title: Cytogenetic analysis shows that the unusually large chromosome in the sex-limited pB silkworm (Bombyx mori) strain consists of three chromosomes.
abstract: We have discovered an inordinately large chromosome pair at the pachytene stage in the oocyte of the sex-limited pB (black larval marking) silkworm (Bombyx mori) strain (TWPB). We have analyzed the composition and arrangement of this large chromosome. A genetic linkage analysis shows that the large chromosome is made up of the W chromosome, the second chromosome fragment (pB fragment), and the fifth chromosome (linkage group) containing at least the region from map position 0.0 to 40.8. We also observed a sex heterochromatin body (SB) that we deduced to be made up of condensed W chromosomes. The number of SBs in each female nucleus among the sucking stomach cells of the TWPB strain was variable. Evidently, the W chromosome of the TWPB strain is attached to another chromosome. The composition of the W chromosome, the second chromosome fragment, and the fifth chromosome was studied through linkage analysis for these three chromosomes. We used two strains derived from the TWPB strain, the sex-limited pM (moricaud larval marking)-like (TWPML) and the autosomal pM-like (T5PML). The results show that the TWPML strain originates through a detachment of the fifth chromosome from the large chromosome of the TWPB strain, and the T5PML strain originates through a detachment of the W chromosome from that. Accordingly, the large chromosome of the TWPB strain is arranged in the order W chromosome--second chromosome fragment--fifth chromosome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Saiwai-cho 3-5-8, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan. ntanaka@cc.tuat.ac.jp
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsuchida
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ninagi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oshiki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D012831:Bombyx / Q000235:genetics*; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D003434:Crossing Over, Genetic; D005260:Female; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D007814:Larva; D008297:Male; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology; D012730:Sex Chromosomes