A Síndrome de Rubinstein-Taybi (RTSs) é uma doença rara de herança autossômica dominante, caracterizada por dismorfismos craniofaciais, polegares e háluces alargados, deficiência intelectual e de crescimento. RTSs tem sido associada com mutações no gene CREBBP (CBP) e mutações menos frequentes no gene EP300 que foram descritas em oito indivíduos. CBP e p300 possuem alta homologia e são extremamente importantes em várias vias de sinalização, principalmente como coativadores de transcrição e na acetilação das histonas. Nosso estudo baseou-se na análise de alterações moleculares por sequenciamento direto do CBP, FISH e array-CGH em 20 pacientes com RTSs. Dos 20 pacientes avaliados por sequenciamento direto foram identificadas oito alterações moleculares, dentre estas, seis são alterações moleculares novas as quais não foram descritas na literatura, são elas: i) duas deleções (p.M747fs STOP830 e p.G1011fs STOP1021) ii) duas alterações do tipo nonsense (p.Arg1341X, p.Arg1498X) iii) três do tipo missense (p.Arg1907Trp, p.Leu604Pro e p.His1291Arg). Também identificamos um polimorfismo de único nucleotídeo (SNP) (rs115594471/ c.5874CT). Dois pacientes apresentaram deleção do gene CBP em um dos alelos, identificado pelo método array-CGH. Outro, apresentou uma translocação aparentemente equilibrada t(2;16), cuja análise subsequente com FISH revelou uma quebra na região do CBP. Neste trabalho, a taxa de detecção de alteração molecular no CBP por sequenciamento direto foi de 40% (08/20). Porém, a taxa de detecção das alterações moleculares no CBP foi de 55% (11/20), considerando a combinação das diferentes técnicas utilizadas (FISH, sequenciamento direto e array-CGH). Não houve correlação genótipo-fenótipo, exceto por uma maior frequência da presença de epicanto nos pacientes com alteração no CBP. Os resultados obtidos neste trabalho servem como o diagnóstico molecular para os pacientes com RTSs atendidos no Ambulatório do Laboratório de investigação Médica 001 (ALIM 001) do Instituto da Criança - FMUSP, contribuindo para uma melhor orientação médica, como também para realização do aconselhamento genético às famílias / Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome (RTSs) is a rare autosomal dominant disease characterized by craniofacial dysmorphisms, broad thumbs and toes, mental and growth deficiency. RTS has been associated with CREBBP (CBP) gene mutations and less frequently with mutations in EP300 gene, which have been reported in eight individuals. CBP and p300 have high homology and are extremely important in many signaling pathways especially as transcriptional coactivators and histone acetylation. Our study was based on the alteration analysis by direct sequencing of the CBP, by FISH and array-CGH in 20 RTSs patients. We identified eight molecular alterations in 20 RTSs patients evaluated by direct sequencing: i) two deletions (p.M747fs STOP830 and p.G1011fs STOP1021) ii) two nonsense alterations (p.Arg1341X and p.Arg1498X) iii) Three missense alteration (p.Arg1907Trp, p.Leu604Pro and p.His1291Arg). Single-nucleotide polymorphism were also identified (rs115594471 / c.5874CT), and six of these are new molecular alterations, not described in literature. Two RTSs patients studied had CBP gene deletion in one allele, identified by array-CGH method. Other patient, presented with apparent balanced translocation t(2;16) in which the subsequent analysis using FISH, showed a break in region of CBP. In this work, the rate of detection of molecular alteration in CBP by direct sequencing in RTSs patient was 40.0% (08/20). However, the rate of detection of molecular alteration in CBP was 55.0% (11/20), considering the combination of different techniques (FISH, direct sequencing and array-CGH. No significant correlation could be established in this study between the different types of mutations and genotype-phenotype of RTSs patients, except a higher frequency of the presence of epicanthus in the RTS patients with alteration in the CBP. The results of this study serve as a molecular diagnosis for RTSs patients treated at the Ambulatory of the Medical Investigation Laboratory 001 (ALIM 001) of the Instituto da Criança - FMUSP, and this contributes to better clinical management, such as making an appropriate genetic counseling for families

