2018 Volume 83 Issue 2 Pages 125-128
Chromosomal rearrangements are thought to play a role in speciation, adaptation and evolution. The effects of chromosomal rearrangements on gene expression have been reported in many species and their close relatives, and may illustrate the consequences of adaptation. To investigate the effects of chromosomal rearrangements on phenotypic changes directly, studies of experimentally induced rearrangements are required; they allow gene expression and epigenetic states to be compared between mutants and wild-types. We have developed an effective method for inducing chromosomal rearrangements with heavy-ion beam irradiation, which is a sort of ionizing radiation. Reconstruction of such rearrangements by genome editing will enable reproducible studies on the effects of chromosomal rearrangements. In the future, therefore, these techniques will usher in a new era in which researchers can create novel species with designer chromosomes.