Revision of SAT chromosome number in Triticum monococcum with respect to nucleolar organizers activity

Summary Six varieties of Triticum monococcum were analysed by means of the nucleolar test; i.e., estimation of the maximum number of primary nucleoli per nucleus. All of the varieties exhibited 4 primary nucleoli in telophase and early interphase. Following detailed karyological analysis four SAT chromosomes in all six karyotypes were found in accordance with the maximum nucleolar number. Secondary constrictions and microsatellites were localised on the short arms of chromosome pairs 3 and 5. A new order of the chromosomes in the idiogram of Tr. monococcum is proposed.     

Absence of qualitative genes controlling interspecific pairing in rye B chromosomes

Summary The meiotic behaviour of hybrids between Secale cereale carrying B chromosomes and S. vavilovii has been studied in order to estimate the effects of B chromosomes on hybrid meiotic pairing. The possible effect of Bs on the meiotic pairing of the offspring from backcrosses with S. vavilovii has been studied also. The results obtained clearly indicate that no detectable differences existed in chromosome pairing of hybrids with or without B chromosomes. The hypothetical existence of epistatic genes on cereale genome masking the effect of Bs has been rejected after the results obtained in backcrosses. Therefore, lack of qualitative genes controlling interspecific pairing on rye B chromosomes has been concluded. A quantitative effect of B chromosomes was detected only when they were in alien cytoplasm.     

High-resolution mapping of repetitive DNA by in situ hybridization: molecular and chromosomal features of prominent dispersed and discretely localized DNA families from the wild beet species Beta procumbens

Members of three prominent DNA families of Beta procumbens have been isolated as Sau3A repeats. Two families consisting of repeats of about 158 bp and 312 bp are organized as satellite DNAs (Sau3A satellites I and II), whereas the third family with a repeat length of 202 bp is interspersed throughout the genome. Multi-colour fluorescence in situ hybridization was used for physical mapping of the DNA families, and has shown that these tandemly organized families occur in large heterochromatic and DAPI positive blocks. The Sau3A satellite I hybridized exclusively around or near the centromeres of 10, 11 or 12 chromosomes. The Sau3A satellite family I showed high intraspecific variability and high-resolution physical mapping was performed on pachytene chromosomes using differentially labelled repeats. The physical order of satellite subfamily arrays along a chromosome was visualized and provided evidence that large arrays of plant satellite repeats are not contiguous and consist of distinct subfamily domains. Re-hybridization of a heterologous rRNA probe to mitotic metaphase chromosomes revealed that the 18S-5.8S-25S rRNA genes are located at subterminal position on one chromosome pair missing repeat clusters of the Sau3A satellite family I. It is known that arrays of Sau3A satellite I repeats are tightly linked to a nematode (Heterodera schachtii) resistance gene and our results show that the gene might be located close to the centromere. Large arrays of the Sau3A satellite II were found in centromeric regions of 16 chromosomes and, in addition, a considerable interspersion of repeats over all chromosomes was observed. The family of interspersed 202 bp repeats is uniformly distributed over all chromosomes and largely excluded from the rRNA gene cluster but shows local amplification in some regions. Southern hybridization has shown that all three families are specific for genomes of the section Procumbentes of the genus Beta.     

Replication banding in the chromosomes of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla)

The chromosomes of the European eel Anguilla anguilla have been analyzed with a replication banding technique from lymphocyte cultures treated with 5-BrdU. This technique allows us to identify with high resolution the individual chromosome pairs and to differentiate classes of chromatin by the order of replication. The replication banding obtained on the chromosomes of European eel can be related with the structural bands described in this species.     

Marker chromosomes commonly observed in the genus Glycine

Summary Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] chromosomes were analyzed using the chromosome image analyzing system, CHIAS, and seven groups, including subgroups, were identified based on morphological characteristics. Two pairs of chromosomes were conspicuous in their morphological traits. One pair of chromosomes, which had the largest arm ratio among all the chromosomes, was commonly observed in the species in all three subgenera of the genus Glycine. These chromosomes also displayed a unique pattern after N-banding and were detected as marker chromosomes. G. soja, which is considered to be the ancestor of G. max, has two types of marker chromosomes. The lines that carry the same type as G. max may be the ancestors of G. max among the lines of G. soja. The morphological differences of the marker chromosomes within the species in the subgenus Soja are discussed in relation to the domestication process of soybean.     

