[Detection of active genes in mouse metaphase chromosomes using DNAse I in situ]

The active genes of rRNA were localized near the centromere region of metacentric translocation chromosome Rb(9, 19) 163H in early mouse embryos revealed by differential silver staining of NORs. Using nick-translation reaction in situ it was shown that rRNA genes in metaphase chromosomes were in a deoxyribonuclease I sensitive conformation. This method of nick-translation in situ can be used for visualization of various actively transcribed regions of genome at metaphase.