon and the oocyte. The unique nuclear conformation of the sperm, in which the chromatin is organized with sperm-specific chromosomal protein like protamines, abolishes its activity. The paternal chromatin remodeling and the maintenance of its integrity at fertilization by maternal activities are therefore essential processes for zygote formation. However, although their mechanisms are crucial, they remain poorly understood. During my thesis, I tried to better understand the processes involved during de novo paternal chromatin assembly in Drosophila through the study of a maternal embryonic lethal mutation: maternal haploid (mh). The mutant affects the incorporation of paternal chromosomes during the first zygotic division, leading to the development of gynogenetic haploid embryos. The identification of the mh gene as CG9203, and the generation of the null allele mh2 allowed me to characterize its function. In eggs led by mh mutant females, paternal chromosomes abnormally condense and fail to divide leading to the formation of chromatin bridges at the first embryonic division. Recently, its human ortholog Spartan/DVC1, has been described to be involved in translesion synthesis (TLS), a DNA damage tolerance pathway that ensures replication fork progression. Combining genetic and cytological approaches, I demonstrated that the Spartan function in TLS is conserved in Drosophila. However, I discovered that the critical function of MH during the first embryonic division, was not consistent with a canonical TLS. Alternatively, it is specifically required to maintain paternal integrity and to allow its proper replication at the first cycle. The mh phenotype characterization, led me to compare it with others phenotypes induced by the knock-down of replication factors and to study parental chromosome condensation in the zygote. Surprisingly, one of the proteins allowing the establishment of the pre-replication complex is dispensable for the proper paternal chromosome segregation contrarily to the maternal counterpart. Altogether, these works highlight the difference that exists between the two parental pronuclei and the complexity of maintaining their integrity at fertilization

Les extrémités des chromosomes comportent le télomère puis la région sous télomérique. Ces deux domaines se distinguent des autres régions chromosomiques car ils évoluent par des échanges entre les chromosomes hétérologues. Le télomère est une structure spécialisée constituant la fin des chromosomes et indispensable à leur stabilité. Il joue un rôle important dans l'organisation spatiale des chromosomes en particulier dans l'agglutination des extrémités chromosomiques en périphérie nucléaire. La région sous télomérique, adjacente au télomère est très redondante entre les chromosomes hétérologues et se termine avec les séquences uniques spécifiques à chaque chromosome. Sa fonction ainsi que sa structure ne sont pas bien connues. Plusieurs familles de séquences répétées y sont présentes. Certaines sont localisées uniquement à proximité du télomère, d'autres comme les minisatellites sont en majorité localisées dans les derniers mégabases des chromosomes. Nous avons étudié en détail une région sous télomérique présente sur une dizaine de chromosomes chez tous les individus. Nous montrons qu'elle s'est propagée par des translocations successives de domaines chromosomiques terminaux de 80 a 200 Kb, impliquant des processus de recombinaison divers. Ces translocations se sont produites après la séparation de l'homme et du chimpanzé. La stabilité de la région apparaît variable suivant les chromosomes ce qui se traduit par un polymorphisme des localisations de la région entre les individus. Cette région sous télomérique a évolué de façon très différente entre l'homme et le chimpanzé. Nous proposons que cette évolution pourrait être conditionnée par la présence de gènes adjacents à la région sous télomerique. Nous avons en effet montré que des gènes ubiquitaires se trouvent à quelques dizaines de Kb en aval de la région sous télomérique. Leur expression pourrait être influencée par la chromatine adjacente, c'est à dire par la nature de la région sous télomérique. Nous proposons enfin que l'évolution de la région sous télomérique constitue un modèle pour l'étude de l'évolution du génome humain.

Orientador: Fauto Foresti
Coorientador: José Carlos Pansonato Alves
Banca: Diego Teruo Hashimoto
Banca: Marcelo Ricardo Vicari
Banca: Orlando Moreira Filho
Banca: Claudio de Oliveira
Resumo: No presente estudo, foram analisadas dezoito espécies de peixes do gênero Characidium, C. cf. zebra, C. tenue, C. xavante, C. stigmosum, Characidium sp1, Characidium sp2, Characidium sp3, Characidium sp4, Characidium sp5, Characidium sp6, C. pterostictum, C. vestigipinne, C. rachovii, C. orientale, C. serrano, C. timbuiense, C. vidali e Characidium sp. aff. C. vidali de diferentes bacias hidrográficas brasileiras, com o uso de técnicas citogenéticas básicas (coloração com Giemsa e bandamento C) e moleculares (hibridação in situ fluorescente com sondas de DNAr 18S e 5S, DNA telomérico (TTAGGG)n e 4 sequências de microssatélites ((CA)15, (GA)15, (CG)15 e (TTA)10), e pintura cromossômica através da microdissecção e amplificação do cromossomo sexual W de C. gomesi (sonda chamada de CgW). Além disso, foi realizado o sequenciamento de DNA associado a sítios de restrição pela enzima SbfI (RAD-tags) através do sistema Illumina Genome Analyzer em machos e fêmeas de C. gomesi. Todas as espécies apresentaram número diploide de 2n=50 cromossomos, com predominância dos cromossomos dos tipos meta e submetacêntricos, além da ocorrência de cromossomos supranumerários em Characidium sp. aff. C. vidali e um par cromossômico acrocêntrico exclusivo detectado em C. pterostictum, C. serrano e C. timbuiense. Foi observada também a ocorrência de um sistema ZZ/ZW de cromossomos sexuais em distintos estágios de diferenciação em todas as espécies, com exceção de Characidium cf. zebra, C. tenue, C. xavante e C. stigmosum. A análise da heterocromatina constitutiva por bandamento C revelou a presença de heterocromatina nos cromossomos sexuais, principalmente no cromossomo W e em blocos intersticiais e/ou teloméricos nos braços longos do cromossomo Z e nos cromossomos Bs de Characidium sp. aff. C. vidali. Sequências de DNAr 5S foram localizadas em diferentes cromossomos, com variação na quantidade de sítios entre as espécies,...
