Harlequin Chromosomes

Gabriele Ludewig; Susanne Flor

doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-809633-8.06502-X

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Harlequin Chromosomes

Gabriele Ludewig and Susanne Flor

Brenner's Encyclopedia of Genetics, pp.399-401

Elsevier Science & Technology, 2nd edition

2017

DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-12-809633-8.06502-X

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Abstract

Harlequin chromosomes are characterized by differential staining of the two sister chromatids of a chromosome. Due to the semiconservative DNA replication, they are produced in cells which incorporated bromodeoxyuridine into their DNA during two consecutive cell cycles and were then stained using a fluorescence plus Giemsa staining method for metaphase chromosomes. A chromatid of a harlequin chromosome may have both dark- and light-stained regions due to a reciprocal exchange between sister chromatids. The number of such sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) per cell can vary considerably and may be a sign of a heritable disease, like Bloom’s or Werner’s syndrome, or exposure of cells to radiation or genotoxic compounds. Thus, harlequin chromosomes are useful tools to study basic DNA replication, damage, and repair, and phenomena such as cancer and aging.

Bloom’s syndrome

Bromodeoxyuridine

Chromosome

Differential staining technique

FPG staining

Genotoxicity assay

Harlequin

Hoechst 33258

Metaphase

Sister chromatid

Details

Title: Subtitle: Harlequin Chromosomes
Creators: Gabriele Ludewig - University of Iowa, Occupational and Environmental Health
Susanne Flor - University of Iowa, Radiation Oncology
Resource Type: Encyclopedia entry
Publication Details: Brenner's Encyclopedia of Genetics, pp.399-401
Edition: 2nd edition
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-12-809633-8.06502-X
Publisher: Elsevier Science & Technology; San Diego
Language: English
Date published: 2017
Academic Unit: Occupational and Environmental Health; Radiation Oncology
Record Identifier: 9984001799602771

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