Genetic changes are hallmarks of cancer development involving the activation and/or inactivation of oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes, respectively. In non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) development, the initiation of genetic mutations results from exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation. Non-melanoma skin cancers are comprised of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Several related cutaneous lesions also exist, of which solar keratoses (SK) are widely accepted as a precursor dysplasia to SCC development. The study of recurrent genetic changes present within NMSC and SK should help reveal causative mutations in skin cancer development. Such analysis could also elucidate links in the genetic similarity of these dysplasia. The rapid screening of numerical changes in DNA sequence copy number throughout the entire genome has been made possible by the advent of comparative genomic hybridisation (CGH). This technique enables the identification of net gains and loss of genetic material within a tumour DNA sample. Chromosomal regions of recurrent gain or loss identify loci containing putative oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes, respectively with potential roles in NMSC tumourigenesis. Used in conjunction with tissue microdissection and universal degenerate PCR techniques this can enable the elucidation of aberrations in small histologically distinct regions of tumour. Such a technique can utilize archival material such as paraffin embedded tissue, which is the major source of neoplastic material available for cancer research. This study used the CGH technique to investigate aberrations in BCC, SCC and SK samples. The screening of copy number abnormalities (CNAs) in BCC revealed that although these tumours were close to diploid and generally genetically stable, they did contain several recurrent aberrations. The loss of genetic material at 9q was identified in a third of BCC tumours studied. This is characteristic of inactivation of the PTCH tumour suppressor gene, a known attribute in some sporadic BCC development. Validation of this loss was performed via loss of heterozygosity, demonstrating good concordance with the CGH data. In addition the over-representation of the 6p chromosome arm was revealed in 47% of biopsies. This novel CNA is also commonly observed in other cutaneous neoplasias, including Merkel cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma. This suggests a possible common mechanism in development and or promotion in these cutaneous dysplasias, the mechanisms of which have yet to be clearly defined. In contrast to BCC, numerical genetic aberrations in SCC and SK were much more frequent. Several regions of recurrent gain were commonly shared between both dysplasias including gain of 3q, 4p, 5p, 8q, 9q, 14q, 17p, 17q and 20q. Common chromosomal regions of loss included 3p, 8p, 9p, 11p, 13q and 17p. In addition loss of chromosome 18 was significantly observed in SCC in comparison to SK, a possible defining event in SK progression to SCC. The identification of shared genetic aberrations suggests a clonal and genetic relationship between the two lesions. This information further supports the notion for re-classification of SK to an SCC in situ or superficial SCC. Finally, the CNAs detected have been similarly observed in other squamous cell-derived tumours, for example cervical and head and neck SCC. This provides further evidence to common mechanisms involved in the initiation, development and progression of SCC neoplasia. This study has identified a number of recurrent chromosomal regions, some of which are novel in NMSC development. The further delineation of these loci should provide additional evidence of their significance and degree of involvement in NMSC tumourigenesis. The identification of the cancer-causing genes mapped to these loci will further demarcate the genetic mechanisms of BCC and SCC progression. An understanding of the events involved in skin cancer formation and progression should shed additional light on molecular targets for diagnostics, management and therapeutic treatment.

No description available.

