Halbe haploide Chromosomenzahl im Hoden vonMyrmica sulcinodis Nyl. (Formicidae)

Summary In the testes ofMyrmica sulcinodis there are not only haploid and some diploid cells to be found, as in the testes ofM. ruginodis, M. sabulsti andM. rubida, but a large mass of cells that have only half the haploid chromosome number. The diploid chromosome number ofM. sulcinodis is 56, those of six otherMyrmica species are between 42 and 48.     

Karyotype and chromosome banding in the Turkish desert woodlouseDesertellio elongatus (Crustacea,Isopoda, Oniscidea)

The karyotype ofD. elongatus was investigated by means of C-banding, silver staining, and mithramycin-and quinacrine fluorescent staining. The diploid chromosome number is 2n=50. C-banding shows pericentromerically localized constitutive heterochromatin in every chromosome. Two of the chromosome pairs carry two telomeric nucleolus organizer regions each. No heteromorphic sex chromosomes were found.     

Differences in chromosome A arrangement betweenDrosophila madeirensis andDrosophila subobscura

Summary The proximal half of the A (=X) chromosome ofD. madeirensis has a gene arrangement very similar to the A1 or A6 inversions found inD. subobscura. Polytene chromosome analysis of hybrids betweenD. madeirensis and strains ofD. subobscura homozygous for such inversions shows, however thatD. madeirensis has a gene arrangement different from any known forD. subobscura. These results provide evidence for a greater differentiation of the X chromosome in these species than has previously been described; it seems that the X chromosome is the only one that has undergone structural variation during the speciation process.     

Cytogenetic studies of Hynobiidae (Urodela). IX. Karyological characteristics ofHynobius abei Sato by means of R-and C-banding

Summary Chromosomal characteristics of the salamander speciesHynobius abei, from Ohimya (Kyoto) were revealed by the techniques of R-and C-banding. The karyotype ofH. abei was characterized by the shortness of an R-negative (C-positive) band in the terminal region of the long arm of chromosome 2 and a band encompassing the whole short arm of chromosome 10. These two bands inH. abei were the shortest among those of the variousHynobius species that have been examined. Otherwise no differences could be detected betweenH. abei and seven other pond-type species ofHynobius (2n=56) in terms of the banding patterns of 18 specifically identifiable pairs of their chromosomes.     

Chromosomes of the squirrelFunambulus palmarum bellaricus Wroughton

Summary The chromosome complement ofFunambulus palmarum bellaricus Wroughton (Mammalia-Rodentia-Sciuridae) has been studied for the first time, and the diploid number established to be 54, in contrast to the subspeciesF. p. palmarum which has 2n=46 chromosomes. The known karyotypes within the genusFunambulus are compared. We thank Prof. G. T. Tonapi for providing the laboratory facilities and the Zoological Survey of India, Western Regional Station, Pune for identifying the specimens.     

Accumulation of drastic mutants in selection lines for resistance to the insecticides dichlorvos and malathion inDrosophila melanogaster

Summary Viability tests were performed on second and third chromosomes from lines ofDrosophila melanogaster selected for increased resistance to the organophosphorus insecticides dichlorvos and malathion, in order to evaluate the accumulation of drastic alleles. Our results show that malathion reduces significantly the relative viability of chromosome 3 and also increases the frequency of drastic alleles in this chromosome, while dichlorvos increases significnatly the frequency of drastic alleles in chromosome 2.Work supported in part by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (Grant No. 0577/84 CAICYT).—We are grateful to Productos Cruz Verde S.A. and Agrocrós S.A. for generously supplying the insecticides dichlorvos and malathion, respectively.     

The karyotype,C-bands and AgNO3-bands of a lungless salamander from Korea:Onychodactylus fischeri (Boulenger) (Amphibia,Urodela)

The karyotype of a lungless salamander,Onychodactylus fischeri, from Korea was analyzed and compared with that of the Japanese congeneric species,O. japonicus. In both species the diploid karyotype consists of78 chromosomes, including 6 pairs of large chromosomes, 6 pairs of medium-sized ones, and the remaining 27 pairs of microchromosomes. The chromosome number ofO. fischeri, 2n=78, is, like that ofO. japonicus, the largest so far reported in the order Urodela. C-banding showed that constitutive heterochromatin inO. fischeri was mainly in the centromeric regions and near the secondary constrictions of the large chromosomes. AgNO₃-bands were located in the secondary constrictions associated with C-band heterochromatin.     

