Assignment of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) linkage groups to specific chromosomes : conservation of large syntenic blocks corresponding to whole chromosome arms in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Date
2009-08-18
Authors
Phillips, Ruth B.
Keatley, Kimberly A.
Morasch, Matthew R.
Ventura, Abigail B.
Lubieniecki, Krzysztof P.
Koop, Benjamin F.
Danzmann, Roy G.
Davidson, William S.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
BioMed Central
Abstract
Background: Most teleost species, especially freshwater groups such as the Esocidae which are the
closest relatives of salmonids, have a karyotype comprising 25 pairs of acrocentric chromosomes and 48–
52 chromosome arms. After the common ancestor of salmonids underwent a whole genome duplication,
its karyotype would have 100 chromosome arms, and this is reflected in the modal range of 96–104 seen
in extant salmonids (e.g., rainbow trout). The Atlantic salmon is an exception among the salmonids as it
has 72–74 chromosome arms and its karyotype includes 12 pairs of large acrocentric chromosomes, which
appear to be the result of tandem fusions. The purpose of this study was to integrate the Atlantic salmon's
linkage map and karyotype and to compare the chromosome map with that of rainbow trout.
Results: The Atlantic salmon genetic linkage groups were assigned to specific chromosomes in the
European subspecies using fluorescence in situ hybridization with BAC probes containing genetic markers
mapped to each linkage group. The genetic linkage groups were larger for metacentric chromosomes
compared to acrocentric chromosomes of similar size. Comparison of the Atlantic salmon chromosome
map with that of rainbow trout provides strong evidence for conservation of large syntenic blocks in these
species, corresponding to entire chromosome arms in the rainbow trout.
Conclusion: It had been suggested that some of the large acrocentric chromosomes in Atlantic salmon
are the result of tandem fusions, and that the small blocks of repetitive DNA in the middle of the arms
represent the sites of chromosome fusions. The finding that the chromosomal regions on either side of
the blocks of repetitive DNA within the larger acrocentric chromosomes correspond to different rainbow
trout chromosome arms provides support for this hypothesis.
Description
BioMed Central
Keywords
Citation
Phillips et al. Assignment of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) linkage groups to specific chromosomes: conservation of large syntenic blocks corresponding to whole chromosome arms in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). BMC Genetics 2009, 10:46