Abstract: In the present study, eighteen species from the genus Characidium collected at different river basins were analyzed, including C. cf. zebra, C. tenue, C. xavante, C. stigmosum, Characidium sp1, Characidium sp2, Characidium sp3, Characidium sp4, Characidium sp5, Characidium sp6, C. pterostictum, C. vestigipinne, C. rachovii, C. orientale, C. serrano, C. timbuiense, C. vidali e Characidium sp. aff. C. vidali. The analyses involved classical (Giemsa conventional staining and C-banding) and molecular cytogenetic techniques (fluorescent in situ hybridization with ribosomal 5S and 18S, telomeric, microsatellite motifs and U2 snDNA probes, whole chromosome painting using W-specific probe obtained from C. gomesi-CgW). Besides that, DNA sequencing of restriction-associated DNA (RAD) was carried out in males and females of C. gomesi. All species showed diploid chromosome numbers of 2n=50, with karyotypes mainly composed of meta- and submetacentric types, besides the occurrence of supernumerary chromosomes in Characidium sp. aff. C. vidali and one acrocentric pair in C. pterostictum, C. serrano e C. timbuiense. Also, almost all the analyzed species showed a ZZ/ZW sex chromosome system in distinct evolutionary stages, except Characidium cf. zebra, C. tenue, C. xavante e C. stigmosum. The constitutive heterochromatin was located differentially on the W chromosomes and in interstitial and telomeric position on the Z chromosomes, as well as in the B chromosomes of Characidium sp. aff. C. vidali. 5S rDNA was differentially distributed in the different species, with variations on the number of clusters per genome and position in the karyotype, while the 18S rDNA was conserved in number of sites per genome and variable in location. Conversely, the U2 snDNA distribution was conserved in a single homologous chromosome pair in all species, except in Characidium sp. aff. C. vidali and Characidium sp2. Telomeric probes revealed species with several interstitial...
Doutor

Telomeres are nucleoprotein complexes located at the end of chromosomes. They have an essential role in protecting chromosome ends. Telomerase or ALT (alternative lengthening of telomeres) mechanisms maintain telomeres by compensating natural telomeric loss. We have set up a flow-FISH method and using mouse lymphoma cell lines we identified unexpectedly the presence of subpopulations of cells with different telomere lengths. Subpopulations of cells with different telomere lengths were also observed in a human ALT and non-ALT cell line. Differences in telomere length between subpopulations of cells were significant and we term this phenomenon TELEFLUCS (TElomere LEngth FLUctuations in Cell Subpopulations). By applying flow-FISH we could successfully measure telomere lengths during replicative senescence in human primary fibroblasts with different genetic defects that confer sensitivity to ionising radiation (IR). The results from this study, based on flow-FISH and Southern hybridisation measurements, revealed an accelerated rate of telomere shortening in radiosensitive fibroblasts. We also observed accelerated telomere shortening in murine BRCA1 deficient cells, another defect conferring radiosensitivity, in comparison with a BRCA1 proficient cell line. We transiently depleted BRCA1 by siRNAs in two human mammary epithelial cell lines but could not find changes in telomere length in comparison with control cells. Cytological evidence of telomere dysfunction was observed in all radiosensitive cell lines. These results suggest that mechanisms that confer sensitivity to IR may be linked with mechanisms that cause telomere dysfunction. Furthermore, we have been able to show that human ALT positive cell lines show dysfunctional telomeres as detected by either the presence of DSBs at their telomeres or cytogenetic analysis and usually cells with dysfunctional telomeres are sensitive to IR. Finally, we assessed hTERT mRNA splicing variants and telomerase activity in brain tumours, which exhibit considerable chromosome instability suggesting that DNA repair mechanisms may be impaired. We demonstrated that high levels of hTERT mRNAs and telomerase activity correlate with proliferation rate. The presence of hTERT splice variants did not strictly correlate with absence of telomerase activity but hTERT spliced transcripts were observed in some telomerase negative brain tumours suggesting that hTERT splicing may contribute to activation of ALT mechanisms.

Here we developed multiple genetic systems through which genetic modifications driven by DNA breaks caused by the I-SceI nuclease can be assayed in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and in human cells. Using the delitto perfetto approach for site-directed mutagenesis in yeast, we generated isogenic strains in which we could directly compare the recombination potential of different I-SceI variants. By genetic engineering procedures, we generated constructs in human cells for testing the recombination activity of the same I-SceI variants. Both in yeast and human cells we performed gene correction experiments using oligonucleotides (oligos) following modification and/or optimization of existing gene targeting protocols and development of new ones. We demonstrated that an I-SceI nicking enzyme can stimulate recombination on the chromosome in S. cerevisiae at multiple genomic loci. We also demonstrated in yeast that an I-SceI-driven nick can activate recombination 10 kb distant from the initial site of the chromosomal lesion. Moreover we demonstrated that an I-SceI nick can stimulate recombination at the site of the nick at episomal and chromosomal loci in human cells. We showed that an I-SceI double-strand break (DSB) could trigger recombination up to 2 kb distant from the break at an episomal target locus in human cells, though the same was not observed for the nick. Overall, we demonstrated the capacity for I-SceI nick-induced recombination in yeast and human cells. Importantly, our findings reveal that the nick stimulates gene correction by oligos differently from a DSB lesion, as determined by genetic and molecular analyses in yeast and human cells. This research illustrates the promise of targeted gene correction following generation of a nick.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:26:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2010-02-19Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:33:40Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 mendonca_pp_me_sjrp.pdf: 681812 bytes, checksum: d7353da4e0742a18d8d505b0587fda7b (MD5)
Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)
Os triatomíneos são insetos hematófagos de grande importância para a parasitologia humana, pois são transmissores do Trypanosoma cruzi, protozoário causador da doença de Chagas. Além de sua importância médico-sanitária, os triatomíneos destacam-se pela sua citogenética, pois possuem cromossomos holocêntricos e um modelo de meiose incomum, com meiose invertida para os cromossomos sexuais. Recentes pesquisas com marcadores moleculares em triatomíneos tentam compreender a ancestralidade do grupo. Uma das formas de se compreender a evolução entre espécies é a partir da análise de seqüências do DNA ribossômico (DNAr). Por pertencer a famílias multigênicas, cópias individuais do DNAr não acumulam mutações independentemente, resultando em pequena variação intra-específica e relevante diferenciação interespecífica. No presente trabalho foi realizado um estudo comparativo entre as espécies Triatoma maculata e Triatoma pseudomaculata, com base no uso das técnicas citogenéticas convencionais de orceína lacto-acética, impregnação por íons prata, bandamento-C, reação de Feulgen; da técnica de citogenética molecular de bandamento- C CMA/DAPI; e também por meio da análise da região ITS-1 do DNAr, com base no sequenciamento, com o objetivo de avaliar o grau de homologia entre as espécies estudadas. Os cariogramas das duas espécies indicaram dez pares de autossomos (um deles de tamanho maior) e um par de cromossomos sexuais (2n = 22). No ciclo meiótico foi possível observar a fragmentação da região nucleolar no final do estágio difuso. Corpúsculos nucleolares foram observados em alguns dos núcleos em metáfases meióticas de T. pseudomaculata, evidenciando a persistência nucleolar. A técnica de bandamento-C revelou que o cromossomo Y é heterocromático em ambas as espécies. O sequencimento da região ITS-1, indicou que as espécies apresenta...
