Somatic pairings of the Y heterochromatin in human XYY and XYqi cells.
In human interphase nuclei containing Yq isochromosomes or two Y chromosomes, there are conspicuous somatic pairings between the brightly fluorescing Y-heterochromatin regions. These somatic pairings cannot be demonstrated in metaphases from conventional cell cultures because they are disrupted at the mitotic prophase. However, in lymphocytes cultivated in a medium containing distamycin A, the somatic pairing between Y-heterochromatin is preserved to metaphase. The present findings are compared with earlier observations of somatically paired heterochromatin. An explanation for the highly disparate frequency of somatic pairing between the Y-heterochromatin regions in Yq isochromosomes and YY chromosomes is proposed.
D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000235:genetics*; D002871:Chromosome Banding; D025063:Chromosome Disorders; D004214:Distamycins / Q000494:pharmacology; D006570:Heterochromatin / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008677:Metaphase; D012730:Sex Chromosomes / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014997:XYY Karyotype / Q000235:genetics; D014998:Y Chromosome / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure*
D004214:Distamycins; D006570:Heterochromatin; C030000:stallimycin