Heterochromatin accumulation, disposition and diversity in Gibasis karwinskyana (Commelinaceae)

Brazilian Kayabi Indian accessions of peanut, Arachis hypogaea (Fabales, Fabaceae): origin, diversity and evolution

Peanut is a crop of the Kayabi tribe, inhabiting the Xingu Indigenous Park, Brazil. Morphological analysis of Xingu accessions showed variation exceeding that described for cultivated peanuts. This raised questions as to the origin of the Xingu accessions: are they derived from different species, or is their diversity a result of different evolutionary and selection processes? To answer these questions, cytogenetic and genotyping analyses were conducted. The karyotypes of Xingu accessions analyzed are very similar to each other, to an A. hypogaea subsp. fastigiata accession and to the wild allotetraploid A. monticola. The accessions share the number and general morphology of the chromosomes; DAPI+ bands; 5S and 45S rDNA loci distribution and a high genomic affinity with A. duranensis and A. ipaënsis genomic probes. However, the number of CMA3+ bands differs from those determined for A. hypogaea and A. monticola, which are also different from each other. SNP genotyping grouped all Arachis allotetraploids into four taxonomic groups: Xingu accessions were closer to A. monticola and A. hypogaea subsp. hypogaea. Our data suggests that the morphological diversity within these accessions is not associated with a different origin and can be attributed to morphological plasticity and different selection by the Indian tribes.

Karyotype differentiation in three species of Tripogandra Raf. (Commelinaceae) with different ploidy levels

Most species of the genus Tripogandra (Commelinaceae) are taxonomically poorly circumscribed, in spite of having a relatively stable basic number x = 8. Aiming to estimate the cytological variation among Tripogandra species carrying this base number, several structural karyotypic characters were investigated in the diploid T. glandulosa, the hexaploid T. serrulata, and the octoploid T. diuretica. A careful evaluation of chromosome size and morphology did not reveal clear chromosome homeologies among karyotypes. The mean chromosome size was strongly reduced in the octoploid species, but not in the hexaploid species. They also differed largely in the CMA(+) banding pattern and in the number of 5S and 45S rDNA sites per monoploid chromosome complement. All three species showed proximal DAPI (+) heterochromatin, although in T. serrulata this kind of heterochromatin was only visible after FISH. Further, the meiosis in T. serrulata was highly irregular, suggesting that this species has a hybrid origin. The data indicate that, in spite of the conservation of the base number, these species are karyologically quite different from each other.

Karyotype differentiation of four Cestrum species (Solanaceae) revealed by fluorescent chromosome banding and FISH

The karyotypes of four South American species of Cestrum (C. capsulare,C. corymbosum,C. laevigatum and C. megalophylum) were studied using conventional staining, C-CMA/DAPI chromosome banding and FISH with 45S and 5S rDNA probes. The karyotypes showed a chromosome number of 2n = 2x = 16, with metacentric chromosomes, except for the eighth submeta- to acrocentric pair. Several types of heterochromatin were detected, which varied in size, number, distribution and base composition. The C-CMA⁺ bands and 45S rDNA were located predominantly in terminal regions. The C-CMA ⁺ /DAPI ⁺ bands appeared in interstitial and terminal regions, and the C-DAPI ⁺ bands were found in all chromosome regions. The 5S rDNA sites were observed on the long arm of pair 8 in all species except C. capsulare, where they were found in the paracentromeric region of the long arm of pair 4. The differences in band patterns among the species studied here, along with data from other nine species reported in the literature, suggest that the bands are dispersed in an equilocal and non-equilocal manner and that structural rearrangements can be responsible for internal karyotype diversification. However, it is important to point out that the structural changes involving repetitive segments did not culminate in substantial changes in the general karyotype structure concerning chromosome size and morphology.

Chromosomal polymorphism in 12 populations of Mikania micrantha (Compositae)

Mikania micrantha is a climbing perennial weed of the family Asteraceae, with a vast distribution from South America to south of the United States. This species is widely distributed throughout Brazil, where it shows little morphological variation. Mitotic chromosomes of 12 populations of M. micrantha derived from several Brazilian sites were studied using Feulgen staining and C-banding. The populations included eight diploid (2n = 36 and 42) and four tetraploid (2n = 72) cytotypes. Chromosome numbers of 2n = 36 and 2n = 42 are reported for the first time for M. micrantha. These populations had a secondary constriction in the middle of the larger arm of chromosome pair 1, following the same pattern described for all Mikania species analyzed so far. Numerical and structural variation of the chromosomes was quite common among the karyotypes and nearly all cytotypes differed from each other in some aspect. Most of the chromosomal differentiation may be attributed to inversions and addition or deletion of DNA fragments. C-banding, applied to three of the 12 populations, also revealed polymorphism in the distribution of heterochromatin. Additionally, one to 14 supernumerary or B-chromosomes were observed. The Bs were detected in six of the 12 populations and varied in size, number, and structure among karyotypes and also among cells of the same root meristem. The B chromosomes were also heterochromatic, showing a C-banding pattern similar to the A chromosomes, and suggesting that they may be derived from the chromosomes of the A complement.

