Cross-species chromosome painting unveils cytogenetic signatures for the Eulipotyphla and evidence for the polyphyly of Insectivora

Insectivore-like animals are traditionally believed among the first eutherian mammals that have appeared on the earth. The modern insectivores are thus crucial for understanding the systematics and phylogeny of eutherian mammals as a whole. Here cross-species chromosome painting, with probes derived from flow-sorted chromosomes of human, was used to delimit the homologous chromosomal segments in two Soricidae species, the common shrew (Sorex araneus, 2n = 20/21), and Asiatic short-tailed shrew (Blarinella griselda, 2n = 44), and one Erinaceidae species, the shrew-hedgehog (Neotetracus sinensis, 2n = 32), and human. We report herewith the first comparative maps for the Asiatic short-tailed shrew and the shrew-hedgehog, in addition to a refined comparative map for the common shrew. In total, the 22 human autosomal paints detected 40, 51 and 58 evolutionarily conserved segments in the genomes of common shrew, Asiatic short-tailed shrew, and shrew-hedgehog, respectively, demonstrating that the common shrew has retained a conserved genome organization while the Asiatic short-tailed shrew and shrew-hedgehog have relatively rearranged genomes. In addition to confirming the existence of such ancestral human segmental combinations as HSA 3/21, 12/22, 14/15 and 7/16 that are shared by most eutherian mammals, our study reveals a shared human segmental combination, HSA 4/20, that could phylogenetically unite the Eulipotyphlan (i.e., the core insectivores) species. Our results provide cytogenetic evidence for the polyphyly of the order Insectivora and additional data for the eventual reconstruction of the ancestral eutherian karyotype.     

Painting Qa-2 onto Ped slow preimplantation embryos increases the rate of cleavage

PROBLEM: Qa-2 protein, the Ped gene product, is linked to the cell surface by a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor. Some GPI-linked proteins can be spontaneously incorporated into the membranes of cells via a technique called "protein painting."We investigated whether Qa-2 could be painted onto T cells and embryos and whether the painted protein would be functional. METHOD OF STUDY: Incorporation of Qa-2 into the membranes of T cells and embryos was measured by FACScan and Immuno-PCR, respectively. Function of Qa-2 was measured by cell proliferation. RESULTS: Qa-2 was incorporated by T cells and embryos and was functional. CONCLUSION: GPI-linked Qa-2 protein "painted" onto both T cells and preimplantation embryos is functional, as shown by increased proliferation of T cells after cross-linking with anti-Qa-2 antibody, and increased rate of cleavage division of the embryos.     

Physical and Chemical Characterisation of the Pigments of a 17th-Century Mural Painting in the Spanish Caribbean

The arrival of Spaniards in the Caribbean islands introduced to the region the practice of applying pigments onto buildings. The pigments that remain on these buildings may provide data on their historical evolution and essential information for tackling restoration tasks. In this study, a 17th-century mural painting located in the Cathedral of Santo Domingo on the Hispaniola island of the Caribbean is characterised via UV–VIS–NIR, Raman and FTIR spectroscopy, XRD and SEM/EDX. The pigments are found in the older Chapel of Our Lady of Candelaria, currently Chapel of Our Lady of Mercy. The chapel was built in the 17th century by black slave brotherhood and extended by Spaniards. During a recent restoration process of the chapel, remains of mural painting appeared, which were covered by several layers of lime. Five colours were identified: ochre, green, red, blue and white. Moreover, it was determined that this mural painting was made before the end of the 18th century, because many of the materials used were no longer used after the industrialisation of painting. However, since both rutile and anatase appear as a white pigment, a restoration may have been carried out in the 20th century, and it has been painted white.     

Subtle overlapping deletions in the terminal region of chromosome 6q24.2-q26: Three cases studied using FISH

