Abstract
DNA values and chromosome volumes were determined for six species of the coleopteran genus Dermestes which have very similar karyotypes. Large differences in DNA value occur which give no indication of a geometric series. DNA value is approximately proportional to chromosome volume, indicating that the DNA differences lie in the chromosomes. Evidence from the variation in volume of the sex chromosomes, along with the DNA values, cannot be interpreted in terms of a chromosome model with a variable number of strands. DNA values are often at variance with the taxonomic grouping of species within the genus.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baker, J. R.: Cytological technique, 3rd ed, p. 182. London: Methuen 1950.
Bennett, M. D., and H. Rees: Natural and induced changes in chromosome size and mass in meristems. Nature (Lond.) 215, 93–94 (1967).
Berendes, H. D., and H. G. Keyl: Distribution of DNA in heterochromatin and euchromatin of polytene nuclei of Drosophila hydei. Genetics 57, 1–13 (1967).
Boivin, A., R. Vendrely et C. Vendrely: L'acide désoxribonucléique du noyau cellulaire, dépositaire des caractères héréditaires; arguments d'ordre analytique. C. R. Acad. Sci. (Paris) 226, 1061–1063 (1948).
Decosse, J. J., and N. Aiello: Feulgen hydrolysis: effect of acid and temperature. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 14, 601–604 (1966).
Deitch, A. D., D. Wagner, and R. M. Richart: Conditions influencing the intensity of the Feulgen reaction. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 16, 371–379 (1968).
Durrant, A.: The environmental induction of heritable changes in Linum. Heredity 17, 27–61 (1962).
Dyte, C. E., D. D. Shaw, and D. G. Blackman: Section on new mutants. Tribolium Inform. Bull. 8, 41–42 (1965).
Evans, G. M.: Nuclear changes in flax. Heredity 23, 25–38 (1968a).
— Induced chromosomal changes in flax. Heredity 23, 301–310 (1968b).
— A. Durrant, and H. Rees: Associated nuclear changes in the induction of flax genotrophs. Nature (Lond.) 212, 697–699 (1966).
Fox, D. P.: Some characteristics of the cold hydrolysis technique for staining plant cells by the Feulgen reaction. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 17, 266–272 (1969).
Gall, J. G.: Personal communication (1969).
Hallka, O.: A photometric study of the Luzula problem. Hereditas (Lund) 52, 81–88 (1964).
Heitz, E.: Über α- und β-Heterochromatin sowie Konstanz und Bau der Chromomeren bei Drosophila. Biol. Zbl. 54, 588–609 (1934).
Hinton, H. E.: A monograph of the beetles associated with stored products: No 1. British Museum (Natural History) London 1945.
Hughes-Schrader, S., and F. Schrader: Polyteny as a factor in the chromosome evolution of the Pentatomini (Hemiptera). Chromosoma (Berl.) 8, 135–151 (1956).
John, B., and D. D. Shaw: Karyotype variation in Dermestid beetles. Chromosoma (Berl.) 20, 371–385 (1967).
Keyl, H. G.: A demonstrable local and geometric increase in the chromosomal DNA of Chironomus. Experientia (Basel) 21, 191–193 (1965).
Lepesme, P.: Révision des Dermestes (Col. Dermestidae). Ann. Soc. ent. France 115, 37–68 (1946).
Madel, W.: Zur Kenntnis der Biologie einiger Dermestes-Arten. Ent. Bl. 37, 107–111 (1941).
Martin, P. G., and R. Shanks: Does Vicia faba have multi-stranded chromosomes ? Nature (Lond.) 211, 650–651 (1966).
McClintock, B.: The association of non-homologous parts of chromosomes in the mid-prophase of meiosis in Zea mays. Z. Zellforsch. 19, 191–237 (1933).
Mello-Sampayo, T.: Differential polyteny and karyotype evolution in Luzula: a critical interpretation of morphological and cytophotometric data. Genet. iber. 13, 1–22 (1961).
Mirsky, A. E., and H. Ris: Variable and constant components of chromosomes. Nature (Lond.) 163, 666–667 (1949).
— The desoxyribonucleic acid content of animal cells and its evolutionary significance. J. gen. Physiol. 34, 451–461 (1951).
Nur, U.: Synapsis and crossing over within a paracentric inversion in the grasshopper Camnula pellucida. Chromosoma (Berl.) 25, 198–214 (1968).
Perkowska, E., H. C. Mcgregor, and M. L. Birnstiel: Gene amplification, in the oocyte nucleus of mutant and wild-type Xenopus laevis. Nature (Lond.) 217, 649–650 (1968).
Rees, H., and M. H. Hazarika: Chromosome evolution in Lathyrus. Proc. second Oxford Chromosome Conference, 1967 (in press).
—, and R. N. Jones: Structural basis of quantitative variation in nuclear DNA. Nature (Lond.) 216, 825–826 (1967).
Rothfels, K., E. Sexsmith, M. Heimburger, and M. O. Krause: Chromosome size and DNA content of species of Anemone L. and related genera (Ranunculaceae). Chromosoma (Berl.) 20, 54–74 (1966).
Rudkin, G. T.: The structure and function of heterochromatin. Proc. 11th Intern. Congr. Genet. 2, 359–374 (1963).
—, and S. L. Corlette: Disproportionate synthesis of DNA in a polytene chromosome region. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.) 43, 964–968 (1957).
Schrader, F., and S. Hughes-Schrader: Polyploidy and fragmentation in the chromosomal evolution of various species of Thyanta (Hemiptera). Chromosoma (Berl.) 7, 469–496 (1956).
Snedecor, G. W.: Statistical methods, ch. 10. Ames: The Iowa State College Press 1956.
Swift, H.: Quantitative aspects of nuclear nucleoproteins. Intern. Rev. Cytol. 2, 1–76 (1953).
Ullerich, F.-H.: Weitere Untersuchungen über Chromosomenverhältnisse und DNS-Gehalt bei Anuren (Amphibia). Chromosoma (Berl.) 21, 345–368 (1967).
Woodroffe, G. E.: The sterol requirements of several species of Dermestes (Col. Dermestidae). In Proc. 12th Int. Congr. Ent. London, 1964, p. 625 (1965).
— The significance of the ninth abdominal segment of the male in the systematics of Dermestes L. J. Stored Prod. Res. 1, 377–379 (1966).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fox, D.P. The relationship between DNA value and chromosome volume in the coleopteran genus Dermestes . Chromosoma 27, 130–144 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00326140
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00326140