ORIGIN OF MULTIPLE OOCYTE NUCLEOLI FROM ACCESSORY DNA BODIES IN GRYLLUS DOMESTICUS

The early stages of female and male germ cells have been investigated in Feulgen squash preparations, in unfixed state with phase contrast optics and in the electron microscope. The DNA axes of the ring-shaped multiple nucleoli in the growing oocytes of Gryllus arise from compact DNA bodies which are found in oogonia of young larvae and in oocytes prior to the growth period. The nuclei of the early oogonia contain several little DNA bodies whereas young oocytes at leptotene, zygotene and pachytene have only one body which is bigger than at earlier stages (Pig. 3). At metaphase and anaphase during oogonial mitosis the DNA body has a filamentous shape distinguishable from the compact chromosomes (Fig. 5). In oogonia as well as at leptotene and zygotene stages, nucleoli are produced in the peripheral, uncoiled parts of each DNA body whereas the compact interior is completely free of nucleolar material (Figs. 4, 12). At pachytene, the whole DNA body begins to despiralize, and single DNA strands are released into the nucleoplasm. These strands form hundreds of multiple nucleoli which finally are dispersed in the germinal vesicle (Fig. 11). - Incorporation studies with radio-active thymidine have shown that DNA synthesis in the DNA body is not synchronous with the S-phase of the chromosomes (Fig. 7). - The DNA body is an own formation distinct from the sex chromosomes (in contrast to the opinion of Sotelo and Wettstein, 1964). Although the positive heteropycnotic X-chromosome in the germ cells of the male cricket is very similar to the DNA body of the female (Fig. 8), there is no regular contact between sex chromosome and nucleolus neither in spermatogonia nor in spermatocytes (Figs. 9, 14). In all probability, the site of the nucleolar organizer is autosomal. - It is suggested that the amplification of the nucleolar genes in Gryllus oocytes results in an accumulation of ribosomal RNA for use during the early cleavage stages of the embryo © 1969 Springer-Verlag.