Characterization of Cyclops kolensis inter-simple sequence repeats in germline and postdiminution somatic cells

Chromatin diminution is programmed elimination of a part of the genome from presumptive somatic cells during early embryogenesis of some animal species. Chromatin diminution was described for a fairly small number of species of different groups of animals, such as ascarides, myxines, dipterans, Cyclops, and protozoans. Although a great variety of chromatin diminution forms is known, it seems most promising to study this process in Cyclops kolensisLill., a member of the family Cyclopidae. This freshwater crustacean contains a record-breaking (~94%) amount of eliminated DNA (eDNA) compared to other multicellular animals. In this species, DNA is eliminated from chromosomes of somatic cells during the fourth cleavage division, with the diploid chromosome number remaining unchanged.