An alternative technique for mitotic grasshoppers karyotyping: Fluorescent and C-banding in Adimantus ornatissimus (Orthoptera: Acrididae)

ELIO RODRIGO CASTILLO; ALBERTO TAFFAREL; DARDO ANDREA MARTÍ

REVISTA DE CIENCIA Y TECNOLOGíA

CENTRO DE INVESTIGACIÓN Y DESARROLLO TECNOLÓGICO, FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS EXACTAS, QUÍMICAS Y NATURALES, UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE MISIONES

Lugar: Posadas; Año: 2011 p. 31 - 35

0329-8922

Orthopterans are a preferred material for cytogenetic studies because of their large chromosome size and low diploid number; however a difficulty is to maximize a high quality mitotic chromosomes obtention and the choice of an easy and reproducible protocol. Different procedures and tissues were used to optimize mitotic chromosome observation with conventional staining, preserving, as much as possible chromosome morphology, and minimizing the non-chromosomal background material. Grasshopper mitotic metaphases preparations are usually obtained from squashed female gastric caeca and posterior exposure of slides to dry ice, CO2 flow, or liquid nitrogen to remove coverslips. Grasshopper embryos are also used for cytological analyses. As a reference cytological material, we analyzed Adimantus ornatissimus (Burmeister 1838) chromosomes. This specie showed 2n=23/24 ♂/♀ and a X0/XX sex chromosome system. We describe the frotis technique which optimizes the visualization and characterization of mitotic chromosome morphology and facilitates differential staining procedures.