title: Karyotype distributions in a stochastic model of reciprocal translocation.
abstract: A random process of reciprocal translocation for a fixed number k of chromosomes (or arms) will have an equilibrium distribution of chromosome lengths. In this paper we calculate this distribution, by analytical means for k = 2 and partially for k = 3, and simulate the means of the marginal distributions for higher k. We compare this with a random (i.e., ahistorical) distribution of genomic DNA among k chromosomes and to a selection of karyotypes of real organisms. The results motivate a revised model where translocations giving rise to undersize chromosomes are disadvantaged.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches Mathématiques, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada. sankoff@ere.umontreal.ca
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sankoff
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ferretti
mesh_terms: D007621:Karyotyping; D008957:Models, Genetic; D013269:Stochastic Processes; D014178:Translocation, Genetic