Evidence for the existence of satellite DNA-containing connection between metaphase chromosomes.
Physical connections between mitotic chromosomes have been reported previously. It was assumed that the interchromosome connection was based on the DNA-protein thread. However, the data about DNA sequences and protein component in the thread is fragmentary. We demonstrated on the mouse cultured cell line and prematurely condensed chromosomes that: (a) all four mouse satellite DNA fragments (major and minor satellite, mouse satellite 3 (MS3) and mouse satellite 4 (MS4)) were involved in the thread formation; (b) MS4 was involved in the thread to the least extent among all the other fragments; (c) telomere was never a member of the thread; (d) the thread was synthesized at a late G(2) phase; (e) RNA helicase p68 and CENP-B were among the protein components of the interchromosome connection. It was shown by FACS analysis that in mouse and human cell lines: (1) the flow karyotype spectrums were never free from chromosome aggregates; (2) chromosome association did not depend on the chromosome length and each chromosome was free to associate with the other.
Kuznetsova
I S
IS
Institute of Cytology RAS, Tikhoretsky Avenue 4, St Petersburg, Russia.
Enukashvily
N I
NI
Noniashvili
E M
EM
Shatrova
A N
AN
Aksenov
N D
ND
Zenin
V V
VV
Dyban
A P
AP
Podgornaya
O I
OI
D000818:Animals; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000235:genetics; D002460:Cell Line; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D051936:Centromere Protein B / Q000378:metabolism; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases / Q000378:metabolism; D004276:DNA, Satellite / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008677:Metaphase / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008938:Mitosis / Q000235:genetics; D016615:Telomere / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D051936:Centromere Protein B; D004276:DNA, Satellite; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases