FUNGAL CHROMOSOMES

There are now four well-established methods to examine the chromosomes of filamentous fungi: mapping genes to linkage groups by recombinatio n analyses, light-microscopic observation of chromosomes in meiotic di visions, electron-microscopic observation of the synaptonemal complexe s between homologous chromosomes in prophase of meiosis, and separatio n of chromosomes as individual bands by pulsed field gel electrophores is. These techniques and their contributions are described in brief wi th special reference to Neurospora. A fifth technique will be used mor e and more in characterizing chromosomes at the molecular level as DNA sequencing is completed for a limited number of the fungi. However, o nly the molecular studies of chromosome structures as they relate to c entromeres, telomeres or nucleolus organizer regions are discussed, as is the potential usefulness of DNA sequencing to identify the junctio ns of chromosome rearrangements.