AUTHOR=de Moraes Renata Luiza Rosa , Sassi Francisco de Menezes Cavalcante , Bertollo Luiz Antonio Carlos , Marinho Manoela Maria Ferreira , Viana Patrik Ferreira , Feldberg Eliana , Oliveira Vanessa Cristina Sales , Deon Geize Aparecida , Al-Rikabi Ahmed B. H. , Liehr Thomas , Cioffi Marcelo de Bello 

TITLE=Tracking the Evolutionary Trends Among Small-Size Fishes of the Genus Pyrrhulina (Characiforme, Lebiasinidae): New Insights From a Molecular Cytogenetic Perspective

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Genetics

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genetics/articles/10.3389/fgene.2021.769984

DOI=10.3389/fgene.2021.769984

ISSN=1664-8021

ABSTRACT=<p>Miniature fishes have always been a challenge for cytogenetic studies due to the difficulty in obtaining chromosomal preparations, making them virtually unexplored. An example of this scenario relies on members of the family Lebiasinidae which include miniature to medium-sized, poorly known species, until very recently. The present study is part of undergoing major cytogenetic advances seeking to elucidate the evolutionary history of lebiasinids. Aiming to examine the karyotype diversification more deeply in <italic>Pyrrhulina</italic>, here we combined classical and molecular cytogenetic analyses, including Giemsa staining, C-banding, repetitive DNA mapping, comparative genomic hybridization (CGH), and whole chromosome painting (WCP) to perform the first analyses in five <italic>Pyrrhulina</italic> species (<italic>Pyrrhulina</italic> aff. <italic>marilynae</italic>, <italic>Pyrrhulina</italic> sp., <italic>P. obermulleri</italic>, <italic>P. marilynae</italic> and <italic>Pyrrhulina</italic> cf. <italic>laeta</italic>). The diploid number (2n) ranged from 40 to 42 chromosomes among all analyzed species, but <italic>P. marilynae</italic> is strikingly differentiated by having 2n = 32 chromosomes and a karyotype composed of large meta/submetacentric chromosomes, whose plesiomorphic status is discussed. The distribution of microsatellites does not markedly differ among species, but the number and position of the rDNA sites underwent significant changes among them. Interspecific comparative genome hybridization (CGH) found a moderate divergence in the repetitive DNA content among the species’ genomes. Noteworthy, the WCP reinforced our previous hypothesis on the origin of the X<sub>1</sub>X<sub>2</sub>Y multiple sex chromosome system in <italic>P. semifasciata</italic>. In summary, our data suggest that the karyotype differentiation in <italic>Pyrrhulina</italic> has been driven by major structural rearrangements, accompanied by high dynamics of repetitive DNAs.</p>