Submitted by Alison Vanceto (alison-vanceto@hotmail.com) on 2017-02-23T13:20:14Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseCFY.pdf: 5114033 bytes, checksum: 6922d93e7dda82cee55aa69273fa7013 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ronildo Prado (ronisp@ufscar.br) on 2017-03-14T19:51:58Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseCFY.pdf: 5114033 bytes, checksum: 6922d93e7dda82cee55aa69273fa7013 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ronildo Prado (ronisp@ufscar.br) on 2017-03-14T19:52:08Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseCFY.pdf: 5114033 bytes, checksum: 6922d93e7dda82cee55aa69273fa7013 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-03-14T20:02:44Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseCFY.pdf: 5114033 bytes, checksum: 6922d93e7dda82cee55aa69273fa7013 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-10-24 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Triportheus genus (Characiformes, Triportheidae) presents a particular scenario 1 in fishes, with a ZZ/ZW sex chromosomes system for all species until now investigated. The Z chromosome is metacentric and the largest one of the karyotype, remaining morphologically conserved in all species. In contrast, the W chromosome differs in shape and size among species, from almost identical to markedly reduced in size in relation to the Z, with a clear heterochromatin accumulation associated with its differentiation process. This scenario in Triportheus, along with a well defined phylogeny for this group, provided an excellent opportunity to investigate the evolutionary events associated with the sex chromosomes differentiation, a matter of increasing interest to evolutionary biology in recent years. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the origin and differentiation of sex chromosomes in eight Triportheus species, using diverse conventional and molecular cytogenetics tools, such as C-banding, chromosomal mapping of rDNAs and several other repetitive DNA sequences, comparat ive genomic hybridization (CGH), microdissection of Z and W chromosomes and whole chromosome painting (WCP). The preferential accumulation of repetitive DNAs on the W chromosome highlighted the predominant participation of these sequences in the differentiation of this chromosome. Notably, the differential accumulation of microsatellites, and a hybridization pattern with no direct correlation to the ancestry of the W chromosome, put in evidence the particular evolutionary processes that shaped the sex-specific chromosome among species. The chromosomal mapping of 5S and 18S rDNAs and U2 DNAsn highlighted a very particular scenario in the distribution of these multigene families in Triportheus. Indeed, the variability in number of the rDNA sites on the autosomes, as well as the syntenic "status" of these three multigene families, showed their intense dynamism in the karyotype evolution, revealing a much more complex organization of these genes than previously supposed for closely related species. In addition, the occurrence of U2 DNAsn on the W chromosome of T. albus appears as an evolutionary novelty, while the occurrence of 18S rDNA in the Wq terminal region of all species pointed to a conserved condition for the genus, as well as a peculiarity in the evolutionary process of the W chromosome. Noteworthy, the use of WCP, and especially CGH experiments, put in evidence sequences which are shared by both Z and W chromosomes and sequences that are unique to each one. Thus, the Wq terminal region stood out with a high concentration of female specific sequences, in coincidence with the location of the 18S rDNA genes, allowing inferences about the origin of these cistrons on the sex-specific chromosome. Our data also showed that the ZZ/ZW system had, in fact, a common origin in Triportheus, considering the homologies found in chromosomal paintings using the Z and W probes. Triportheus auritus is the direct representative of the first lineage to differentiate in the genus and WCP experiments, using the Z chromosome probe of this species, have showed how this chromosome is notably conserved in all investigated species. On the other hand, the W chromosome showed variable patterns of homology among species, highlighting the molecular divergence emerged along its evolutionary history. In conclusion, the results obtained in this study allowed to certify the common origin of the ZZ/ZW sex system in Triportheus and to evaluate the intra- and inter-specific genomic homologies and differences between the sex pair, resulting in significant advances in the knowledge of the origin and differentiation of the sex chromosomes among lower vertebrates. / O gênero Triportheus (Characiformes, Triportheidae) apresenta um cenário 1 incomum entre os peixes, com a ocorrência de um sistema de cromossomos sexuais ZZ/ZW para todas as espécies já investigadas. O cromossomo Z é metacêntrico e o maior do cariótipo, permanecendo morfologicamente conservado em todas as espécies. Contrariamente, o cromossomo W apresenta formas