Characterization of the constitutive heterochromatin of Carollia perspicillata (Phyllostomidae, Chiroptera) using the base-specific fluorochromes, CMA₃ (GC) and DAPI (AT)

Summary

The karyotype of Carollia perspicillata (2n = 20/XX and 2n = 21XY₁ Y₂ was analyzed by C-banding and staining with fluorochromes. Cbanding revealed heterochromatin blocks in the pericentromeric regions of all chromosomes, in the telomeric regions of the short arms of chromosomes 2, 3, 5, X, and in the interstitial region of the short arm of chromosome 1. The Y₁ chromosome showed a small block in the pericentromeric region and Y₂ was found to be almost completely heterochromatic. Slides treated for C-banding and stained with DAPI/DA or DAPI/AMD (CB-DAPI) showed a heterochromatin block pattern similar to that obtained by C-banding. Triple staining with CMA₃/DA/DAPI revealed CMA₃-positive blocks in the pericentromeric regions of chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, and DAPI-positive blocks in the interstitial region of the short arm of chromosome 1 and in the telomeric regions of the short arms of chromosomes 2, 3 and 5. Triple staining also showed Rand G-banding patterns rich in GC and AT base pairs, respectively. The nucleolar organizer region on the long arm of the X chromosome was CMA₃ neutral and DAPI negative.