The endemic New Zealand frog, Leiopelma hochstetteri, is characterized by variable numbers of mitotically-stable B chromosomes. In order to assess whether the B chromosomes had been derived from the autosome complement, B DNA was isolated and amplified by micromanipulation in conjunction with degenerate oligonucleotide-primed PCR. Southern hybridization patterns of B DNA probes to genomic DNA from males and females characterized by differing numbers of B's demonstrated that the B chromosomes were derived from the univalent W chromosome which is specific to females. The presence of homologous B specific sequences in B chromosomes from geographically-distinct populations show that only a single univalent W to B event had occurred. Furthermore, a plesiomorphic homology shows that the B chromosomes originated soon after the univalent W had been derived from the ancestral WZ/ZZ karyotype, which is still present in frogs from Great Barrier Island. Finally, sequence analysis of the probes reveals that B DNA is composed of repeat sequences, and has the ability to form stable hairpin structures in vivo. The molecular dynamics of these structures may reflect the inherent propensity to undergo rapid change in nucleotide sequence and chromosome structure.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.23935 |
| Date | January 1996 |
| Creators | Sharbel, Timothy F. (Timothy Francis) |
| Contributors | Green, David M. (advisor) |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Master of Science (Department of Biology.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001508013, proquestno: MM12270, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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