DETECTION OF MINOR AND MAJOR SATELLITE DNA IN CYTOKINESIS-BLOCKED MOUSE SPLENOCYTES BY A PRINS TANDEM LABELING APPROACH

A protocol for the simultaneous visualization of minor and major satel lite DNA by primed in situ DNA synthesis (PRINS) was developed in cyto kinesis-blocked murine splenocytes. After individuation of optimal exp erimental conditions, a micronucleus (MN) test was carried out by trea ting splenocytes in vitro with the clastogenic agent mitomycin C and t he aneugenic compound Colcemid. It was found that PRINS gives highly r eproducible results, also comparable with the literature on MN results obtained by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). Therefore the P RINS methodology may be proposed as a fast alternative to FISH for the characterization of induced MN.