Molecular Cytogenetic Analysis of the Scleractinian Coral Acropora solitaryensis Veron & Wallace 1984

We performed a molecular cytogenetic investigation of the scleractinian coral Acropora solitaryensis, which is dominant in the temperate region of Japan (30–35°N). Molecular cytogenetic analysis, using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), was carried out for karyotyping and gene mapping. We propose the karyotype of this coral (2n = 30) based on C-banding and FISH analyses. FISH mapping of the rRNA gene was carried out with a probe generated by PCR amplification using rRNA gene primers. Furthermore, the telomeres and centromeres of all chromosomes were visualized using FISH. By comparative genomic hybridization using DNA from sperm and unfertilized eggs of this coral, we offer evidence suggesting the existence of sex chromosomes in this species. Collectively, these data advance our understanding of coral genetics.