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. 2010 Sep 17;15(4):651–664. doi: 10.2478/s11658-010-0034-0

Ribosomal DNA, tri- and bi-partite pericentromeres in the permanent translocation heterozygote Rhoeo spathacea

Hieronim Golczyk 1,✉, Robert Hasterok 2, Marek Szklarczyk 3
PMCID: PMC6275781  PMID: 20865365

Abstract

High- and low-stringency FISH and base-specific fluorescence were performed on the permanent translocation heterozygote Rhoeo spathacea (2n = 12). Our results indicate that 45S rDNA arrays, rDNA-related sequences and other GC-rich DNA fraction(s) are located within the pericentromeric regions of all twelve chromosomes, usually colocalizing with the chromomycin A3-positive bands. Homogenization of the pericentromeric regions appears to result from the concerted spread of GC-rich sequences, with differential amplification likely. We found new 5S rDNA patterns, which suggest a variability in the breakpoints and in the consequent chromosome reorganizations. It was found that the large 5S rDNA locus residing on each of the 8E and 9E arms consisted of two smaller loci. On each of the two chromosome arms 3b and 4b, in addition to the major subtelomeric 5S rDNA locus, a new minor locus was found interstitially about 40% along the arm length. The arrangement of cytotogenetic landmarks and chromosome arm measurements are discussed with regard to genome repatterning in Rhoeo.

Key words: Pericentromere, Permanent translocation heterozygosity, rDNA, Rhoeo

Full Text

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Abbreviations used

CMA3+

chromomycin A3 positive

FISH

fluorescence in situ hybridization

NORs

nucleolus organizer regions

PTH

permanent translocation heterozygosity

rDNA

ribosomal DNA

WATs

whole arm translocations

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