First Karyotypic Insights into Potamotrygon schroederi Fernández-Yépez, 1958: Association of Different Classes of Repetitive DNA

INTRODUCTION

Currently, there are 38 valid species of freshwater stingrays, and these belong to the subfamily Potamotrygoninae. However, cytogenetic information about this group is limited, with studies mainly using classical techniques, Giemsa, and C-banding.

METHODS

In this study, we used classical and molecular cytogenetic techniques - mapping of 18S and 5S rDNA and simple sequence repeats (SSRs) - in order to investigate the karyotypic composition of Potamotrygon schroederi and reveal the karyoevolutionary trends of this group.

RESULTS

The species presented 2n = 66 chromosomes with 18m + 12sm + 16st + 20a, heterochromatic blocks distributed in the centromeric regions of all the chromosomes, and terminal blocks in the q arm of pairs 2 and 3. Mapping of 18S rDNA regions revealed multiple clusters on pairs 2 and 7 and a homolog of pair 24. The 5S rDNA region was found in the pericentromeric portion of the subtelocentric pair 16. Furthermore, dinucleotide SSRs sequences were found in the centromeric and terminal regions of different chromosomal pairs, with preferential accumulation in pair 17. In addition, we identified conspicuous blocks of (GATA)n and (GACA)n sequences colocalized with the 5S rDNA (pair 16).

CONCLUSION

In general, this study corroborates the general trend of a reduction in 2n in the species of Potamotrygoninae subfamily. Moreover, we found that the location of rDNA regions is very similar among Potamotrygon species, and the SSRs accumulation in the second subtelocentric pair (17) seems to be a common trait in this genus.

Karyotypic variation of two populations of the small freshwater stingray Potamotrygon wallacei Carvalho, Rosa & Araújo 2016: A classical and molecular approach

Potamotrygoninae comprises a group of Neotropical fishes with an ancient relationship with marine environments. In the last few years, 11 new Potamotrygon species were described, including Potamotrygon wallacei Carvalho, Araújo e Rosa 2016. Cytogenetic data about this species are limited to classical markers (Giemsa, C-Banding and Ag-NOR techniques), these studies highlighted a rare sexual chromosome system XX/X0 with males presenting 67 chromosomes and females 68 chromosomes. The classical analyses performed here reveled populational variation in the karyotype formula, as well as, in the heterochromatin regions. Besides the classical markers, our molecular experiments showed multiple sites for 18S rDNA sequence (including in the X chromosomes) and single sites for 5S rDNA sequence, we did not find interstitial telomeric sequences. In addition, (AC)15, (AG)15, and (CAC)15 microsatellites showed association with the several autosome pair, and the (GT)15 clutters were found in only one population. On the other hand, (GATA)4 sequence showed association with the sexual chromosomes X in all males and females analyzed. Our results showed that pericentric inversions, in addition to fusions, shaped the karyotype of P. wallacei once we found two populations with distinct karyotype formula and this could be a result of the past events recovered by our modeling experiments. Besides, here we described the association of 18S and (GATA)4 motifs with sexual chromosomes, which indicated that these sequences had a novel in the differentiation of sexual chromosomes in P. wallacei.