title: Cross-species chromosome painting.
abstract: Comparative genomics is an important and expanding field of research, and the genome-wide comparison of the chromosome constitution of different species makes a major contribution to this field. Cross-species chromosome painting is a powerful technique for establishing chromosome homology maps, defining the sites of chromosome fusions and fissions, investigating chromosome rearrangements during evolution and constructing ancestral karyotypes. Here the protocol for cross-species chromosome painting is presented. It includes sections on cell culture and metaphase preparation, labeling of chromosome-specific DNA, fluorescent in situ hybridization (chromosome painting) and image analysis. Cell culture and metaphase preparation can take between 1 and 2 wk depending on the cell culture. Labeling of chromosome-specific DNA is completed in 1 d. Fluorescent in situ hybridization can be completed in a maximum of 4 d.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Veterinary Science, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 OES, UK. wr203@mole.bio.cam.ac.uk
authors.forename: Willem
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rens
authors.forename: Beiyuan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Patricia C M
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: Malcolm
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferguson-Smith
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D020223:Chromosome Painting / Q000379:methods*; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D023281:Genomics / Q000379:methods; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D004247:DNA