IAA oxidase activity in relation to adventitious root formation on stem cuttings of some forest tree species

Summary IAA oxixase activity was very high in stem cuttings ofSalix tetrasperma andPopulus robusta, which rooted profusely, less in stem cuttings ofHibiscus rosa sinensis which rooted less, and insignificant in those ofEucalyptus citriodora which did not root at all. Protein(s) extracted from the stem cuttings ofE. citriodora inhibited the activity of IAA oxidase as well as root formation on hypocotyl cuttings ofPhaseolus mungo. The possibility of involvement of IAA oxidase activity in the process of adventitious root formation is discussed.The research has been financed by a grant from U.S. Department of Agriculture.     

Triploidy in callus culture ofVicia faba L. investigated by the Giemsa C-banding technique

Summary Callus tissue ofVicia faba has been grown from explants of immature embryos. The karyological analysis by the Giemsa C-banding technique has shown triploid and tri-aneuploid mitoses, all with an extra chromosome and with structurally altered karyotypes. Estimates of the amounts of interphase heterochromatin (chromocentres) indicate endopolyploidy up to 12 n.This work was financially supported by the Research Council of the S.R. Croatia — SIZIV. The authors wish to express their gratitude to the Industroprojekt Zagreb for the use of the image analyser, to Mr M. Denih for the area determinations of drawings, and to Dr D. Schweizer, Vienna, for critical comments.     

Asynchronous puffing in the foot pad chromosomes ofParasarcophaga

Summary The foot pad polytene chromosome IIIL ofParasarcophaga ruficornis andP. misera shows a heterozygous puff in the region 7B-C. InP. ruficornis the heterozygosity is manifested as a difference in the timing of puffing between the 2 homologues. The outer and inner dorsal cells of the same foot pad also reveal asynchrony in puffing at this locus.Acknowledgments. Thanks are due to Prof. U.S. Srivastava, Head, Dept. of Zoology, University of Allahabad for providing the laboratory facilities.     

Cytogenetic observations on a monosomic inSesbania macrocarpa Muhl. (Leguminosae)

Summary Karyotypic analysis of a spontaneous monosomic plant isolated from a population ofSesbania macrocarpa (2n=4x=24) revealed that one chromosome of the smallest set was missing. The absence of this chromosome caused a deleterious effect on the meiotic system of the plant, resulting in total male and female sterility. The origin of the species in this context is discussed.Thanks are due to Dr B. D. Patil, Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute for facilities and to Dr S. K. Gupta, for valuable suggestions.     

Genetic basis of some morphological differences between temperate and equatorial populations ofDrosophila melanogaster

The genetic basis of three morphological traits (ovariole number, sternopleural bristle number and wing length) ofDrosophila melanogaster has been investigated in natural populations that show great differences in these traits, i. e. Bordeaux (France) and Loua (Congo). F1 and F2 crosses, and chromosome substitutions between these two populations, were analysed. Maternal and/or X chromosome effects were found for sternopleural bristle number and wing length. For all traits, significant effects from each of the three chromosomes were found, but in general only one or two chromosomes had a major effect. Moreover, in all cases significant interactions between chromosomes were observed, suggesting the existence of epistatic effects. Our results are discussed and compared to those obtained from the analysis of selected laboratory strains.     

Chromosome counting on 79-year-old dried seaweed,Porphyra leucostica (Rhodophyta)

Summary An adaptation of the aceto-iron-haematoxylin-chloral hydrate staining solution is described for chromosome counting of dried seaweeds. The chromosome number ofPorphyra leucosticta (Rhodophyta) collected recently and fixed in ethanol-acetic acid compares well with material of the same species collected and dried in 1897. The significance of this new source of data, allowing the study of the old type material, is stressed in the paper.Under a CNPq fellowship No. 5503/74.We thank Prof.C. Pavan for valuable suggestions.     

