Assessment of a species-specific element (Brep 1) in banana

 The nuclear genome of wild-type banana accessions was investigated for repetitive elements. We report here the occurrence, in the banana genome, of a sequence family of species-specific repetitive elements: Brep 1. This sequence family is distributed throughout the Musaceae with various copy numbers. The two species Musa acuminata and M. schizocarpa carry the highest copy numbers in contrast to M. balbisiana and tested representatives of different other sections. PCR primers were defined in the core consensus sequence for specific amplifications, which allow representatives of this sequence family to be easily detected in wild and cultivated banana clones. Sequence data were analysed and hypotheses on the evolution of banana cultivars from the wild-type banana clones are discussed. Received: 17 January 1997 / Accepted : 7 March 1997