The triatomines are hematophagous insects of great concern in public health because they are vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi, a protozoan that causes Chagas disease. Triatomines are also of great genetic interest, because that they present holocentric chromosomes and an unusual form of meiosis with post-reductional segregation of sex chromosomes. Recent studies based on molecular markers try to understand the evolutionary history of triatomines. To understand the evolution of a given species, ribosomal DNA (rDNA) analyses are frequently used, which can help to infer evolutionary relationships among species. Individual copies of rDNA do not accumulate mutations independently because they belong to multigene families, resulting in slight intraspecific and important interspecific variation. In this study, a comparative analysis was performed between the species Triatoma maculata and Triatoma pseudomaculata, based on the cytogenetic techniques of lacto-acetic orcein, silver ion impregnation, Cbanding, Feulgen reaction; and CMA/DAPI C-banding. We also compared the species by sequencing the ITS-1 rDNA internal transcribed region in order to evaluate the degree of homology among the studied species. The cariograms of the two species revealed ten autosomes and one pair of sexual chromosomes (2n= 22). In the meiotic cycle, nucleolar fragmentation during the final stages of meiotic prophase I was found. Nucleolar corpuscles were found in some meiotic metaphases of T. pseudomaculata, which is evidence of nucleolar persistence. The C-banding technique revealed that the Y chromosome is heterochromatic in both species. The ITS-1 rDNA sequences showed that the species presented a discharge proximity to each other, and had a high degree of homology (98.5%). The knowledge obtained in this study contributes to the understanding of the interrelation and distribution of those species, and offers... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Submitted by Aelson Maciera (aelsoncm@terra.com.br) on 2017-05-02T18:22:22Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DissEAO.pdf: 2220035 bytes, checksum: b18c61d42ff58647fa114291931a35ab (MD5)
Approved for entry into archive by Ronildo Prado (ronisp@ufscar.br) on 2017-05-04T13:29:04Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 DissEAO.pdf: 2220035 bytes, checksum: b18c61d42ff58647fa114291931a35ab (MD5)
Approved for entry into archive by Ronildo Prado (ronisp@ufscar.br) on 2017-05-04T13:29:11Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 DissEAO.pdf: 2220035 bytes, checksum: b18c61d42ff58647fa114291931a35ab (MD5)
Made available in DSpace on 2017-05-04T13:36:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DissEAO.pdf: 2220035 bytes, checksum: b18c61d42ff58647fa114291931a35ab (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-06-29
Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)
The Erythrinidae family is a small group of Neotropical Characiformes, comprising only three genera, Hoplias, Hoplerythrinus and Erythrinus. Hoplias malabaricus, Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus and Erythrinus erythrinus must correspond to groups of species, considering the extensive chromosomal diversity that they present, including different sex chromosomes systems. Therefore, these fishes offer excellent opportunities for evolutionary investigations, given the different chromosomal characteristics between their representatives. Recent studies allowed the taxonomic characterization of six poorly or not studied Hoplias species (H. aimara, H. lacerdae, H. intermedius, H. brasiliensis, H. australis and H. curupira), present in several South American river basins’ and popularly known as “trairões” due to their large size. This study aimed to characterize the chromosomal evolution occurred in this particular group of species, in the light of its recent review and taxonomic identifications. For this purpose, in addition to classical chromosomal analysis, cytogenetic mapping of repetitive DNA sequences using specific probes was used for fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The results showed the sharing of a great homogeneity in the species´ karyotype macrostructure, with 2n = 50 and karyotypes composed only by meta- and submetacentric chromosomes without the presence of differentiated sex chromosomes between the sexes. In turn, the karyotype microstructure, as revealed by the analysis of components of the repetitive fraction of the genome showed interspecies differentiation, thus confirming the recent taxonomic revision of these species based on their morphological characteristics. This evolutionary scenario, highlighting the conservation of chromosomal macro-structure, sharply contrasts with the scenario found in the representatives of H. malabaricus group, where a conspicuous chromosomal variation can be observed between different populations of this "nominal species." Environmental aspects related to the way of life, as well as intrinsic chromosomal features, may influence the coexistence of these contrasting models of chromosomal evolution among congeneric species of Hoplias.
A família Erythrinidae é um pequeno grupo de Characiformes Neotropicais, compreendendo apenas três gêneros, Hoplias, Hoplerythrinus e Erythrinus. Hoplias malabaricus, Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus e Erythrinus erythrinus devem corresponder a grupos de espécies, considerando a ampla diversidade cromossômica que apresentam, incluindo diferentes sistemas de cromossomos sexuais. Assim sendo, os peixes eritrinídeos oferecem excelentes oportunidades para investigações evolutivas, dadas as particularidades diversas entre seus representantes. Estudos recentes possibilitaram a caracterização taxonômica de seis espécies de Hoplias ainda pouco ou não estudadas (H. aimara, H. lacerdae, H. intermedius, H. brasiliensis, H. australis e H. curupira) presentes em diversas bacias hidrográficas do continente sul-americano, dentre as quais se encontram espécimes popularmente conhecidos por trairões devido ao seu grande porte. O presente estudo buscou caracterizar a evolução cromossômica ocorrida nesse grupo particular de espécies, à luz das suas recentes revisões e identificações taxonômicas. Para esta finalidade, além de análises cromossômicas clássicas, foi empregado o mapeamento citogenético de sequências repetitivas de DNA por hibridização fluorescente in situ (FISH). Os resultados mostraram o compartilhamento de uma grande homogeneidade na macroestrutura cariotípica das espécies analisadas, com 2n=50 cromossomos e cariótipos compostos apenas por cromossomos meta- e submetacêntricos, sem a presença de cromossomos sexuais diferenciados entre os sexos. Por sua vez, a microestrutura cariotípica, revelada pela análise de componentes da fração repetitiva do genoma, evidenciou diferenciações interespecíficas, corroborando assim a recente revisão taxonômica dessas espécies com base em suas características morfológicas. Tal cenário evolutivo, destacando a conservação da macro-estrutura cromossômica, contrasta acentuadamente com o cenário presente em representantes do grupo Hoplias malabaricus, onde uma conspícua variação cromossômica pode ser observada entre distintas populações desta “espécie nominal”. Aspectos ecológicos relacionados ao modo de vida, bem como características cromossômicas intrínsecas, podem estar influenciando a coexistência desses modelos contrastantes de evolução cromossômica entre espécies congenéricas de Hoplias.