variáveis e tamanhos distintos entre as espécies, podendo apresentar tamanho quase idêntico ao do cromossomo Z até acentuadamente reduzido em relação a ele, com um nítido acúmulo de heterocromatina associado ao processo de diferenciação desse cromossomo. Este cenário em Triportheus, juntamente com a filogenia já bem definida para este grupo, possibilitou uma oportunidade excelente para a investigação de eventos evolutivos associados aos cromossomos sexuais, aspecto este que vem despertando interesse crescente na biologia evolutiva nos últimos anos. Assim sendo, a proposta deste estudo foi investigar a origem e a diferenciação dos cromossomos sexuais em oito espécies de Triportheus, usando ferramentas diversificadas da citogenética convencional e molecular, como o bandamento-C, mapeamento cromossômico de DNAr e diversas outras classes de DNAs repetitivos, hibridização genômica comparativa (CGH), microdissecção dos cromossomos Z e W e pintura cromossômica total (WCP). O acúmulo preferencial de várias sequências de DNAs repetitivos no cromossomo W possibilitou destacar a participação preponderante deste componente do genoma na diferenciação do cromossomo sexo18 específico. Notadamente, o acúmulo diferencial de microssatélites colocou em evidência processos evolut ivos específicos do cromossomo W entre as espécies, bem como um padrão acumulativo que não apresenta correlação direta com a ancestralidade deste cromossomo. O mapeamento cromossômico do DNAr 5S e 18S e do DNAsn U2 evidenciou um cenário bastante particular na distribuição dessas famílias multigênicas em Triportheus. A variabilidade em relação ao número de sítios de DNAr nos autossomos, assim como o “status” sintênico dessas três famílias, evidenciaram o dinamismo evolutivo desses genes mesmo entre espécies proximamente relacionadas. Além disso, a ocorrência de DNAsn U2 no cromossomo W de T. albus evidenciou uma novidade evolutiva, enquanto a ocorrência de DNAr 18S na região Wq terminal confirmou uma condição conservada no gênero, assim como uma peculiaridade do processo evolut ivo do cromossomo W, visto que todas as espécies analisadas até o momento são portadoras dessas sequências. O emprego de WCP, e principalmente de CGH, possibilitou demonstrar a localização de sequências que são compartilhadas pelos cromossomos Z e W, bem como de sequências que são exclusivas de cada um deles. Assim, a região Wq terminal se destacou por apresentar uma grande concentração de sequências específicas de fêmeas, em coincidência com a localização do cluster de DNAr 18S, possibilitando inferências sobre a origem destes cístrons no cromossomo sexo-específico. Nossos dados também demonstraram que o sistema ZZ/ZW teve, de fato, uma origem comum em Triportheus, considerando as homologias encontradas nos mapeamentos cromossômicos com sondas dos cromossomos sexuais Z e W. Triportheus auritus é a espécie representante direta da primeira linhagem a se diferenciar no gênero e experimentos de WCP, utilizando a sonda do cromossomo Z desta espécie, mostrou que este cromossomo se encontra notavelmente conservado em todas as espécies investigadas. Por outro lado, o cromossomo W apresentou padrões variáveis de homologia entre as espécies, destacando divergências moleculares diferencialmente moldadas ao longo da sua história evolutiva. Em conclusão, os resultados obtidos no presente estudo possibilitaram atestar a origem comum do sistema ZZ/ZW em Triportheus, bem como avaliar divergências e similaridades genômicas intra- e interespecíficas quanto ao par sexual, obtendo-se avanços significativos no conhecimento da origem e diferenciação dos cromossomos sexuais entre os vertebrados inferiores. / CAPES: 11744/13–8

A perda auditiva é o defeito mais comum ao nascimento e cerca de 70 milhões de pessoas no mundo apresentam algum grau de perda auditiva. Além da alta incidência, as implicações da perda auditiva na linguagem, na cognição e no desenvolvimento emocional e social reforçam sua importância. No entanto, em grande parte dos pacientes, a causa da deficiência auditiva não é esclarecida. Nós usamos hibridação comparativa do genoma baseada em arrays (Array Comparative Genomic Hybridization aCGH) para investigar alterações no número de cópias de segmentos de DNA (Copy Number Variation CNV) em 31 indivíduos que apresentavam deficiência auditiva e sinais clínicos adicionais, mas que não puderam ser classificados em síndrome conhecida. A escolha de indivíduos sindrômicos se baseou no pressuposto de que, em média, apresentam alterações genômicas maiores e, portanto, mais provavelmente detectáveis com o uso de aCGH de 1 Mb, que era a plataforma disponível no início do projeto. CNVs não descrita em bancos de dados de indivíduos normais foram identificadas em oito pacientes, quatro delas ocorreram de novo enquanto as outras quatro foram herdadas de um genitor fenotipicamente normal. As alterações de novo definem segmentos cromossômicos que provavelmente contém genes relacionados à deficiência auditiva e sensíveis a dose, especificamente: 1q23.3-q25.2, 2q22q23, 6p25.3 e 11q13.2-q13.4. As alterações