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Identification and patterns of synapsis of the autosomally translocated Y-chromosome of the Indian mongoose, Herpestes auropunctatus (Hodgson)

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Abstract

The multiple sex chromosome system, X1X2Y ♂/X1X1X2X2♀, in the small Indian mongoose, Herpestes auropunctatus, results from a translocation of a part of Y chromosome to an autosome. It is not possible to distinguish the autosome which harbours the Y chromosome element in the somatic complement. By employing the surface-spreading technique to prophase I meiocytes we have identified the region to which the Y chromosome has been translocated as the short arm of chromosome 9 which is a subtelocentric chromosome. This Y chromosome component lacks heterochromatin and no sex vesicle is organised during meiotic prophase. This suggests to us that Y heterochromatin in mammals may be required for the production of a sex vesicle.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cytogenetics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, 221005, Varanasi, India

    Rajiva Raman & Indrajit Nanda

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  1. Rajiva Raman
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  2. Indrajit Nanda
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We take great pleasure in dedicating this paper to our revered teacher Prof. S.P. Ray-Chaudhuri, who initiated us to the field of Cytogenetics, on the occasion of his 75th birth day

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Raman, R., Nanda, I. Identification and patterns of synapsis of the autosomally translocated Y-chromosome of the Indian mongoose, Herpestes auropunctatus (Hodgson). Chromosoma 87, 477–489 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00333469

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00333469

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