Orientador: Maria Tercília Vilela de Azeredo Oliveira
Banca: Hermione Elly Melara de Campos Bicudo
Banca: Patricia Pasquali Parise Maltempi
Resumo: Os heterópteros apresentam a meiose cística nos túbulos seminíferos. Esses possuem o cisto espermatogonial envolto pelas células císticas, as quais desenvolvem a função de nutrição das células em divisão celular. Quanto às características citogenéticas, esses insetos apresentam cromossomos holocinéticos, baixa variabilidade cariotípica e meiose invertida dos cromossomos sexuais. No presente trabalho foram caracterizadas as células císticas quanto a sua localização, ultraestrutura e citogenética e, também, foram analisados os aspectos citogenéticos de quatro espécies do gênero Triatoma. Foram utilizadas as técnicas de microscopia eletrônica de transmissão, citogenética convencional (orceína e AgNOR), bandamento C CMA3/DAPI e a técnica de hibridização in situ fluorescente (FISH), com sonda de DNAr 45S de Drosophila melanogaster. Os resultados indicaram que a célula cística envolve um cisto espermatogonial e apresenta um grande núcleo com invaginações citoplasmáticas. Em todas as espécies foram observados vários graus de ploidia da célula cística. Triatoma infestans e T. infestans melanosoma apresentaram vários blocos heterocromáticos com a periferia CMA3 + e o interior DAPI+. Associada às bordas dos blocos heterocromáticos foram observados os segmentos de DNAr 45S, além da presença de vários nucléolos em cada núcleo. Triatoma matogrossensis, T. rubrovaria e T. brasiliensis apresentaram apenas um bloco heterocromático com as mesmas características, com exceção de T. brasiliensis, que apresentou em algumas células vários blocos CMA3 + dispersos. Nessas espécies foi observado apenas um nucléolo com similaridade na localização dos sítios de DNAr. Quanto aos aspectos citogenéticos, todas as espécies apresentaram 2n = 20A + XY, com decréscimo do tamanho relativo dos cromossomos. Em T. infestans melanosoma os cromossomos foram... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo)
Abstract: Heteroptera, or "true bugs", exhibit meiosis in their seminiferous tubules. They posses the spermatogonial cysts that are enclosed by cyst cells, which develop the nutritional function of the cells during cell division. In terms of cytogenetic characteristics, these insects possess holokinetic chromosomes, low karyotype variability, and inverted meiosis in the sex chromosomes. In this study, cyst cells from four species of the genus Triatoma were characterized by their location, superstructure, and cytogenetic makeup. Electronic transmission microscopy techniques were used, as well as conventional cytogenetic techniques (Orcein and AgNOR), C-banding with CMA3 and DAPI banding, and Fluorescence in situ Hybridization (FISH) with a 45S DNA probe of Drosophila melanogaster. The results indicated that the the spermatogonial cyst is enclosed by the cyst cell, and that the cyst cell possesses a large nucleus with cytopasmic invaginations. In all species studied, varying degrees of ploidy were observed in the cyst cells. Triatoma infestans and T. infestans melanosoma presented with various heterochromatic blocks, with CMA3 + at the periphery and DAPI+ at the interior. Segments of rDNA 45S were found along the edges of the heterochromatic blocks, along with the presence of various nucleoli in each nucleus. Triatoma matogrossensis, T. rubrovaria and T. brasiliensis presented with only one heterochromatic block with the same characteristics (with the exception of T. brasiliensis, which presented with various dispersed CMA3 + blocks). In these species, only one nucleolus that was similar to the localization of the rDNA sites was found. All species presented with 2n = 20A + XY, with a decrease in size relative to the chromosomes. In the case of T. infestans melanosoma, the chromosomes were split into groups based on their relative sizes. The heterochromatin of this species presented... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)
Mestre

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-07T17:12:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2015-02-27. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2016-06-07T17:16:47Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000864281.pdf: 2841286 bytes, checksum: e1b59c63f77c2d49bd85b14c3d63dde2 (MD5)
Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)
No presente estudo, foram analisadas dezoito espécies de peixes do gênero Characidium, C. cf. zebra, C. tenue, C. xavante, C. stigmosum, Characidium sp1, Characidium sp2, Characidium sp3, Characidium sp4, Characidium sp5, Characidium sp6, C. pterostictum, C. vestigipinne, C. rachovii, C. orientale, C. serrano, C. timbuiense, C. vidali e Characidium sp. aff. C. vidali de diferentes bacias hidrográficas brasileiras, com o uso de técnicas citogenéticas básicas (coloração com Giemsa e bandamento C) e moleculares (hibridação in situ fluorescente com sondas de DNAr 18S e 5S, DNA telomérico (TTAGGG)n e 4 sequências de microssatélites ((CA)15, (GA)15, (CG)15 e (TTA)10), e pintura cromossômica através da microdissecção e amplificação do cromossomo sexual W de C. gomesi (sonda chamada de CgW). Além disso, foi realizado o sequenciamento de DNA associado a sítios de restrição pela enzima SbfI (RAD-tags) através do sistema Illumina Genome Analyzer em machos e fêmeas de C. gomesi. Todas as espécies apresentaram número diploide de 2n=50 cromossomos, com predominância dos cromossomos dos tipos meta e submetacêntricos, além da ocorrência de cromossomos supranumerários em Characidium sp. aff. C. vidali e um par cromossômico acrocêntrico exclusivo detectado em C. pterostictum, C. serrano e C. timbuiense. Foi observada também a ocorrência de um sistema ZZ/ZW de cromossomos sexuais em distintos estágios de diferenciação em todas as espécies, com exceção de Characidium cf. zebra, C. tenue, C. xavante e C. stigmosum. A análise da heterocromatina constitutiva por bandamento C revelou a presença de heterocromatina nos cromossomos sexuais, principalmente no cromossomo W e em blocos intersticiais e/ou teloméricos nos braços longos do cromossomo Z e nos cromossomos Bs de Characidium sp. aff. C. vidali. Sequências de DNAr 5S foram localizadas em diferentes cromossomos, com variação na quantidade de sítios entre as espécies,...
