The AluI-induced bands in great apes and man: implication for heterochromatin characterization and satellite DNA distribution.
Restriction endonucleases have recently been proved to be active on fixed chromatin, producing differences in staining of metaphase chromosomes. In this paper we show the results obtained by treating the metaphase chromosomes of Pan troglodytes, Pan paniscus, and Gorilla gorilla with the restriction enzyme AluI. These results demonstrate qualitative differences in the telomeric heterochromatin between Pan and Gorilla despite the fact that these areas appear homogeneous in the two genera by the C-banding method. The results found with individual chromosomes in the different species also appear relevant, in the light of the evolutionary relationships between these nonhuman primates and man. Lastly, the results suggest the presence, in great apes, of some highly repetitive DNA sequences different from the human satellites I-IV.
D000818:Animals; D002871:Chromosome Banding; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes; D004276:DNA, Satellite / Q000235:genetics*; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific; D006071:Gorilla gorilla; D006570:Heterochromatin / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007621:Karyotyping; D002679:Pan troglodytes; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D013045:Species Specificity
D004276:DNA, Satellite; D006570:Heterochromatin; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes; C024669:endodeoxyribonuclease AluI; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific