CONSTITUTIVE HETEROCHROMATIN OF INDIAN MUNTJAC CHROMOSOMES REVEALED BY DNASE TREATMENT AND A C-BANDING TECHNIQUE

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Abstract
A karyotype of a female Indian muntjac, Muntiacus muntjak vaginalis, was described. The karyotype was unique in that No. 1 and No. 3 homologous pairs were heteromorphic with respect to the size of their secondary constrictions. In these pairs, one of the homologs always had a longer secondary constriction than that on the corresponding homolog. Heterochromatin in the secondary constriction region was visualized with difficulty by a C-banding technique, but was demonstrated clearly by a DNase treatment followed by Giemsa staining, which also revealed the size difference of the secondary constriction. Centromeric constitutive heterochromatin of No. 1 chromosome was also found to differ in size between the homologs. On the basis of the heteromorphic character of No. 3 chromosome, or an X-autosome complex, it was possible to confirm autoradiographically that X-inactivation had occurred at random.