Physical mapping of 18S rDNA cistron in species of the Omophoita genus (Coleoptera, Alticinae) using fluorescent in situ hybridization

Structure and Evolution of Ribosomal Genes of Insect Chromosomes

Currently, clusters of 45S and 5S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) have been studied in about 1000 and 100 species of the class Insecta, respectively. Although the number of insect species with known 45S rDNA clusters (also referred to as nucleolus-organizing regions, or NORs) constitutes less than 0.1 percent of the described members of this enormous group, certain conclusions can already be drawn. Since haploid karyotypes with single 45S and 5S rDNA clusters predominate in both basal and derived insect groups, this character state is apparently ancestral for the class Insecta in general. Nevertheless, the number, chromosomal location, and other characteristics of both 45S and 5S rDNA sites substantially vary across different species, and sometimes even within the same species. There are several main factors and molecular mechanisms that either maintain these parameters or alter them on the short-term and/or long-term scale. Chromosome structure (i.e., monocentric vs. holokinetic chromosomes), excessive numbers of rRNA gene copies per cluster, interactions with transposable elements, pseudogenization, and meiotic recombination are perhaps the most important among them.

Checklist of Omophoita Chevrolat, 1836 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini) and diagnoses for some species from southern Brazil: notes on the taxonomic history, redescriptions and new records

Morphological descriptions, taxonomic history and distribution data of Omophoita species recorded for southern Brazil (states of Paran, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul) are presented. Through the analysis of the existing literature, databases, loaned material, and specimen collecting, we studied seven species of Omophoita recorded for southern Brazil: O. communis (Bechyn 1959), O. equestris (Fabricius 1787), O. magniguttis (Bechyn 1955), O. octoguttata (Fabricius 1775), O. personata (Illiger 1807), O. sesquilunata (Klug 1829), and O. sexnotata (Harold 1876). We report O. sesquilunata for this region for the first time. Updated morphological descriptions, including novel information for male and female genitalia are presented for those taxa with dissected specimens.

Catalog of the Chrysomelinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) deposited in the entomological collections of the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amaznia (INPA) and the Universidade Federal do Amazonas (UFAM), Manaus, Brazil, with an illustrated key for the genera occurring in Brazil (except Aeneolucentia, Jermaniella, and Pandona)

This paper presents a species catalog of leaf beetles of the subfamily Chrysomelinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) deposited in two important Brazilian institutions in the state of Amazonas (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amaznia and Universidade Federal do Amazonas), providing their respective type localities, geographic distributions, as well as illustrations for all listed species (including pictures of the types of Platyphora imperialis (Stl, 1858), Platyphora excellens (Stl, 1859), Platyphora sanguinipennis (Jacoby, 1895), and Platyphora olivenca (Bechyn, 1954)), and new locality records, predators, parasites, parasitoids, and host plant for some species. In addition, we provide the first illustrated key for the genera occurring in Brazil (except Aeneolucentia, Jermaniella, and Pandona).

Chromosome diversity in Buthidae and Chactidae scorpions from Brazilian fauna: Diploid number and distribution of repetitive DNA sequences

In this work, we analyzed cytogenetically eight Chactidae and Buthidae, including the localization of repetitive DNA sequences. The chactids possess monocentric chromosomes and the highest diploid numbers (2n=50 in Brotheas amazonicus, 2n=36 in Chactopsis amazonica, 2n=30 in Neochactas sp.) when compared with buthids (2n=10 in Tityus bahiensis, 2n=14 in Tityus apiacas and Tityus metuendus, 2n=18 in Tityus aba, 2n=26 in Ischnotelson peruassu). The localization of rDNA genes and (TTAGG)n sequences exhibited a conserved pattern of two terminal/subterminal ribosomal cistrons and terminal telomere signals. However, the comparison between the data of C-banding, DAPI after FISH and Cot-DNA fraction indicated a variable quantity and distribution of these regions, as follow: (i) positive heterochromatin and Cot-DNA signals (B. amazonicus and I. peruassu), (ii) small blocks of heterochromatin with large Cot-DNA signals (T. metuendus), (iii) positive heterochromatic regions and absence of Cot-DNA signals (T. aba and T. apiacas), and (iv) negative heterochromatin and Cot-DNA signals (T. bahiensis). Therefore, our results revealed that there still is not a clear relation between quantity of heterochromatin and presence of monocentric or holocentric chromosomes and occurrence of chromosomal rearrangements, indicating that repetitive regions in scorpions must be analyzed using different cytogenetic approaches.

