[Position of the satellite DNA relative to heterochromatin in the interphase nuclei in cultured cells].

It is considered that centromeric (CEN) regions play the leading role in the formation of chromocentres predominantly consisting of satellite DNA. Cloned mouse and human satellite DNA sequences from CEN and periGEN regions were used in order to trace their positions relative to chromocentres. Methods of fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and immunoFISH with antibodies against CENP-B, known is a marker of prekinetochore, were employed. Peripheral position of the signals was observed at the chromocentres, but a combined signal of GEN and periGEN satellite DNAs never covered the whole brightly DAPI stained regions. A reasonable amount of the chromocentre body is not a satellite DNA. We suppose that the matrix-associated regions (MAR) of structural genes and, probably, the heavy methylated coding sequences of the genes, which are not expressed in the given cell type, are included in the chromocentres in addition to satellite DNAs.