Cytogenetic properties of Chinese hamster V79-E cells: G-banding, C-banding, nucleolar organizer regions, and sister chromatid exchanges.

A line of the Chinese hamster V79 strain, denominated as V79-E, is cytogenetically characterized. It has a modal chromosome number of 22. Chromosome morphology, G- and C-banding reveal strong differences from the normal complement of the Chinese hamster presumably caused by rearrangements of chromosome segments during the past 20 years of in vitro culture. 4 chromosomes possess terminal nucleolar organizer regions. Spontaneous sister chromatid exchanges occur with a frequency of 0.38 sister chromatid exchanges per chromosome.