Isolation and chromosomal localization of new MITE-like sequences from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Secale</Emphasis>

A species-specific DNA sequence (marker) that can detect the presence of Secale cereale chromatin in common wheat background was developed by using wheat microsatellite primer Xgwm614. One rye-specific DNA amplified fragment of 416bp (pSa614₄₁₆) was obtained from Secale africanum and a wheat — S. africanum amphiploid. The primer Xgwm614 also gave rise to specific bands in all Chinese Spring-Imperial rye addition lines 1R to 7R. Sequence analysis revealed that pSa614₄₁₆ was strongly homologous to a miniature inverted transposable element (MITE) stowaway-like element. Results of fluorescence in situ hybridization showed that the signal of pSa614₄₁₆ was distributed along all S. cereale. cv Jingzhou chromosomes, but the signal strengths were unbalanced on the seven rye genome chromosomes. This repetitive element may be useful as a molecular marker for the introgression of rye germplasm into the wheat genome.