Skip to main content
Log in

Genome size and heterochromatin variation in rodents

  • Published:
Genetica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Nuclear DNA amounts are determined in 16 species and the C-banding patterns for 19 species of rodents. A list of rodent DNA amounts is compiled. The fraction of heterochromatin in the genome is determined as the length of C-banded chromosome material relative to the total karyotype length. Among all rodents, heterochromatin amounts tend to be larger in the larger genomes. However, this relationship is not exact and does not hold true for individual genera. In general the notion of a basic rodent genome of defined size to which various amounts of heterochromatin have been added is untenable.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Árnason, Ú., Purdom, I. F. & Jones, K. W., 1978. Conservatism and chromosomal localization of DNA satellites in Balenopterid whales. Chromosoma 66: 141–159.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arright, F. E., Hsu, T. C., Pathak, S. & Sawada, H., 1974. The sex chromosomes of the Chinese hamster: constitutive heterochromatin deficient in repetitive DNA sequences. Cytogenet. Cell Genet. 13: 268–274.

    Google Scholar 

  • Atkin, N. B., Mattison, G., Becak, W. & Ohno, S., 1965. The comparative DNA content of 19 species of placental mammals, reptiles, and birds. Chromosoma 17: 1–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bachmann, K., 1972. Genome size in mammals. chromosoma 37: 85–93.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bachmann, K., Goin, O. B. & Goin, C. J., 1972. Nuclear DNA amounts in vertebrates. In: ‘Evolution of genetic systems’ (H. H., Smith, Editor) Gordon and Breach, New York (23rd Brookhaven Symposium).

    Google Scholar 

  • Bachmann, K. & Rheinsmith, E. I., 1973. Nuclear DNa amounts in Pacific Crustacea. Chromosoma 43: 225–236.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, J. E. K. & Hsu, T. C., 1972. The C-band and G-band patterns of Microtus agrestis chromosomes. Cytogenetics 11: 295–304.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deaven, L. L., Vidal-Rioja, I., Jett, J. H. & Hsu, T. C., 1977. Chromosomes of Peromyscus (Rodentia, Cricetidae) VI. The genomic size. Cytogenet. Cell Genet. 19: 241–249.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunsmuir, R., 1976. Satellite DNA in the kangaroo Macropus rufogriseus. Chromosoma 56: 111–125.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fredga, K., Persson, A. & Stenseth, N. C., 1980. Centricfission in Microtus oeconomus. A chromosome study of isolated populations in Fennoscandia. Hereditas 92: 209–216.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gamperl, R., 1980, Karyological studies on European rats. Genetica 52; 53: 87–92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gamperl, R., 1982. Chromosomal evolution in the genus Clethrionomys. Genetica 57: 193–197.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gamperl, R. & Vistorin, G., 1980. Comparative study of G-and C-banded chromosomes of Gerbillus campestris and Meriones unguiculatus. Genetica 52; 53: 93–97.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greilhuber, J., 1977. Nuclear DNA and heterochromatin contents in the Scilla hohenackeri group, Scilla persica and Puschkinia scilloides (Liliaceae). Plant Syst. Evol. 128: 243–257.

    Google Scholar 

  • Habenicht, H., 1978. Cytogenetischer Vergleich der drei Apodemus-Arten A. sylvaticus, A. flavicollis und A. agrarius unter morphologischen and ökologischen Aspekten. Dissertation, Graz.

  • Hatch, F. T., Bodner, A. J., Mazrimas, J. A. & Moore, D. H., 1976. Satellite DNA and cytogenetic evolution. DNA quantity, satellite DNA and karyotypic variations in kangaroo rats (genus Dipodomys). Chromosoma 58: 155–168.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hennig, W. & Walker, P. M. B., 1970. Variations in the DNA from two rodent families (Cricetidae and Muridae). Nature 225: 915–919.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hsu, T. C. & Arrighi, F. E., 1971. Distribution of constitutive heterochromatin in mammalian chromosomes. Chromosoma 34: 243–253.

    Google Scholar 

  • King, M. & John, B., 1980. Regularities and restrictions governing C-band variation in acridoid grasshoppers. Chromosoma 76: 123–150.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kurnit, D. M., 1974. DNA helical content during C-banding procedure. Cytogenet. Cell Genet. 13: 313–329.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyapunova, E. A., Lyapunova, N. A. & Vorontsow, N. N., 1979. Genetics of Ellobius (Rodentia). II. DNA content and size of nuclei in species with divisible changes in diploid sets of chromosomes. Genetika (USSR) 15: 1480–1483.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pathak, S., Hsu, T. C. & Arrighi, F. E., 1973. Chromosomes of Peromyscus (Rodentia, Cricetidae). IV. The role of heterochromatin in karyotype evolution. Cytogenet. Cell Genet. 12: 315–326.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prescott, D. M., Bostock, C. J., Hatch, F. T., & Mazrimas, J. A., 1973. Location of satellite DNAs in the chromosomes of the Kangaroo rat (Dipodomys ordii). Chromosoma 42: 205–213.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sandritter, W., Müller, D. & Genseke, O., 1960. Ultraviolett-mikrospektrophotometrische Messungen des Nucleinsäuregehaltes von Spermien und diploiden Zellen. Acta histochemica 10: 139–154.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmid, W. & Leppert, M. F., 1968. Karyotyp, Heterochromatin und DNS-Werte bei 13 Arten von Wühlmäusen (Microtinae, Mammalia-Rodentia). Arch. J. Klaus-Stift. Vererb-Forsch. 43: 88–91.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sumner, A. T., 1972. A simple technique for demonstrating centromeric heterochromatin. Expl Cell Res. 75: 304–306.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sumner, A. T. & Buckland, R. A., 1976. Relative DNA contents of somatic nuclei of ox, sheep and goat. Chromosoma 57: 171–175.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker, P. M. B., 1968. How different are the DNAs from related animals? Nature 219: 228–232.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wassif, S., 1977. Untersuchungen über Verwandtschaftsbeziehungen in den Genera Gerbillus und Dipodillus unter Anwendung der Chromosomen-Bandentechniken. Dissertation, Göttingen.

  • Yosida, T. H. & Sagai, T., 1975. Variation of C-bands in the chromosomes of several subspecies of Rattus rattus. Chromosoma 50: 283–300.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zenzes, M. T. & Voiculescu, I., 1975. Heterochromatin (C-bands) in somatic and male germ cells in three species of Microtinae. Genetica 45: 263–272.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gamperl, R., Ehmann, C. & Bachmann, K. Genome size and heterochromatin variation in rodents. Genetica 58, 199–212 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00128014

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00128014

Keywords

Navigation