Giant Sex Chromosomes in Omophoita Species (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae): Structural and Evolutionary Relationships Revealed by Zoo-FISH and Comparative Genomic Hybridization (CGH)

The beetles of the subtribe Oedionychina (Chrysomelidae, Alticinae) are the only ones that have the atypical giant and achiasmatic sex chromosomes, which are substantially larger than the autosomes. Previous cytogenetic analyses suggest a large accumulation of repetitive DNA in the sex chromosomes. In this study, we examined the similarity of X and Y chromosomes in four Omophoita species and compared genomic differentiation to better understand the evolutionary process and the giant sex chromosomes origin. Intraspecific genomic comparation using male and female genomes of O. octoguttata and interespecific analyses using genomic DNA of O. octoguttata, O. sexnotata, O. magniguttis, and O. personata were performed. In addition, whole chromosome painting (WCP) experiments were performed with X and Y chromosome probes of O. octogutatta. CGH analysis revealed great genomic similarity between the sexes and a sex-specific region on the Y chromosome, and interspecific analysis revealed a genomic divergence between species. In contrast, WCP results revealed that the sex chromosomes of O. octoguttata have high intra- and interspecific similarity with the studied species. Our data support a common origin under the canonical evolution of the sex chromosomes in this group, as they have high genomic similarity between them.

Cytogenetic analysis of three Ctenidae species (Araneae) from the Amazon

Cytogenetic characterization was performed on three wandering spiders: Ctenus amphora Mello-Leitão, 1930, C. crulsi Mello-Leitão, 1930 and C. villasboasi Mello-Leitão, 1949. The three species had similar karyotypes, with 2n = 28 (26 + X1X20) in males, with sex chromosomes exhibiting positive heteropicnosis in meiotic cells. 18S rDNA mapping revealed gene sites at the terminal region of one chromosomal pair for all species, with one C. crulsi individual, showing markings in two pairs. C. villasboasi showed markers only in the pachytene phase. The distribution pattern of constitutive heterochromatin was found to be characteristic for the genus, with markings in the centromeric region of all chromosomes, suggesting an acrocentric morphology for all chromosomes of the three analysed species. The results support the fusion of sex chromosomes as an evolutionary tendency for this spider group.

Cytogenetic and Molecular Characterization of Three Mimetic Species of the Genus Alagoasa Bechyné 1955 (Coleoptera: Alticinae) from the Neotropical Region

Coleoptera is a mega-diverse order, but only about 1% of its species have been analyzed cytogenetically. In this order, the subfamily Alticinae presents many identification problems, mainly due to the occurrence of mimicry. The objective of this work was to cytogenetically characterize 3 very similar species of the genus Alagoasa (A. pantina, A.areata, and A.scissa). We used classical and molecular cytogenetic as well as molecular genetic techniques. All 3 species showed a diploid chromosome number of 2n = 22 (20+X+y), but differences in the morphology of the chromosomes. All had a meiotic formula of 2n = 10II+X+y and an X+y sex determination system with giant, fully asynaptic sex chromosomes, concordant characteristics observed in the subtribe Oedionychina. FISH demonstrated the presence of 18S and 5S rDNA clusters in 1 pair of autosomes, syntenic and colocalizing in the 3 analyzed species. However, in A. areata, heteromorphism between the cistrons was observed. The telomeric (TTAGG)n probe showed signals in all 3 species, with proximal signals in the X and dispersed signals in the y chromosome of A. areata, and 2 proximal signals in the X chromosome of A. scissa. Molecular analysis of the COI gene indicated that they are 3 distinct species, corroborating the observed cytogenetic characteristics.

Accumulation of Transposable Elements in Autosomes and Giant Sex Chromosomes of Omophoita (Chrysomelidae: Alticinae)

Coleoptera is the most diverse order among insects, and comparative molecular cytogenetic studies in this group are lacking. The species of Omophoita (Oedionychina) possess a karyotype of 2n = 22 = 10II+X+Y. They are interesting models for evolutionary cytogenetic studies due to giant sex chromosomes which are asynaptic during meiosis. Transposable elements (TEs) confer plasticity and mobility to genomes and are considered hotspots for DNA double-strand breaks and chromosomal rearrangements. The objective of the present study was to verify the role of TEs in the karyotype and in the size expansion of the giant sex chromosomes in Omophoita. Thus, different TEs were characterized in the Omophoita genome and localized in the chromosomes by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The DNA sequencing data revealed identity with TE families Tc1/Mariner and RTE/L1-56_XT. FISH showed signals of all TEs in the karyotypes and a high accumulation in the sex chromosomes of the 3 Omophoita species analyzed. These data suggest that the genome size expansion and the origin of the giant sex chromosomes of Omophoita are due to an intensive genomic invasion of TEs, as those characterized here as Tc1/Mariner-Ooc and RTE-Ooc. Differences in the chromosomal location of the TEs among the 3 species indicate that they have participated in the karyotype differentiation in Omophoita.