raras identificadas tanto nos pacientes quanto em um genitor normal poderiam ser um evento ao acaso, sem papel na deficiência auditiva; no entanto, a possibilidade de que essas alterações possam funcionar como fatores de predisposição não podem ser descartadas. Se considerarmos apenas as CNVs de novo como causativas dos fenótipos investigados, detectamos quatro pacientes portadores entre os 31 investigados (13%). Se considerarmos também as CNVs herdadas como possivelmente causativas, a taxa de desequilíbrios cromossômicos associados à surdez será de 26%. Esses resultados são provavelmente uma substimativa e esses números seriam possivelmente maiores com o uso de uma das plataformas de alta resolução disponíveis atualmente. Esses resultados, embora limitados, indicam que investigação por aCGH em pacientes com surdez sindrômica idiopática está entre os testes mais eficientes para detectar etiologia dos fenótipos, devendo ser incorporado à rotina no diagnóstico e aconselhamento genético. / Hearing loss is the most common congenital deficiency and about 70 million people worldwide present some degree of hearing impairment. In addition to its high incidence, hearing loss impacts language, cognition and social and emotional development. However, in a large proportion of patients, the cause of the hearing deficiency cannot be elucidated. We screened copy number changes by 1 Mb-array Comparative Genomic Hybridization (aCGH) in 31 individuals with syndromic hearing impairment whose clinical features were untypical for known disorders. The choice of evaluating syndromic rather than non-syndromic individuals was based on the assumption that they are more likely to carry larger genomic alterations which could be more easily detected by the comparatively low resolution 1 Mb aCCG, which was the available platform when this project started. Copy number changes (CNV) not documented in the database of normal individuals were detected in eight patients, four de novo imbalances and four inherited from a normal parent. The de novo alterations define candidate chromosome segments likely to harbor dosage sensitive genes related to hearing impairment, namely 1q23.3-q25.2, 2q22q23, 6p25.3 and 11q13.2- q13.4. The rare imbalances also present in normal parents might be casually associated with hearing impairment, but also have a possible role as a predisposition factor. When only the de novo CNVs were considered causative for the disease phenotypes, our study revealed relevant copy number changes in 4 patients (13%). If we also count the rare CNVs that had been inherited as possibly causative, the frequency of chromosome imbalances associated with syndromic deafness in our sample becomes 26%. These figures are probably underestimates and will probably become larger when high resolution oligoarray platforms are applied. These results indicate that aCGH is an efficient tool for defining the etiology of syndromic deafness and its use in routine diagnosis of hearing impairment and for genetic counseling is highly recommended.

9 ABSTRACT Tatiana Labudová: Genetic changes in neuroectodermal tumours detected by molecular biological methods. Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Science, Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics Thesis, 75 pages,8 supplements, 2012 This thesis is concerned to neuroectodermal tumours that make a major group of infant tumour diseases. Genetic material gained from patients with neuroectodermal tumours was examined using comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) and interphasic fluorescence in situ hybridization (I-FISH). The aim of this Thesis is to prove chromosomal changes and to create the whole genetic profile. According to these profiles can be determined tumourgenetic cascade or specific genetic changes that lead to malignant tumours. In some cases (f.e. neuroblastoms) the genetic profile helps us to determine a subtype of disease and it's biological behaviour. Keywords: tumour diseases, neuroblastoma, CNS tumours, pheochromocytoma, Ewing's sarcoma, neuroectodermal tumour, comparative genomic hybridization, interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization

INTRODUÇÃO: Crianças com baixa estatura constituem um grupo heterogêneo. Em uma parcela dos casos, o mecanismo envolvido nesse processo decorre de alterações genéticas. OBJETIVO: Realizar uma investigação clínica e genético-molecular de um grupo de pacientes com baixa estatura de causa desconhecida. MÉTODOS: Selecionamos crianças com baixa estatura persistente (escore-Z de altura <= -2 para idade e sexo) de causa desconhecida para avaliação genômica. O estudo foi dividido em 2 etapas: 1ª etapa - avaliação de 229 pacientes com baixa estatura sindrômica [baixa estatura associada a outros achados dismórficos (atraso de desenvolvimento neuropsicomotor e/ou déficit intelectual, presença de dismorfismos faciais e/ou outras malformações)] por cariótipo molecular (aCGH/SNPa); 2ª etapa: avaliação de 99 crianças com baixa estatura persistente, nascidas pequenas para idade gestacional (PIG - escore-Z de