La question des hétérochromosomes chez les Sauropsidés. Oiseaux

Summary The chromosomes of the fowl were studied with the aid ofMakino's andNishimura's water pretreatment squash technique, modified byMatthey, in embryonic spleen and gonads of both sexes. The number of chromosomes was found to be about 78; the numerical variations are to be ascribed to technical difficulties, caused by the extremely small size of the microchromosomes, rather than to an unchromosomelike behaviour of the latter, as was supposed byNewcomer andBrant. As to the exact number of chromosomes, we consider its determination beyond the possibilities of cytology. The 5^th largest pair of the male, represented by a single element in the female, could be identified as the sex chromosome pair, in accordance with the findings ofYamashina. The digamety might be of theZ-O orZ-W type.     

Random chromosome breakage by colchicine inViscum fischeri (Loranthaceae)

Summary When the shoot-tips ofViscum fischeri Engl. were treated with various concentrations of colchicine for different lengths of time, it was found that in this plant chromosome breakage was not localized to centromeric region as reported in other plants. InV. fischeri chromosome breakage occurred at random (simulating X-ray-induced fragmentation). The percentage of breakage increased linearly with respect to time at concentrations 0.1, 0.2, 0.3% but parabolically at 0.5%.Acknowledgment. The authors are grateful to Dr M. A. Hannan of NRC, Ottawa, Canada, for his helpful criticism and suggestions, and to Professor S. K. Imbamba, Chairman, Dept. of Botany, University of Nairobi for laboratory facilities.     

Die Genomsonderung in den Mitosen der Rattenleber

Summary Model squashes with gelatine cubes containing 8 files like the chromosomes ofBellevalia romana (2n=8) showed the chromosomes only in groupings that correspond to the original position of metaphase chromosomes. The metaphase chromosomes in root tip cells ofBellevalia romana are arranged at random; there is neither somatic pairing nor genome segregation (= grouping of metaphase chromosomes into two complete chromosome sets). In contradiction to these results, the chromosomes in the regenerating liver cells (2n=42) show a certain precentage of grouping into complete genomes. It is concluded that in rat liver cells a mechanism exists which, starting with the genome segregation, may produce a change in chromosome number. Thus these same euploid or aneuploid chromosome numbers can be explained which are really observed in normal and treated rat liver. 4 possibilities of such mechanism are discussed.

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Nach einem Vortrag, gehalten anlässlich des IV. Symposium histologicum internationale Lausanne (Suisse), 5.–8. September 1961.     

New karyological data ofRhinoderma: The chromosomes ofRhinoderma rufum

The chromosomes of the Chilean frogRhinoderma rufum are described for the first time. This chromosome set is compared with the karyotype ofR. darwinii. The importance of the karyological data applied to the phylogeny and systematics of this genus are discussed. A tentative hypothesis of karyological evolution ofRhinoderma is given.     

Association of DNA replication with nuclear membrane in larvae ofChironomus thummi

Summary In the larvae ofChironomus thummi, the newly replicating DNA has been found to be associated with the nuclear membrane, as evidenced by the isolation of DNA nuclear membrane complexes (M-band) of³H-thymidine labelled larvae.Acknowledgment. The authors thank Dr D. S. Pradhan for discussions and encouragement.     

Recombination frequency and DNA content of the distal part of the second chromosome ofDrosophila hydei sturtevant

Summary Four visible markers, including a newly isolated one, have been cytologically mapped on the second chromosome ofDrosophila hydei. Both the frequency of recombination and the amount of DNA between these markers have been determined. From these data the coefficient of exchange has been calculated.     

The genetics of phytotoxin production by plant pathogenic fungi

Little is known about the genetic control of phytotoxin production by plant pathogenic fungi. The production of host-selective toxins known to play a role in disease development has been genetically analyzed in three species ofCochliobolus. InC. heterostrophus, a single genetic locus with two alleles has been identified controlling the production of HMT-toxin. This locus appears to be at or near the breakpoint of a chromosome rearrangement. Single genetic loci have also been identified controlling the production of HC-toxin byC. carbonum and HV-toxin byC. victoriae. The locus inC. carbonum may be a cluster of tightly linked genes.