Interstitial deletions in the terminal region of chromosome 6 are rare. We describe three new cases with subtle interstitial deletions in the q24-q26 region of the long arm of chromosome 6. The karyotypes were analyzed at a 550 band level. Patient1 is a 9-month-old boy with an interstitial deletion, del(6)(q24.2q25.1), developmental delay, low birth weight, hypotonia, heart murmur, respiratory distress, craniofacial and genital anomalies. This is the first report of a case with deletion del(6)(q24.2q25.1). Patient 2 is a 17-year-old young man with an interstitial deletion del(6)(q25.1q25.3), developmental delay, short stature, mental retardation, autism, head, face, chest, hand and feet anomalies and a history of seizures. For the first time autism was described as a manifestation in 6q deletions. Patient 3 is baby boy with a de novo interstitial deletion, del(6)(q25.1q26), anomalies of the brain, genital organs, limbs and feet. This is the first report of a case with deletion, del(6)(q25.1q26). In all three patients, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using chromosome 6 painting probe ruled out an insertion. The ESR (6q25.1) and TBP (6q27) probes were used to confirm the breakpoints. Since TBP signal is present in all cases, it confirmed an interstitial deletion proximal to this probe. Patient 1 has a deletion of the ESR locus; Patient 2 and 3 have signals for the ESR locus on both chromosomes 6. Therefore the deletion in Patients 2 and 3 are between ESR and TBP loci distal to that of Patient 1. FISH validated the deletion breakpoints assessed by conventional cytogenetics. Am. J. Med. Genet. 87:17–22, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Comparative Karyotype of Rat and Mouse Using Bidirectional Chromosome Painting

A comparative karyotype of rat (Rattus norvegicus) and mouse (Mus musculus) based on chromosome G-banding morphology, heterologous chromosome painting results and available gene mapping data is proposed. Whole chromosome painting probes from both species were generated by PARM-PCR amplification of flow sorted chromosomes. Bidirectional chromosome painting identifies 36 segments of syntenic homology and allows us to propose a nearly complete comparative karyotype of mouse and rat (except for RNO 13 p and RNO 19 p12-13). Seven segments completely covered the RNO chromosomes 3, 5, 8, 11, 12, 15 and 18. Eight segments completely covered the MMU chromosomes 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 12, 18 and 19. The RNO chromosomes 5, 8, 18 show complete homology with the MMU chromosomes 4, 9 and 18, respectively. Bidirectional hybridization results clearly assign 16 segments to subchromosomal regions in both species. Interpretation of the results allows subchromosomal assignment of all the remaining segments apart from seven distributed on chromosomes MMU 15, MMU 10 B2-D3 and MMU 17 E3-E5. The proposed comparative karyotype shows overall agreement with available comparative mapping data. The proposed repartition of syntenic homologous segments between the two species provides useful data for gene-mapping studies. In addition, these results will enable the reconstruction of the karyotype of the Cricetidae and Muridae common ancestor and the definition of the precise rearrangements which have occurred in both mouse and rat lineages during evolution. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

An Easy and Reliable Procedure of Microdissection Technique for the Analysis of Chromosomal Breakpoints and Marker Chromosomes

Microdissection in combination with reverse painting fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) is a very effective method to identify breakpoints and rearrangements of derived chromosomes and reveal the chromosomal origin of marker chromosomes. We describe an innovation that allows a convenient, fast and safe isolation of microdissected fragments as currently available protocols. The microdissected chromosomes are harvested in a collection drop located in a movable micropipette adjusted to a second micromanipulator under microscopic observation. We used this technique to analyze several cytogenetic aberrations. In order to evaluate the efficiency of our microdissection procedure, we compared the results obtained with microdissection probes made from only one fragment with those obtained with more than six microdissected fragments. In all cases, the single- fragment microdissections were sufficient to provide probes.     

中国画形式语言的模仿与流传

中国形式语言的存在和流传 ,得益于形式语言的创造性和形式语言本身的文化内涵。从某种意义上讲 ,中国画形式语言的时尚性 ,有益于中国画的流传。尽管模仿有时能够激发个体独创自省意识的生成 ,但机械的模仿 ,只能削弱形式语言的丰富性和生命力。正确地对待中国画形式语言模仿正反两方面的影响 ,有助于艺术创造的增进。     

从中西传统绘画谈中西医思维方式之差异

通过对中西方传统绘画构成形式的对比分析,研究中西方不同的思维方式,这两种思维方式分别是中医、西医两大医学模式形成的基础。中西方美术比较鉴赏是中医思维培养的一种途径:通过绘画研究中西医思维方式的差异能从直观对比的角度区别二者差异,通过绘画作品的鉴赏分析能更直观地理解中医思维中的意象、直觉、整体等较难把握的形象思维模式。     

Confirmation of trisomy 22 in two cases using chromosome painting: Comparison with t(11;22)

We present a nonmosaic case of trisomy 22 in a liveborn, abnormal infant and a second case of a fetus who died in utero. Both have been verified cytogenetically and confirmed by in situ hybridisation with a centromeric alphoid probe and chromosome painting. The accuracy of the combined cytogenetic and molecular cytogenetic approaches in the karyotype determination is highlighted by comparison with a case showing partial translocation of chromosome 22 in t(11;22) (q23;q11). © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.