peso e/ou comprimento ao nascer <= -2 para idade gestacional) e classificação de acordo com a presença ou ausência de dismorfismos associados. Essas crianças foram divididas em dois grupos: baixa estatura sindrômica (n=44) e baixa estatura isolada (n=55). Pacientes com baixa estatura sindrômica foram avaliados por sequenciamento exômico (WES). Pacientes com baixa estatura isolada foram avaliados através de painel gênico (n = 39) ou WES (n = 16). RESULTADOS: 1ª etapa: 32 (14%) pacientes com baixa estatura sindrômica apresentaram variações no número de cópias (CNVs) patogênicas ou possivelmente patogênicas. Sete delas são recorrentes em outros estudos e são responsáveis por cerca de 40% de todas as CNVs patogênicas/possivelmente patogênicas encontradas em pacientes com baixa estatura de causa desconhecida. 2ª fase: Dentre os 99 pacientes avaliados com baixa estatura nascidos PIG, foram encontradas 23 variantes patogênicas/possivelmente patogênicas em genes já associados à distúrbios de crescimento. Quinze (34%) nos pacientes com baixa estatura sindrômica, em genes relacionados a processos celulares fundamentais, vias de reparo de DNA e vias intracelulares; e oito (15%) em pacientes com baixa estatura isolada, em genes associados à cartilagem de crescimento e a via RAS/MAPK. CONCLUSÃO: A heterogeneidade dos pacientes com baixa estatura dificulta o diagnóstico clínico. As novas abordagens genômicas permitem estabelecer o diagnóstico etiológico de crianças com baixa estatura de causa desconhecida / BACKGROUND: Patients born small for gestational age (SGA) are a heterogenous group, and in several cases, it is due to genetic processes. AIM: To perform a clinical and genetic-molecular investigation of short stature patients of unknown cause. METHODS: We selected short stature children (height <= -2 SDS for age and sex) of unknown cause for genomic evaluation. The study had two stages: 1st stage - 229 syndromic short stature patients (patients with short stature and dysmorphic features, developmental delay, and/or intellectual disability) were evaluated by molecular karyotype (aCGH/SNPa); 2nd stage: We selected 99 short stature children born SGA (birth weight and/or length <=-2 SDS for gestational age). They were classified according to the presence or absence of dysmorphic features into two groups: syndromic short stature (n=44) and isolated short stature (n=55). Patients with syndromic short stature were evaluated by whole exome sequencing (WES), and patients with isolated short stature were evaluated through a target panel sequencing (n=39) or WES (n=16). RESULTS: 1st stage: 32 (14%) syndromic short stature patients had pathogenic or probably pathogenic copy number variations (CNVs). We observed seven recurrent CNVs that are responsible for about 40% of all pathogenic/probably pathogenic genomic imbalances found in short stature patients of unknown cause. 2nd stage: Of the 99 patients evaluated, 23 pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants were found in genes already associated with growth disorders. Fifteen (34%) syndromic short stature patients had pathogenic variants in genes related to fundamental cellular processes, DNA repair and intracellular pathways; and eight (15%) isolated short stature patients had pathogenic variants in genes associated with growth plate development and the RAS/MAPK pathway. CONCLUSION: The heterogeneity of short stature makes the clinical diagnosis difficult. The new genomic approaches are effective to diagnose a larger number of undiagnosed patients

No description available.

Due to their phylogenetic position, Psychidae play an important role in the investigation of the W chromosome origin in Lepidoptera. Several species of Psychidae were tested for the presence of sex-chromatin and investigated via comparative genomic hybridization. Furthermore, odd chromosome numbers and a Z univalent were observed in females. Overall, this study brings tangible evidence for the absence of the W chromosome in Psychidae, thus contributes to complex knowledge of the W chromosome evolution. In addition, karyotypes of the given species were analyzed using 18S rDNA and histone H3 probes. The results indicate relative stability of their karyotypes.

Cytogenetics of mesothelid spiders is largely unkown. The presented diploma thesis is focused on the karyotype evolution of these spiders. As it is the most basal group of spiders, the analysis of its cytogenetics can bring important data about ancestral spider karyotype. In the framework of my thesis, I analysed diploid chromosome numbers, chromosome morphology, meiotic division, sex chromosomes and the pattern of selected molecular markers that were detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization. According to my results, mesothelid spiders have a high number of chromosomes and the prevalence of monoarmed chromosomes. Unlike other spiders, mesothelids have little differentiated sex chromosomes. Key words: evolution, spider, chromosome, karyotype, fluorescence in situ hybridization, nucleolar organiser region, sex chromosomes