Mapping of sister-chromatid exchanges in human chromosomes using G-banding and autoradiography

Lumphocytes were pulse-labelled with [3H] thymidine. Following G-banding, the cells were autoradiographed and 46 in their third post-labelling division selected. The locations of 611 sister-chromatid exchanges (SCE's) which had occurred in the previous two cell cycles were recorded as label discontinuities along identified chromosomes. Between particular chromosomes, SCE frequency was proportional to chromosome length. SCE frequency distributions within particular chromosomes fitted Poisson expectations. There was no over-representation of exchanges in centromeric regions, or in the C-banded regions of chromosomes 1, 9 and 16. A trend of increased frequency of SCE in darkly G-banded regions and in relatively darkly banded chromosomes was evident. The apparent excess of SCE in dark G-bands could be considered to be a consequence of the more condensed state of the DNA in these regions in the interphase nucleus relative to the DNA in pale G-band regions. Such compaction could result in an enhanced probability of SCE and a reduced probability of gross inter- or intra-change involving these regions. In contrast, the more extended interphase state of the DNA in pale G-banded regions would allow non-homologous exchange and account for the preferred location of X-ray-induced exchange events to pale G-bands.