The length of secondary chromosomal constrictions in normal individuals and in a nucleolar mutant of Xenopus laevis

Abstract

Secondary chromosomal constrictions are thought to be the loci of the genome which code for ribosomal RNA synthesis. Their metaphase length could depend on nucleolar size or level of functional activity in interphase or on gene content. Wild-type frogs and a frog heterozygous for the Oxford nucleolar mutation were studied to determine which possibility is more probable. The mutant was studied because its single nucleolus is larger than wild-type nucleoli, it has only one constriction, half as many ribosomal genes, but produces the same amount of ribosomal RNA. The results indicate (1) that constriction length depends on the amount of genome (whereas others have shown nucleolar size to be related to level of activity) and (2) that the deletion is limited to the constricted segment, supporting the view that the constriction is the nucleolar organizer. Also, metaphase constrictions are longer than expected from their DNA content.