J. Stockert
2005
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Quality indicators
Journal
Chromosoma
Abstract
The effect induced by berberine sulphate on the morphology of nuclear constituents fromChironomus tentans andC. pallidivittatus salivary glands was investigated. The degree of puffing of Balbiani rings and the structure of nucleoli appeared to be considerably modified after berberine treatment of fourth instar larvae. Balbiani rings appeared to be reduced in size or collapsed after treatment with 10 or 25 μg/ml berberine for several hours; in animals subjected to 1 μg/ml the response was different depending on the type of Balbiani ring. In all cases, treatment with berberine at a low concentration induced the appearance of a large number of droplets in Balbiani ring 2 and some puffed regions, as well as the phenomenon of nucleolar segregation. These results indicate that, when used at a suitable time and concentration, berberine sulphate induces structural changes inChironomus nuclei, which appear to be related to its capacity to modify the delicate balance between transcriptionally active chromosomal regions.