Open AccessCondensation of chromosomes during mitotic prophase
Author(s) -
SORSA VEIKKO
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
hereditas
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.819
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1601-5223
pISSN - 0018-0661
DOI - 10.1111/j.1601-5223.1973.tb01146.x
Subject(s) - prophase , chromatid , biology , mitosis , premature chromosome condensation , metaphase , interphase , prometaphase , microbiology and biotechnology , meiosis , chromosome , chromatin , genetics , dna , gene
Condensation of chromosomes during mitotic prophase was studied by means of whole mount electron microscopy on cerebral ganglion cells of Drosophila melanogaster after short treatment with alkaliurea. In interphase and early mitotic prophase nuclei some core‐like structures, i.e. interchromomeric axial fibers, were observed. During later prophase the chromatid axis seems to be polynemic in most of the cells. Later on the primary axes of chromatids disappear more and more due to supercoiling and folding of chromatin fibrils, and through the shortening of the whole linear organization of chromosomes. Some traces of subsequent coiling orders can be locally observed in the chromosome arms. The largest gyres of metaphase chromosomes are especially clear in whole mount preparations.