In the present study, eighteen species from the genus Characidium collected at different river basins were analyzed, including C. cf. zebra, C. tenue, C. xavante, C. stigmosum, Characidium sp1, Characidium sp2, Characidium sp3, Characidium sp4, Characidium sp5, Characidium sp6, C. pterostictum, C. vestigipinne, C. rachovii, C. orientale, C. serrano, C. timbuiense, C. vidali e Characidium sp. aff. C. vidali. The analyses involved classical (Giemsa conventional staining and C-banding) and molecular cytogenetic techniques (fluorescent in situ hybridization with ribosomal 5S and 18S, telomeric, microsatellite motifs and U2 snDNA probes, whole chromosome painting using W-specific probe obtained from C. gomesi-CgW). Besides that, DNA sequencing of restriction-associated DNA (RAD) was carried out in males and females of C. gomesi. All species showed diploid chromosome numbers of 2n=50, with karyotypes mainly composed of meta- and submetacentric types, besides the occurrence of supernumerary chromosomes in Characidium sp. aff. C. vidali and one acrocentric pair in C. pterostictum, C. serrano e C. timbuiense. Also, almost all the analyzed species showed a ZZ/ZW sex chromosome system in distinct evolutionary stages, except Characidium cf. zebra, C. tenue, C. xavante e C. stigmosum. The constitutive heterochromatin was located differentially on the W chromosomes and in interstitial and telomeric position on the Z chromosomes, as well as in the B chromosomes of Characidium sp. aff. C. vidali. 5S rDNA was differentially distributed in the different species, with variations on the number of clusters per genome and position in the karyotype, while the 18S rDNA was conserved in number of sites per genome and variable in location. Conversely, the U2 snDNA distribution was conserved in a single homologous chromosome pair in all species, except in Characidium sp. aff. C. vidali and Characidium sp2. Telomeric probes revealed species with several interstitial...
FAPESP: 10/19971-8

Human response to ionising radiation (IR) shows a wide variation. This is most clearly seen in the radiation-response of cells as measured by frequencies of chromosomal aberrations. Different frequencies of IR-induced aberrations can be conveniently observed in phytohaemagglutin-stimulated peripheral blood T-lymphocytes from both normal individuals and sporadic cancer cases, in either metaphase chromosomes or as micronuclei in the following cell cycle. Metaphase cells show frequent chromatid breaks, defined as chromatid discontinuities or terminal deletions, if irradiated in the G 2 -phase of the cell cycle. It has been shown that the frequency of chromatid breaks in cells from approximately 40% of sporadic breast cancer patients, are significantly higher than in groups of normal individuals. This suggests that elevated radiation-induced chromatid break frequency may be linked with susceptibility to breast cancer. It is known that chromatid breaks are initiated by a double strand break (DSB), but it appears that the two are linked only indirectly as repair kinetics for DSBs and chromatid breaks do not match. Therefore, the underlying causes of the wide variation in frequencies of chromatid breaks in irradiated T-lymphocytes from different normal individuals and from sporadic breast cancer cases are still unclear but it is unlikely to be linked directly to DSB rejoining. My research has focused on the mechanism through which chromatid breaks are formed from initial DSBs. The lack of a direct association suggested that a signalling process might be involved, connecting the initial DSB and resulting chromatid break. The signal model, suggested that the initial DSB is located within a chromatin loop that leads to an intra- or interchromatid rearrangement resulting in incomplete mis-joining of chromatin ends during the decatenation of chromatids during G 2 . It was therefore proposed that topoisomerase II alpha (topo IIα) might be involved, mainly because of its ability to incise DNA and its role in sister chromatid decatenation. During my PhD research I have used a strategy of altering topo II activity or expression and studying whether this alters IR-induced chromatid break frequency. The first approach involved cell lines that varied in topo IIα expression. The frequency of IR-induced chromatid breaks was found to correlate positively with topo IIα expression level, as measured in three different cell lines by immunoblotting, i.e. two cell lines with lower topo IIα expression exhibited lower chromatid break frequency. Topo II activity in these three cell lines was also estimated indirectly by the ability of a topo IIα poison to activate the G 2 /M checkpoint, and this related well with topo IIα expression. A second approach involved ‘knocking down’ topo IIα protein expression by silencing RNA (siRNA). Lowered topo IIα expression was confirmed by immunoblotting and polymerase chain reaction. SiRNA-lowered topo IIα expression correlated with a decreased IR-induced chromatid break frequency. In a third series of experiments cells were treated with ICRF-193, a topo IIα catalytic inhibitor. It was shown that inhibition of topo IIα also significantly reduced IR-induced chromatid breaks. I also showed that lowered chromatid break frequency was not due to cells with high chromatid break frequencies being blocked in G 2 as the mitotic index was not altered significantly in cells with lowered topo IIα expression or activity. These experiments show that topo IIα is involved in IR-induced chromatid break formation. The final experiments reported here attempted to show how topo II might be recruited in the process of forming IR-induced chromatid breaks. Hydrogen peroxide was used as a source of reactive oxygen species (reported to poison topo IIα) and it was shown that topo IIα under these conditions is involved in the entanglement of metaphase chromosomes and formation of chromatin ‘dots’ as well as chromatid breaks. Experiments using atomic force microscopy attempted to confirm these dots as excised chromatin loops. The possible role of topo IIα in both radiation- and hydrogen peroxide-induced primary DNA damage was also tested. It was shown that topo IIα does not affect radiation-induced DSBs, even though it does affect chromatid break frequency. Also, topo IIα does not affect hydrogen peroxide-induced DNA damage at low doses. The results support the idea that topo IIα is involved in the conversion of DSBs to chromatid breaks after both irradiation and treatment with hydrogen peroxide at a low concentrations. I have demonstrated that topo IIα is involved in forming IR-induced chromatid breaks, most likely by converting the initial DSBs into chromosomal aberrations as suggested by the signal model.

