MECANISMOS ENVOLVIDOS NA ORIGEM DOS CROMOSSOMOS SEXUAIS GIGANTES NO GENERO OMOPHOITA (COLEOPTERA, CHRYSOMELIDAE)

Abstract

The order Coleoptera is the most diverse of all living beings, with a wide possibilities of studies with regards to the karyotype diversity and the mechanisms of differentiation. The species of the subtribe Oedionychina (Alticinae; Chrysomelidae) are interesting for evolutionary studies due to the giant sex chromosomes and asynaptic during meiosis, can be considered highly derivate. The objective of this study was to propose the molecular mechanisms involved in the differentiation process and evolution of sex chromosomes in the Omophoita genus. The Mapping analysis using DNA C0t-1 total (reassociation kinetics highly and moderately repetitive DNA) showed marks distributed in all chromosomes, especially in the sex chromosomes. The cross-hybridization among species produced a very similar location pattern, indicating that most of the genome is shared among species Omophoita. Analysis of the results obtained in conjunct with C-bands, fluorochromes and C0t-1 together show that the heterochromatin of the species is largely composed of repetitive DNA distributed throughout the autosomes and sex chromosomes. Chromosome mapping with microsatellite (SSRs) probes showed conserved patterns for autosomes, but diversified to sex chromosomes, showing difference in SSRs composition in the sex chromosomes, of the species. The results of hybridization with transposition element clones showed some similarities patterns to the SSRs markers, which may indicate that throughout the evolutive process of species these elements were present. Considering all results we can propose differences in the constitution of sex chromosomes of the species studied, thus, we can infer an evolutionary role of repetitive DNA in the differentiation of chromosomes in the subtribe.