Mechanisms of karyotype evolution in the Brazilian scorpions of the subfamily Centruroidinae (Buthidae)

The recently-revised subfamily Centruroidinae is part of the New World clade of buthid scorpions. In this study, we analyzed the cytogenetic characteristics of nine of the 10 Brazilian centruroidines, and one undescribed species of the genus Ischnotelson, using a phylogenetic approach to determine the chromosomal rearrangements responsible for the differentiation of karyotypes among the species. The cytogenetic data recorded in the present study supported the new taxonomic arrangement of the Centruroidinae, with all the species of the same genus sharing the same or similar diploid numbers, i.e., 2n = 20 or 22 in Troglorhopalurus lacrau and T. translucidus, 2n = 25 or 26 in Ischnotelson sp., I. guanambiensis and I. peruassu, and 2n = 28 in Jaguajir agamemnon, J. pintoi and J. rochae. The karyotype modelling in the ChromEvol software indicated 2n = 18 as the ancestral diploid number of the Centruroidinae. The differentiation of karyotypes among the centruroidine genera was based on increasing chromosome numbers resulting from progressive fission events. These changes probably occurred prior to the diversification of the genera Ischnotelson, Jaguajir, Physoctonus and Rhopalurus, and appear to have played a more important role in karyotype evolution at the intergeneric level than the interspecific one. However, the observed increase in diploid numbers was not accompanied by changes in the number or location of ribosomal genes or telomeric sequences. The identification of meiotic cells in female specimens also allowed us to discuss the mechanisms of achiasmatic meiosis in scorpions.

Comparative Cytogenetics of Omophoita abbreviata and O. aequinoctialis (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Alticini) from the Adolpho Ducke Forest Reserve in Brazilian Amazonia: Intrapopulation Variation in Karyotypes

The chromosomes of 2 flea beetle species from central Amazonia, Omophoita abbreviata and O. aequinoctialis (Alticini), were investigated through analysis of meiotic and mitotic cells. These species belong to the subtribe Oedionychina, a taxon that has unique cytogenetic features, such as giant sex chromosomes which are aligned at a distance during meiosis I (asynaptic). O. abbreviata and O. aequinoctialis have a meiotic formula of 10II + X + y, which is predominant in this subtribe. While the species of the genus Omophoita possess a relatively stable karyotype, a typical feature for Oedionychina, the present study identified inter- and intrapopulational variation in chromosome morphology, constitutive heterochromatin, and the presence and number of B chromosomes in O. aequinoctialis. In addition, FISH mapping of telomeric sequences revealed signals in the collochores, raising several questions on the chromosomal evolution in this group.

High-Resolution Physical Chromosome Mapping of Multigene Families in Lagria villosa (Tenebrionidae): Occurrence of Interspersed Ribosomal Genes in Coleoptera

The organization and mapping of multigene families can produce useful genetic markers, and its use may elucidate the mechanisms of karyotype variation and genomic organization in different groups of eukaryotes. To date, few species of Coleoptera have been analyzed using FISH for the location of multigene families. The purpose of this study was to use high-resolution chromosome mapping to establish the genomic organization of the 18S rDNA, 5S rDNA and histone H3 gene families in Lagria villosa. FISH was performed using 18S rDNA, 5S rDNA and histone H3 probes prepared via PCR labeling. Fiber-FISH for 18S and 5S rDNA indicated that both ribosomal elements are colocalized in the short arm of chromosome 4. Additionally, FISH, using the histone H3 probe, revealed that this sequence is found in only one autosomal pair and did not colocalize with rDNA. Fiber-FISH with 5S and 18S probes, used to improve the mapping resolution of these regions, showed that both genes are closely interspersed with varying amounts of both DNA classes.

Cytogenetic analysis of Lagria villosa (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae): emphasis on the mechanism of association of the Xy(p) sex chromosomes

The Xy(p) sex determination mechanism is the system most frequent and ancestral to Coleoptera. Moreover, the presence of argyrophilous material associated with the sex bivalent is described as being responsible for the maintenance and association of these chromosomes. There are no karyotype data available regarding the genus Lagria and no consensus in the literature regarding the argyrophilous material present in the lumen of sex bivalent. Therefore, the aim of this work was to investigate the mechanism of sex chromosome bivalent association in Lagria villosa by analyzing the argyrophilous nature of the material present in the Xy(p) lumen. It was also intended to characterize L. villosa cytogenetically. The analysis of meiotic cells showed 2n = 18 = 16+Xy(p) for males and 2n = 18 = 16+XX in females and the meiotic formula was 2n = 8(II)+Xy(p). The C-banding showed blocks of pericentromeric heterochromatin in all chromosomes except in the y(p) chromosome. In these regions, the use of fluorochromes revealed the presence of heterochromatin containing GC rich DNA sequences. The study of synaptonemal complex showed a gradual increase in the electron-density of the axial elements of the sex chromosomes and their association with strongly electron-dense material. The pepsin pretreatment revealed that the material impregnated by silver is protein.