Submitted by Ana Damasceno (ana.damasceno@unipampa.edu.br) on 2017-06-01T21:04:14Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Organização genômica de sequências repetitivas em Pica-paus (aves piciformes).pdf: 2128434 bytes, checksum: 8afa26cc3c248da9e51696791e1dadc1 (MD5)
Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-01T21:04:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Organização genômica de sequências repetitivas em Pica-paus (aves piciformes).pdf: 2128434 bytes, checksum: 8afa26cc3c248da9e51696791e1dadc1 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-04-05
A caracterização da quantidade e distribuição da fração de DNA repetitivo em genomas auxilia no entendimento de sua organização cromossômica. As Aves são conhecidas por apresentar uma baixa proporção de DNA repetitivo quando comparada a outras classes de Vertebrados. Entretanto, a ordem Piciformes se destaca por apresentar uma quantidade percentual superior dessas sequências comparado com as outras aves. Com isso, o objetivo deste estudo foi determinar a distribuição de diferentes tipos de sequências repetitivas no genoma de três espécies da família Picidae, Colaptes melanochloros (2n=84), Colaptes campestris (2n=84) e Melanerpes candidus (2n=64), por meio de hibridização in situ fluorescente (FISH) com sondas de rDNA 18S, teloméricas (TTAGGG)n e microssatélites. Os resultados mostraram, nessas três espécies, o cromossomo sexual Z como o maior do complemento, esse fato deve-se ao acúmulo de diferentes sequências de microssatélites. Entretanto o cromossomo W de C. Melanochloros, que é totalmente heterocromático, não apresentou acúmulo destas sequências. Os sítios ribossomais estão organizados em um par de cromossomos com uma constrição secundária e este teve o acúmulo da sequência (CGG)10 nas três espécies. As sondas teloméricas apresentaram marcações nas regiões terminais dos cromossomos e marcações intersticiais em alguns macrocromossomos. As marcações intersticiais indicam fusões entre cromossomos ou acúmulo de sequências repetitivas similares as teloméricas. Com as sondas de microssatélites identificou-se o mesmo padrão de hibridização nas espécies de Colaptes e padrão distinto entre Colaptes e M. candidus. As nossas análises de FISH mostraram várias sequências de microssatélites amplificadas no cromossomo Z nas três espécies analisadas, o que pode explicar o fato deste ser o maior elemento do cariótipo e desta família conter maior quantidade de sequências repetitivas comparadas com outros grupos de aves. Curiosamente, nenhuma das sequências foi encontrada acumulada no cromoss omo W, apesar de desempenharem um papel importante na diferenciação de cromossomos sexuais. Estes resultados evidenciam que, apesar da origem comum proposta para o sistema sexual ZW em aves, esses cromossomos seguiram diferentes trajetórias evolutivas em cada espécie, indicando uma alta plasticidade para a diferenciação cromossômica sexual neste grupo. Este trabalho é o primeiro passo para esclarecer o papel das sequências satélites e microssatélites na diferenciação de cromossomos sexuais.
The characterization of the amount and distribution of the repetitive DNA fractions in genomes assists in the understanding of their chromosomal organization. The Birds are characterized by presenting a low proportion of repetitive DNA when compared to other classes of Vertebrates. However, the order Piciformes stands out for having a higher percentage of these sequences compared to other birds. The objective of this study was to determine the distribution of different types of repetitive sequences in the genome of three species of the family Picidae, Colaptes melanochloros (2n = 84), Colaptes campestris (2n = 84) and Melanerpes candidus (2n = 64) by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with 18S, telomeric (TTAGGG) and microsatellite rDNA probes. The results showed, in these three species, the sexual chromosome Z as the largest of the complement, this fact is due to the accumulation of different sequences of microsatellites. However, the W chromosome of C. melanochloros, which is totally heterochromatic, did not show accumulation of these sequences. The ribosomal sites are organized on a pair of chromosomes with a secondary constriction and this had the accumulation of the sequence (CGG)10 in the three species. The telomeric probes showed markings in the terminal regions of the chromosomes and interstitial markings on some macrochromosomes. Interstitial markings indicate fusions between chromosomes or the accumulation of repetitive sequences similar to the telomeric ones. With the microsatellite probes the same pattern of hybridization was identified in the Colaptes species, distinct pattern between Colaptes and M. candidus. Our FISH analyzes showed several amplified microsatellite sequences on the Z chromosome in the three species analyzed, which may explain the fact that this is the largest element of the karyotype and that its genome contains the largest number of repetitive sequences compared to other groups of Birds. Interestingly, none of the sequences were found to be accumulated on the W chromosome, although they play an important role in the differentiation of sex chromosomes. These results show that, despite the common origin proposed for the ZW sexual system in birds, these chromosomes followed different evolutionary trajectories in each species, indicating a high plasticity for the sexual chromosome differentiation in this group. This work is the first step to clarify the role of satellites and microsatellite sequences in the differentiation of sex chromosomes.

Increased mutagenesis is a hallmark of cancers. On the other hand, this can trigger the generation of polymorphisms and lead to evolution. Lately, it has become clear that one of the major sources of increased mutation rates in the genome is chromosomal break formation and repair. A variety of factors can contribute to the generation of breaks in the genome. A paradoxical source of breaks is the sequence composition of the genomic DNA itself. Eukaryotic and prokaryotic genomes contain sequence motifs capable of adopting secondary structures often found to be potent inducers of double strand breaks culminating into rearrangements. These regions are therefore termed fragile sequence motifs. Here, we demonstrate that in addition to being responsible for triggering chromosomal rearrangements, inverted repeats and GAA/TTC repeats are also potent sources of mutagenesis. Repeat-induced mutagenesis extends up to 8 kb on either side of the break point. Remarkably, error-prone repair of the break by Polζ reconstitutes the repeats making them a long term source of mutagenesis. Despite its negative connotations for genome stability, the mechanisms underlying the unstable nature of double strand break repair pathways are not known. Previous studies have demonstrated that break induced replication (BIR), a mechanism employed to repair broken chromosomes with only one repairable end, is highly mutagenic, undergoes frequent template switching and often yields half-crossovers. In the work presented here, we show that the instabilities inherent to BIR can be attributed to its unusual mode of synthesis. We determined that BIR proceeds via a migrating bubble with long stretches of single-stranded DNA and culminates with conservative inheritance of the newly synthesized DNA. We propose that the mechanisms described here might be important for generation of repair-associated mutagenesis in higher organisms. Secondary structure forming repeats like inverted repeats have been found to be enriched in cancer cells. These motifs often constitute chromosomal rearrangement hot-spots and demonstrate the phenomenon of kataegis. This study provides a mechanistic insight into how such breakage-prone motifs contribute to hypermutability of cancer genomes.

