Karyology and karyosystematics of animals

Course unit

title

Scientific direction

Scientific code

Faculty

Department (s)

Karyology and karyosystematics of animals

Zoology N014

Nature Research Center

Institute of Ecology

Mode of studies

Number of credits

Mode of studies

Number of credits

Lectures

0

Consultations

2

Self-studies

5

Seminars

0

Aims of course

To get essential knowledge on chromosome set structure of different animals, cytogenetic methods and use of karyological data in evaluation of species divergence, evolution, systematics and phylogeny.

Main topics

History of Cytogenetics and early studies on animal karyology. Structure and biochemical composition of Eucaryotic chromosomes. Chromosomes during mitosis and meiosis. Gross chromosome morphology and karyotyping. Specificity of karyotypes. Differential banding and fine structure of chromosomes. Sex chromosomes and chromosomal sex differentiation. Variation in chromosome types: Polyteny and Lampbrush chromosomes. Ring- chromosomes, telocentric chromosomes and isochromosomes. B chromosomes, their diversity, origin and prevalence in different species. Variation in chromosome structure: deletions, duplications, translocations, inversions, their causes and evolutionary consequences. Intraspecific chromosomal polymorphism, karyomorphs, mosaic specimens. Karyotypic diversity and evoliutionary trends in different groups of organisms. Significance of karyotype divergence in speciation. Comparative cytogenetics and determination of ancestral karyotypes. Variation in chromosome number: haploidy, diploidy and polyploidy; aneuploidy. Origin of polyploid forms and their role in speciation.

Main literature

White M.J.D. 1973. Animal Cytology and Evolution. New York; Cambridge, University press, 962 pp.

Macgregor H.C. Introduction to Animal Cytogenetics. 1993. Springer Science & Business Media, 238 pp.

Molecular Systematics, 2nd ed. 1996. D.M. Hillis, C. Moritz, and B.K. Mable, eds. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, MA. 655 pp.

Schulz-Schaeffer J. 1980. Cytogenetics. Plants, Animals, Humans. Springer, New York, NY, 446 pp. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-6060-8

Бирштейн В.Я. 1987. Цитогенетические и молекулярные аспекты эволюции позвоночных. Москва, Наука, 288 с.

Rančelis V. 2000. Genetika. Vilnius, 2000. 664 p

Assessment strategy

Assessment criteria

Exam

Short Presentatin (15 min.) of research work (or actual karyological problems associated with reseach of student) and two questions. Presentation and answers will be evaluated in ten-point system according to the level of knowledge.

Romualda Petkevičiūtė

Dr.

Approved by the Council of Graduate School of Life Sciences Center No 600000-…-… on the …. of …… 2021

Chairman