Physical localisation of repetitive DNA sequences in Alstroemeria: karyotyping of two species with species-specific and ribosomal DNA

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was used to localise two species-specific repetitive DNA sequences, A001-I and D32-13, and two highly conserved 25S and 5S rDNA sequences on the metaphase chromosomes of two species of Alstroemeria. The Chilean species, Alstroemeria aurea (2n = 16), has abundant constitutive heterochromatin, whereas the Brazilian species, Alstroemeria inodora, has hardly any heterochromatin. The A. aurea specific A001-I probe hybridized specifically to the C-band regions on all chromosomes. The FISH patterns on A. inodora chromosomes using species-specific probe D32-13 resembled the C-banding pattern and the A001-I pattern on A. aurea chromosomes. There were notable differences in number and distribution of rDNA sites between the two species. The 25S rDNA probe revealed 16 sites in A. aurea that closely colocalised with A001-I sites and 12 in A. inodora that were predominantly detected in the centromeric regions. FISH karyotypes of the two Alstroemeria species were constructed accordingly, enabling full identification of all individual chromosomes. These FISH karyotypes will be useful for monitoring the chromosomes of both Alstroemeria species in hybrids and backcross derivatives.

Genome and chromosome identification in cultivated barley and related species of the Triticeae (Poaceae) by in situ hybridization with the GAA-satellite sequence

The satellite sequence studied was primarily composed of GAA repeats organized in long tracts of heterochromatic DNA. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) with the GAA satellite (GAA banding) to the chromosomes of barley, wheat, rye, and other Triticeae species produced banding patterns similar to those obtained by N-banding. The GAA-banding patterns of barley are described in detail and those of 12 other Triticeae species are described briefly. In situ hybridization with the GAA-satellite sequence permits identification of all the chromosomes of barley. It is a valuable alternative to other banding techniques, especially in connection with physical gene mapping by FISH. The application of the GAA-satellite sequence for the characterization of genomes in phylogenetic studies of genera containing the sequence is discussed.

Chromosome identification and mapping in the grass Zingeria biebersteiniana (2n = 4) using fluorochromes

The grass Zingeria biebersteiniana is one of five angiosperms known with 2n = 2x = 4. Its chromosomes were studied using fluorochrome banding and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The large pericentromeric region fluoresced much more brightly on chromosome 2 than on chromosome 1, using two different fluorochrome banding methods. These offer rapid and reliable means for identifying chromosomes and work throughout mitosis. FISH located the major site of 18S-26S rDNA sequences at the secondary constriction, which is proximal to two minor sites, all on the short arm of chromosome 1. Two 5S sites were also detected, the most distinct on the short arm of chromosome 2 and the other apparently co-localized with part of the major 18S-26S rDNA cluster on chromosome 1. These results constitute the first steps in constructing a physical gene map for Z. biebersteiniana. Such information may facilitate future studies of the organization and reorganization of grass genomes, including research into the spatial arrangement of the genome in Zingeria nuclei and much wider comparisons of synteny and genome evolution in grasses.

Karyotypic comparison among Cebuella pygmaea, Callithrix jacchus and C. emiliae (Callitrichidae, Primates) and its taxonomic implications

The karyotype of Cebuella pygmaea (2n = 44) obtained by G-, C-banding, and NOR-staining is described. This species presents a heteromorphic C band in the intersticial region of the short arm of chromosome 2. The data obtained were compared with those previously described for the karyotypes of Callithrix jacchus and Callithrix emiliae. The three species differ in the amount and distribution of non-centromeric constitutive heterochromatin. The importance of the variation in constitutive heterochromatin for the phylogeny of the group is discussed. Comparison of the karyotypes in terms of G-banding patterns showed that C. pygmaea and C. emiliae differ from C. jacchus by a Robertsonian translocation and a paracentric inversion, whereas C. pygmaea and C. emiliae differ from each other by a reciprocal translocation between an acrocentric autosome and the short arm of the submetacentric chromosomes that distinguishes their karyotypes from that of C. jacchus. The possible evolutionary paths followed by the karyotypes of the three species are discussed.