Die Verbindung von genetischen, physikalischen und zytologischen Daten ist entscheidend für die Genom- und Chromosomenanalyse. Obwohl Beta vulgaris (2n = 18) als wichtige Kulturpflanze und Untersuchungsobjekt der Grundlagenforschung eine intensiv analysierte Art darstellt, existiert bisher keine Verknüpfung zwischen Kopplungsgruppen (LG) und Chromosomen. B.-vulgaris-Chromosomen können zudem aufgrund fehlender morphologischer Unterscheidungsmerkmale bisher nicht einzeln identifiziert und klassifiziert werden. Somit sind zytogenetisch gewonnene Ergebnisse nicht ohne weiteres auf genetische Kopplungsgruppen und physikalische Karten übertragbar. Zytogenetische Methoden können zur Analyse struktureller Chromosomenveränderungen, zur Identifizierung und Lokalisierung von repetitiver DNA sowie zur Kartierung schwierig zu positionierender Marker verwendet werden. Ziel dieser Arbeit war es daher, ein FISH (Fluoreszenz-in-situ-Hybridisierung)-Verfahren zu etablieren, das die Kopplungsgruppen und Chromosomen der Zuckerrübe korreliert und die mikroskopische Identifizierung aller Chromosomenarme ermöglicht. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wurde ein FISH-Referenzkaryotyp der Zuckerrübe entwickelt. Durch ein Sondenset aus 18 BACs (bacterial artificial chromosome) sind alle Chromosomenarme der Zuckerrübe identifizierbar und werden mit den nördlichen und südlichen Enden der genetischen Kopplungsgruppen verknüpft. Somit ist eine einheitliche Nummerierung von Kopplungsgruppen und Chromosomen möglich. Durch die gleichzeitige Hybridisierung von chromosomenspezifischen BACs und den Satelliten-DNA-Sonden pAv34 und pBV VI beziehungsweise pEV und pBV wurden die Verteilungsmuster der Sequenzfamilien auf den Chromosomen ermittelt. Die gleichzeitige Hybridisierung aller vier repetitiven Sonden ergab ein chromosomenspezifisches Muster aus subtelomerischen, interkalaren und zentromerischen Signalen. Damit ist die Identifizierung aller B.-vulgaris-Chromosomen in einem einzelnen FISH-Experiment möglich. Zudem wurden dadurch die Chromosomen mit hohem Anteil an tandemartig angeordneten repetitiven Sequenzen identifiziert und die Chromosomenregionen lokalisiert, welche die Sequenzassemblierung behindern können. Sowohl das entwickelte BAC-Set als auch der Sondenpool aus repetitiver DNA unterscheiden die somatischen Metaphasechromosomen erstmals unabhängig von trisomen Linien. Da mit Hilfe der Satelliten-DNA-Sonden alle Chromosomen gleichzeitig markiert werden können, waren die spezifischen physikalischen Längen ermittelbar. Sie wurden mit den genetischen Längen der Kopplungsgruppen in Verbindung gebracht und deckten eine kopplungs-gruppenspezifische Rekombinationshäufigkeit zwischen 0,73 und 1,14 Mb/cM auf. Durch Hybridisierung der BACs und subtelomerischer beziehungsweise telomerischer Sonden auf Pachytänchromosomen wurde der Abstand der BACs sowie der in ihnen enthaltenen genetischen Marker zum physikalischen Chromosomenende abgeschätzt. An fünf Chromo-somenenden wurde ein deutlicher Abstand zwischen den Signalen des BACs und der terminalen Sonden festgestellt. Die zugehörigen Kopplungsgruppen sind demnach erweiterbar. Zudem wurden drei BACs mit nicht detektierbarem Abstand zum Chromosomenende durch FISH an gestreckten Chromatinfasern näher untersucht. Einer der drei BACs wurde eindeutig in unmittelbarer Nähe des Telomers nachgewiesen. Für dieses Ende (Chr 2N) ist die Wahrscheinlichkeit gering, dass die Kopplungsgruppe durch zusätzliche Marker erweitert werden kann; sie wird darum als abgeschlossen angesehen. Für die Enden Chr 4S und Chr 9S war der Abstand zwischen BAC und terminaler Sonde zu groß, um ihn durch Fiber-FISH zu ermitteln. Für sie sind weitere distal zu positionierende Marker wahrscheinlich. Weiterhin wurden bioinformatische Analysen an der verfügbaren B.-vulgaris-Genomsequenz RefBeet 1.0 durchgeführt. Scaffolds, welche die genetischen terminalen Marker enthalten, wurden bioinformatisch identifiziert und auf ihren Gehalt subtelomerischer und telomerischer Sequenzen untersucht. Vorhandene terminale Sequenzen sind ein Nachweis für eine terminale Lokalisierung der in-silico-Chromosomenabschnitte. Für drei Scaffolds mit zuvor ungeklärter Lage wurde dadurch das in-silico-Chromosom ermittelt beziehungsweise die nördliche oder südliche Position auf dem Chromosom dargestellt. Durch die Lokalisierung dieser Bereiche innerhalb der Sequenz in Bezug zum genetischen Marker und unter Berücksichtigung der Ergebnisse der Pachytän-FISH wurde die Strangorientierung von 16 Scaffolds ermittelt. Auf 14 Scaffolds wurden die Abstände der Marker zu den terminalen Sequenzen bestimmt. Der Median betrug etwa 196 kb. Für alle Kopplungsgruppenenden außer dem Norden von LG 2 und LG 4 ist das Vorhandensein weiterer distaler genetischer Marker wahrscheinlich. Satelliten-DNA ist innerhalb einer Art meist homogen, kann jedoch chromosomenspezifische Varianten ausbilden. Auf dem BAC-Marker für Chr 2N wurde durch Southern-Hybridisierung die subtelomerische Sequenzfamilie pAv34 detektiert. Von dem betreffenden BAC wurde eine Subklonbank erstellt. Durch Southern-Hybridisierung wurde der pAv34-Gehalt der Subklone analysiert. Positive Klone wurden sequenziert. Dabei wurden vier verschiedene vollständige pAv34-2N-Monomere detektiert. Im Vergleich mit pAv34-Volllängenmotiven aus der RefBeet 1.0 und dem Datensatz der nicht assemblierten Sequenzen der RefBeet 0.2 bilden die pAv34-2N-Einheiten mit pAv34-Kopien, die verschiedenen in-silico-Chromosomen und Contigs zugeordnet sind, eine Subfamilie. Aus den Sequenzen der Subklone wurden zwei Subklon-Contigs gebildet, die im in-silico-Chromosomenabschnitt von Chr 2N (Bvchr2.un.sca001) positioniert wurden. Dadurch wurden Regionen bisher unbekannter Sequenz entschlüsselt. Abweichungen zwischen den assemblierten Daten und den Subklonsequenzen deuten auf Assemblierungsfehler der Genomsequenz in repetitiven Bereichen hin. Die in dieser Arbeit erzielten Ergebnisse ermöglichen erstmalig die eindeutige Identifizierung aller B.-vulgaris-Chromosomen unabhängig vom Zellzyklusstadium und im Einklang mit genetischen Informationen. Zytogenetische sind jetzt mit molekularen Daten integrierbar und können verwendet werden, um den chromosomenspezifischen Satelliten-DNA-Gehalt aufzudecken und mögliche chromosomenspezifische Subfamilien zu identifizieren. Sie erlauben, physikalische Abstände zwischen Markern zu ermitteln und die Abdeckung von Kopplungsgruppen im terminalen Bereich zu untersuchen. Die Ergebnisse tragen dazu bei, Marker und nicht zugeordnete Contigs und Scaffolds zu kartieren, Ursachen für Lücken aufzudecken und damit die Sequenzdaten des Zuckerrübengenoms zu einer fortlaufenden, hochqualitativen Sequenz zu assemblieren. Die zytogenetischen Daten bilden zudem die Basis für zukünftige Untersuchungen struktureller Umbauten von Chromosomen, die während der Genomevolution stattfanden
