Chromosome markers in Mus musculus: differences in C-banding between the subspecies M.m. musculus and M.m. molossinus.

Quinacrine (Q-band) and centromeric heterochromatin (C-band) patterns of metaphase chromosomes of two subspecies of Mus musculus were compared. M.m. musculus (the laboratory mouse) and M.m. molossinus (a subspecies from Southeast Asia) had similar Q-band patterns along the length of the chromosomes, but differences were observed in the centromeric region of some chromosomes. The two subspecies had very different distributions of C-band material. Antibodies to 5-methyleytosine were bound to regions of the chromosome corresponding to the C-bands in each animal. These findings support the idea that satellite DNA, which is concentrated in the C-band region, changes more quickly than bulk DNA. The interfertility of these two subspecies permits the development of a musculus strain carrying normal marker chromosomes for genetic studies.