DNA polymerase alpha inhibition by aphidicolin and fragile site expression in prometaphase chromosomes of the Italian Mediterranean River Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis, 2n=50)

The present study reports on the expression and localization of “fragile sites” (FS) on prometaphase chromosomes of two groups of river buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis, 2n=50; Mediterranean Italian breed), reared in two different farms, with the aim to characterize chromosome fragility in this species. Totally, 400 aphidicolin induced breakages were identified and localized on the standardized ideogram of the river buffalo karyotype. Preliminary results can be synthesized as follows: (a) aphidicolin showed a remarkable decondensing effect on chromosome structure, enabling further studies at high resolution level; (b) the chromosomal expression of the breakages was not different in the two groups of animals; (c) the most fragile chromosomes were the inactive-X, chromosomes 9, 8 and active-X, showing 42, 32, 31 and 30 breakages, respectively; (d) the breaks were localized in the RBG-negative bands (corresponding to eterochromatic regions) or at the band-interband regions; (e) the chromosomal distribution of the break sites was not random and only partially related to chromosome length. The study is in progress to determine the relative incidence of the fragile sites at chromosomal band level, in order to construct a ‘fragile-site map’ of river buffalo, which could be utilized for genetic improvement programs of the species.