The correlation of genetic, physical and cytological data is crucial for interdisciplinary genome and chromosome analyses. Beta vulgaris (2n = 18) is an important crop and an object of basic research. Although it is an intensely analysed species, its genetic linkage groups (LG) have not been assigned to chromosomes. Additionally, sugar beet chromosomes lack distinct morphological features and could therefore not be identified and classified individually. Consequently, results generated by cytogenetic methods can not be readily applied to genetic and physical maps. Cytogenetic approaches enable analysing structural chromosomal changes, identifying and localizing repetitive DNA, and mapping of markers which are difficult to place within linkage maps. Therefore, the main objective of this work has been the development of a FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization) procedure that correlates LGs with chromosomes of sugar beet and that allows the microscopic identification of individual chromosome arms. In this work a FISH reference karyotype for sugar beet has been established. A set of 18 BACs (bacterial artificial chromosome) allows the unequivocal identification of each sugar beet chromosome and assigns them to the southern and northern ends of LGs. Hence, the chromosomes are numbered in accordance with the genetic map. The arm-specific BACs and the satellite DNA families pBV and pBV VI or pEV and pAv34 have been hybridized simultaneously to assign the distribution patterns of the highly abundant sequence families to chromosomes. Simultaneous hybridization of the four repetitive probes revealed a chromosome-specific pattern of subtelomeric, intercalary and centromeric signals. Thus, each of the sugar beet chromosomes can be identified in a single FISH experiment. Furthermore, chromosomes with a high content of repetitive DNA have been identified and chromosomal regions that may hinder the correct sequence assembly have been localized. The BAC set as well as the pooled satellite DNA probes discriminate the somatic chromosomes for the first time independently from trisomic lines. Since the chromosomes are differentially labelled with the satellite DNA probes their physical distances could be determined and correlated with genetic distances of the corresponding LGs. A LG-specific recombination frequency from 0.73 to 1.14 Mb/cM has been disclosed. BACs and subtelomeric or telomeric sequences have been hybridized simultaneously on pachytene chromosomes to estimate distances between BACs plus the markers they contain and the physical chromosome ends. Five BACs showed substantial distances to the physical chromosome ends; the corresponding LGs could thus be extended by additional markers. Furthermore, three BACs showing only minor distances to chromosome ends have been investigated in detail by fiber-FISH. One of these BACs was localized closely adjacent to the telomere. For this chromosome end (Chr 2N) it is unlikely that the LG could be extended distally by additional markers and is therefore considered to be closed. The BACs for the chromosome ends Chr 4S and Chr 9S have been too distant from the terminal probe to be bridged by fiber-FISH. For them it is likely that further markers can be placed distally. Furthermore, the B. vulgaris genomic sequence RefBeet 1.0 has been investigated. Scaffolds containing terminal genetic markers have been identified bioinformatically and analysed for the content of subtelomeric and telomeric sequences. The occurrence of terminal sequences confirms the terminal localization of in silico chromosome segments. Three scaffolds with an initially unknown position could thus be allocated to in silico chromosomes and to the northern or southern position on the chromosome. The strand orientation of 16 scaffolds has been determined based on the localization of terminal sequences in relation to the genetic marker considering the results of FISH on pachytene chromosomes. The distance between markers and terminal sequences has been determined for 14 scaffolds. The median is 196 kb. It is likely that further markers can be placed distally from all LG ends except for the north of LG 2 and LG 4. Satellite DNA is usually homogenous within one species; however, it can form chromosome-specific variants. Southern hybridization revealed that the BAC marker for Chr 2N contains the subtelomeric sequence family pAv34. The BAC has been subcloned and the pAv34 content of the subclones has been analysed by Southern hybridization. Positive clones have been sequenced. Thereby, four pAv34-2N monomeres have been detected. Compared to full-length pAv34 motives derived from the RefBeet 1.0 and from unassembled sequence data of the RefBeet 0.2 the pAv34-2N units form a subfamily together with pAv34 copies assigned to different in silico chromosomes and contigs. The subclone sequences have been assembled to two subclone contigs, which have been positioned within the in silico chromosome segment of Chr 2N (Bvchr2.un.sca001). Thereby, regions of unknown sequence have been decoded and probable misassemblies in repetitive regions within the RefBeet 1.0 have been disclosed. The results obtained in this work enable the identification of all sugar beet chromosomes independently from their stage of cell division and in accordance with genetic information. Cytogenetic data are integrated with molecular data and can be used for identifying the chromosome-specific distribution of repeats and chromosome-specific repeat variants. They enable determining physical distances between markers and investigating the terminal coverage of LGs. The results support the correct mapping of markers and unassigned contigs, uncover reasons for gaps within maps and sequence assemblies, and thus contribute to assembling data into a continuous high quality genome sequence of sugar beet. Moreover, the cytogenetic data represent the basis for future investigations of structural chromosomal changes that took place during evolution