Inter- and intra-genomic homology of the Brassica genomes: implications for their origin and evolution

In order to determine the homologous regions shared by the cultivated Brassica genomes, linkage maps of the diploid cultivated B. rapa (A genome, n = 10), B. nigra (B genome, n = 8) and B. oleracea (C genome, n = 9), were compared. We found intergenomic conserved regions but with extensitve reordering among the genomes. Eighteen linkage groups from all three species could be associated on the basis of homologous segments based on at least three common markers. Intragenomic homologous conservation was also observed for some of the chromosomes of the A, B and C genomes. A possible chromosome phylogenetic pathway based on an ancestral genome of at least five, and no more than seven chromosomes, was drawn from the chromosomal inter-relationships observed. These results demonstrate that extensive duplication and rearrangement have been involved in the formation of the Brassica genomes from a smaller ancestral genome.     

Detection of 5S rDNA and other repeated DNA on supernumerary B chromosomes ofTriticum species (Poaceae)

The supernumerary B chromosomes ofTriticum speltoides andT. tripsacoides were analyzed in mitotic metaphases of spike primordium cells by C-banding and in situ hybridization (ISH) analyzes. B chromosomes ofT. speltoides have larger telomeric and interstitial C-bands, whereas those ofT. tripsacoides are almost completely devoid of C-bands. A prominent ISH site of rye related DNA sequences (using probe pSc119) was detected on B chromosomes ofT. tripsacoides and only a minor ISH site was observed on theT. speltoides B chromosomes. However, two ISH sites of 5S rRNA loci were detected at a terminal and an interstitial location of theT. speltoides B chromosomes. These sites were absent on B chromosomes ofT. tripsacoides. The results are discussed with respect to the phylogenetic origin of these B chromosomes.     

Chromosome banding in the genusPinus

The chromosomes (2n=24) ofPinus densiflora Sieb. et Zucc. andP. thunbergii Parl. collected from several localities were analyzed on their fluorescent banding patterns by sequential staining with the base specifically binding fluorochromes, CMA and DAPI. In both species, the CMA-bands were localized at the proximal and/or interstitial regions of most of the chromosomes. The CMA-banding pattern was constant among the cells in a plant and was specific to respective species with a few variations. After the CMA and DAPI stainings each chromosome was identified individually. The fluorescent banding patterns of the two species were somewhat similar, but were diferent with respect to in some characters.Pinus thunbergii had two pairs of metacentric chromosomes without CMA-band and two pairs of metacentric chromosomes with an additional thin CMA-band at the interstitial region. The 10th and 11th pairs of chromosomes of both species, which showed similarity in interstitial CMA and DAPI banding and chromosome shape, had the proximal CMA-bands inP. densiflora and DAPI-band inP. thunbergii. The interspecific F₁ hybrid between the two species could easily be identified by the fluorescent banding method.     

Investigation of the physiological properties and synthesis of PUFAs from Thraustochytrids and its electrophoretic karyotypes

Physiological properties of organism, such as the number of chromosomes, genome size, fatty acid profile and the activities of desaturases and elongases were investigated for four differentThraustochytrium species. The investigation revealed thatThraustochytrium aureum could synthesize a significant level of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), particularly docosa-hexaenoic acid (DHA), when compared to the other threeThraustochytrium species tested. A higher level of saturated fatty acids was observed byT. striatum followed byThraustochytrium sp. ATCC 26185. The PUFA accumulation rate was higher in the n-3 than in the n-6 pathway. A comparison of the activities for these desaturases and elongases of the four different species were also studied. Further, the electrophoretic karyotypes of Thraustochytrids were separated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The separation condition of PFGE was developed to obtain the different chromosomes from the variousThraustochytrium species. The number of chromosomes inT. aureum, T. striatum, Thraustochytrium sp. ATCC 20891 andThraustochytrium sp. ATCC 26185 were 13, 17, 10. 8, and the whole genome size of those species were estimated to be 12.9, 11.7, 11.3 and 9.93 Mbp, respectively.     

基于荧光原位杂交的藜属植物核型分析

为精确地识别藜属植物染色体组的核型特征,该文研究了4种来自青海高原的野生藜属植物(灰绿藜、藜、菊叶香藜及杂配藜)和1种从美国引进的栽培藜麦品种PI614932-HX(3)基于染色体荧光原位杂交(rDNA FISH)的核型。利用5S rDNA和45S rDNA对5种藜属植物有丝分裂中期的染色体进行FISH研究。藜属植物的核型分析结果表明:(1)藜属植物中存在二倍体(2n=2x=18)和四倍体(2n=4x=36)两种倍性,藜麦和灰绿藜为四倍体,其余3种为二倍体。(2)藜麦、灰绿藜、藜、菊叶香藜及杂配藜的核型公式分别为2n=4x=36=34m(2AST)+2sm,2n=4x=36=32m(4AST)+4sm,2n=2x=18=16m(4AST)+2sm,2n=2x=18=18m及2n=2x=18=16m+2sm。(3)染色体由大部分的中部着丝粒染色体(m)和少部分近中部着丝粒染色体(sm)组成。(4)核型类型除了菊叶香藜为1B以外,其余均属于2B类型。(5)在藜麦、灰绿藜及藜中具有分布位置不同、数量不等的双随体。5S rDNA、45S rDNA FISH结果表明:(1)藜麦和灰绿藜的染色体上存在2对5S rDNA位点和1对45S rDNA位点,藜、杂配藜的染色体上存在1对5S rDNA位点和1对45S rDNA位点,菊叶香藜的染色体上只存在1对5S rDNA位点。(2)5S rDNA和45S rDNA位点均位于染色体的短臂上。该研究首次获得了藜属植物基于5S rDNA和45S rDNA荧光原位杂交核型,为藜属植物亲缘关系研究和细胞生物学研究提供了分子细胞遗传学依据。     

Cytologically based physical maps of the group 3 chromosomes of wheat

Cytologically based physical maps for the group 3 chromosomes of wheat were constructed by mapping 25 Triticum aestivum deletion lines with 29 T. tauschii and T. aestivum RFLP probes. The deletion lines divide chromosomes 3A, 3B, and 3D into 31 discrete intervals, of which 18 were tagged by marker loci. The comparison of the consensus physical map with a consensus RFLP linkage map of the group 3 chromosomes of wheat revealed a fairly even distribution of marker loci on the long arm, and higher recombination in the distal region.     

Comparative karyotype analysis ofCeratozamia mexicana andMicrocycas calocoma (Zamiaceae) using fluorochrome banding (CMA/DAPI) and fluorescence in situ hybridization of ribosomal DNA

Orcein staining, differential staining with CMA and DAPI, and FISH with an rDNA probe were used to compare somatic chromosomes ofCeratozamia mexicana andMicrocycas calocoma. CMA-positive dots and hybridization signals appeared on chromosomes at early interphase and mitotic prophase, but in significantly different number in the two species. InCeratozamia mexicana, the CMA-positive and DAPI-negative bands and the hybridization signal were located at the terminal region of the long arm of three median-centromeric chromosomes, the terminal region of the short arm of two median-centromeric chromosomes and the terminal region of the long arm of two subterminal-centromeric chromosomes. InMicrocycas calocoma, they were located at the pericentric region of two median-centromeric chromosomes. These chromosome data suggested thatMicrocycas has no simple Robertsonian relationship toCeratozamia.     

Meiotic pairing of the amphiploid Hordeum chilense X Triticum turgidum conv. durum studied by means of Giemsa C-banding technique

Summary The meiotic behaviour of the amphiploid Hordeum chilense X Triticum turgidum conv. durum using a C-banding staining method is studied. Nine pairs of chromosomes at metaphase-1 (4A, 7A and the seven of the B genome) were identified and the remaining wheat chromosomes (1A, 2A, 3A, 5A and 6A) and seven of the chilense (1 to 7 H ^ch chromosomes) were assigned to its particular genome. A similar mean number of univalents from parental genomes (wheat and wild barley) were found. No meiotic pairing between chilense and turgidum chromosomes was detected. Differences in the meiotic behaviour per chromosome and amongst genomes are explained on the basis of cytomorphological and heterochromatin characteristics.     

Analysis of nucleolar activity in Agropyron elongatum,its amphiploid with Triticum aestivum and the chromosome addition lines

Summary The nucleolar organizer activity of the Agropyron elongatum, its amphiploid with hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum) and the chromosome addition lines is analyzed by the silver-staining procedure. Four Ag-NORs are observed in A. elongatum corresponding to the chromosomes 6E and 7E. In the amphiploid T. aestivum — A. elongatum, eight Ag-NORs are observed which corresponds the wheat chromosomes 1B and 6B and to the elongatum chromosomes 6E and 7E. Thus, there is codominance in the nucleolar organizer activity of the chromosomes of the two species. However, a partial amphiplasty is detected since less than 8 Ag-NORs (7 up to 4) are observed in some metaphase cells; the chromosomes 6E and 7E are occasionally suppressed by wheat chromosomes. This conclusion is confirmed by the behaviour of the addition lines since only in those corresponding to the chromosomes 6E and 7E are the elongatum chromosomes nucleolar active although occasionally they can be suppressed by wheat chromosomes.     

Peculiar spindle configuration in the pollen tube revealed by the anti-tubulin immunofluorescence method

The spindles in generative cell divisions within the pollen tubes ofCalanthe andImpatiens were revealed by anti-α-tubulin immunofluorescence methods. They were peculiar configurations in which the metaphase chromosomes lay tandemly in some lines along the spindle axis and the sister chromosomes separated anti-parallelly by the spindle elongation during anaphase.     

Repeated DNA sequences inTriticum (Poaceae): Chromosomal mapping and its bearing on the evolution of B and G genomes

The somatic chromosomes ofTriticum turgicum var.durum cv. Langdon andT. dicoccoides (AABB tetraploids),T. timopheevii, andT. araraticum (AAGG tetraploids) were assayed for distribution patterns of a highly repeated 120bp DNA sequence by in situ hybridization. The repeated sequence appears to be an ancient sequence shared withSecale andAegilops. The distribution patterns of the chromosomes were compared to the patterns of the A and B genome chromosomes ofT. aestivum cv. Chinese Spring (AABBDD hexaploid).T. turgidum andT. dicoccoides were observed to have identical in situ hybridization patterns. In both species, nine chromosomes with a total of 21 sites of hybridization were observed. The pattern, with few exceptions, was identical to that of Chinese Spring.T. araraticum andT. timopheevii were observed to have different patterns. InT. araraticum, six chromosomes with 21 total hybridization sites are present while inT. timopheevii nine chromosomes with 19 total sites exist. Major differences in hybridization patterns were observed between the B and G genomes. The divergence of the tetraploid wheats in this study appears to have resulted in changes in location, not in amount, of the ancient repeated sequence.     

Comparison of the Giemsa C-banded and N-banded karyotypes of twoElymus species,E. dentatus andE. glaucescens (Poaceae: Triticeae)

The karyotypes ofElymus dentatus from Kashmir andE. glaucescens from Tierra del Fuego, both carrying genomesS andH, were investigated by C- and N-banding. Both taxa had 2n = 4x = 28. The karyotype ofE. dentatus was symmetrical with large chromosomes. It had 18 metacentric, four submetacentric and six satellited chromosomes. The karyotype ofE. glaucescens resembled that ofE. dentatus, but a satellited chromosome pair was replaced by a morphologically similar, non-satellited pair. The C-banding patterns of both species had from one to five conspicuous and a few inconspicuous bands per chromosome. N-banding differentiated the chromosomes of the constituent genomes by producing bands in theH genome only. TheS genomes of both species were similar with five metacentric and two satellited chromosomes having most conspicuous C-bands at telomeric and distal positions. They resembled theS genome of the genusPseudoroegneria. TheH genomes had four similar metacentric and two submetacentric chromosomes. The seventhH genome chromosome ofE. dentatus was satellited, that ofE. glaucescens nonsatellited, but otherwise morphologically similar. The C-bands were distributed at no preferential positions. TheH genome ofE. dentatus resembles theH genomes of some diploidHordeum taxa.     

A monophyletic origin of the B chromosomes ofBrachycome dichromosomatica (Asteraceae)

The A and B chromosomes of different karyotype variants (cytodemes A1, A2, A3 and A4) ofBrachycome dichromosomatica were analysed by computer-aided chromosome image analysis and fluorescencein situ hybridisation (FISH). Ribosomal DNA and the B chromosome-specific sequence Bd49 were detected on all B chromosomes. In addition to minor size variation of the Bs, polymorphism of the rDNA and Bd49 position and copy number revealed two major types of B chromosomes. The B chromosomes of all the cytodemes were indistinguishable from each other in length, but that of A3 showed evidence of rearrangements consistent with its long-term geographic isolation. The results presented suggest a monophyletic origin of the B chromosomes ofB. dichromosomatica.     

Production of wheat-barley recombinant chromosomes through induced homoeologous pairing

Summary Sears' phlb mutant was used successfully for the first time to induce pairing and recombination between specific barley chromosomes and their wheat homoeologues. Pairing was induced in specially constructed genetic stocks having 19 pairs of wheat chromosomes and triply monosomic for either barley chromosome arm 6HL or 3HL, a related wheat chromosome, and chromosome 5B of wheat carrying the phlb mutation. Wheat-barley recombinant chromosomes were isolated from among the progeny obtained from self-fertilization of the triple monosomic stocks, by screening for dissociation of biochemical markers on the barley arms. Glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), aconitase hydratase (ACO), and dipeptidase (DIP) isozymes were used to select recombinants involving the 6HL arm, and esterase (EST) and malate dehydrogenase (MDH) were used for the 3HL arm. Altogether, six recombinants involving 6HL (1.4%) and six involving 3HL (1.1%) were isolated. These wheat-barley recombinant chromosomes are being used to construct a detailed gene order map of barley based on biochemical and molecular markers.     

Ultrastructure of cell division in the marine red algaLomentaria baileyana

Summary Mitosis in the marine red algaLomentaria baileyana (Rhodymeniales, Rhodophyta) was studied with the electron microscope. Nucleus associated organelles known as polar rings (PRs) migrate to establish the division poles at prophase. At prometaphase, shallow invaginations in the nuclear envelope (NE) form on two sides of each PR and soon rupture. The gaps that are consequently formed contain several small fragments of NE. A larger region of NE remains intact between the two gaps. By metaphase several cisternae of perinuclear endoplasmic reticulum (PER) have enclosed most of the nucleus but remain absent from the polar regions. The nucleolus disperses partially and a typical metaphase plate of chromosomes is formed. Each PR has disjoined into separate proximal and distal portions. MTs converge widely on all regions of the polar area, but do not extend into the cytoplasm. Some MTs end near or at the chromosomes while others extend slightly farther past the chromosomes or diagonally to the NE. As chromosomes move to opposite poles at anaphase, they are accompanied by nucleolar material. An interzonal midpiece (IZM) is created as the pole to pole distance increases and the NE remains intact except for the polar gaps. Following detachment from the IZM, the daughter nuclei are separated by a large central vacuole as a cleavage furrow develops and eventually constricts to form two cells following pit connection formation. It is suggested that mitosis inLomentaria represents an evolutionary intermediate between that seen in the higher and lower groups of red algae. This conclusion is in agreement with conventional morphological and light microscopic criteria used to placeLomentaria in theRhodymeniales, which is considered to be the next to most advanced order in theRhodophyta.