Karyotype structure and NOR activity in Brazilian Smilax Linnaeus, 1753 species (Smilacaceae)

The genus Smilax Linnaeus, 1753 (Smilacaceae) is a large genus of dioecious plants distributed in tropical, subtropical and temperate regions. Some Smilax species have medicinal importance and their identification is important for the control of raw material used in the manufacture of phytotherapeutical products. The karyotypes of seven Brazilian Smilax species were investigated. Mitotic metaphases of roots from young plants were analysed in Feulgen-stained preparations. The karyotypes were asymmetric and modal with 2n = 2x = 32 chromosomes gradually decreasing in size. In S. goyazana A De Candolle & C De Candolle, 1878, a polyploid species, 2n = 4x = 64. In all the species, the large and medium-sized chromosomes were subtelocentric and submetacentric and the small chromosomes were submetacentric or metacentric. Their karyotypes were quite similar, with differences in the arm ratio of some chromosomes. S. fluminensis Steudel, 1841 differed from the other species by having a large metacentric chromosome 1. These findings suggest that evolution occurred without drastic changes in the chromosomal structure in the species analyzed. Terminal secondary constrictions were visualized on the short arm of some chromosomes, but they were detected only in one homologue of each pair. Due to the terminal location and the degree of chromosome condensation, secondary constrictions were not visualized in some species. The nucleolus organizer regions (NORs) were mapped by silver-staining and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) in S. rufescens Grisebach, 1842 and S. fluminensis. Silver-staining and FISH signals were colocalized on the short arms of six chromosomes in S. rufescens and four chromosomes in S. fluminensis. In FISH preparations, one of the largest chromosomes had the secondary constrictions highly decondensed in some cells. This finding and the heteromorphism observed in Feulgen-stained chromosomes suggest that differential rRNA gene expression between homologous rDNA loci can occur in some cells, resulting in different degrees of ribosomal chromatin decondensation. The presence of a heteromorphic chromosome pair in S. rufescens, S. polyantha Grisebach, 1842 and S. goyazana suggests a chromosomal sex determination in these dioecious species.

Alterations in Heterochromatic Knobs in Maize Callus Culture by Breakage-Fusion-Bridge Cycle and Unequal Crossing Over

The meiotic and mitotic behavior of regenerated plants derived from a long-term callus culture, designated 12-F, was analyzed. This culture was heterozygous for an amplification of the heterochromatic knob on the long arm of chromosome 7 (K7L). We aimed to investigate if the amplification resulted from a breakage-fusion-bridge (BFB) cycle or from unequal sister chromatid recombination. Therefore, C-banded mitotic metaphases and pachytene, diakinesis, and anaphase I of regenerated plants were analyzed. Additionally, the occurrence of alterations in K7L was investigated in C-banded metaphases from short-term callus cultures derived from lines related to the donor genotype of the 12-F culture. As a result, plants homozygous and heterozygous for the amplification were detected. Meiosis was normal with few abnormalities, such as a low frequency of univalents at diakinesis. In the callus cultures a chromosome 7 with knobs of different sizes in the sister chromatids was detected and interpreted as a result of unequal crossing over. Other chromosomal alterations were consistent with the occurrence of BFB cycles. The finding of unequal crossing over in the cultures supports the conclusion that the amplification in the culture 12-F would be derived from this mechanism. If the amplification was derived from a BFB cycle, the terminal euchromatic segment between knob and the telomere would be deleted, and possibly, homozygous plants would not be viable.

Breakage-fusion-bridge cycles and de novo telomere formation on broken chromosomes in maize callus cultures

Breakpoints involved in chromosome alterations associated with heterochromatin have been detected in maize plants regenerated from callus culture. A cytogenetic analysis of plants regenerated from a maize callus was performed aiming to analyze the stability of a chromosome 7 bearing a deficiency-duplication (Df-Dp), which was interpreted as derived from a chromatid type breakage-fusion-bridge (BFB) cycle. The Df-Dp chromosome 7 was stable in mitotic and meiotic cells of the regenerated plants. Fluorescence in situ hybridization showed signals of telomeric sequences on the broken chromosome arm and provided evidence of de novo telomere formation. The stability of two types of altered chromosome 7 was investigated in C-banded metaphases from samples of the original callus that were collected during a period of 30-42 months after culture initiation. New alterations involving heterochromatic knobs of chromosomes 7 and 9 were observed. The aberrant chromosomes were stable in the subcultures, thus providing evidence of broken chromosome healing. The examination of anaphases showed the presence of bridges, which was consistent with the occurrence of BFB cycles. De novo telomere formation occurred in euchromatic and heterochromatic chromosome termini. The results point to events of chromosomal evolution that might occur in plants.

Karyotype variability in tropical maize sister inbred lines and hybrids compared with KYS standard line

Maize karyotype variability has been extensively investigated. The identification of maize somatic and pachytene chromosomes has improved with the development of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using tandemly repeated DNA sequences as probes. We identified the somatic chromosomes of sister inbred lines that were derived from a tropical flint maize population (Jac Duro [JD]), and hybrids between them, using FISH probes for the 180-bp knob repeat, centromeric satellite (CentC), centromeric satellite 4 (Cent4), subtelomeric clone 4-12-1, 5S ribosomal DNA and nucleolus organizing region DNA sequences. The observations were integrated with data based on C-banded mitotic metaphases and conventional analysis of pachytene chromosomes. Heterochromatic knobs visible at pachynema were coincident with C-bands and 180-bp FISH signals on somatic chromosomes, and most of them were large. Variation in the presence of some knobs was observed among lines. Small 180-bp knob signals were invariant on the short arms of chromosomes 1, 6, and 9. The subtelomeric 4-12-1 signal was also invariant and useful for identifying some chromosomes. The centromere location of chromosomes 2 and 4 differed from previous reports on standard maize lines. Somatic chromosomes of a JD line and the commonly used KYS line were compared by FISH in a hybrid of these lines. The pairing behavior of chromosomes 2 and 4 at pachytene stage in this hybrid was investigated using FISH with chromosome-specific probes. The homologues were fully synapsed, including the 5S rDNA and CentC sites on chromosome 2, and Cent4 and subtelomeric 4-12-1 sites on chromosome 4. This suggests that homologous chromosomes could pair through differential degrees of chromatin packaging in homologous arms differing in size. The results contribute to current knowledge of maize global diversity and also raise questions concerning the meiotic pairing of homologous chromosomes possibly differing in their amounts of repetitive DNA.

Karyotype characterization reveals active 45S rDNA sites located on chromosome termini in Smilax rufescens (Smilacaceae)

The genus Smilax (Smilacaceae) includes species of medicinal interest; consequently, their identification is important for the control of raw material used in the manufacture of phytotherapeutic products. We investigated the karyotype of Smilax rufescens in order to look for patterns that would be useful for comparative studies of this genus. To accomplish this, we developed procedures to grow plants and optimize root pretreatment with mitotic fuse inhibitors to obtain metaphase spreads showing clear chromosome morphology. The karyotype, analyzed in Feulgen-stained preparations, was asymmetric, with N = 16 chromosomes gradually decreasing in size; the larger ones were subtelocentric and the smaller chromosomes were submetacentric or metacentric. Nearly terminal secondary constrictions were visualized on the short arm of chromosome pairs 7, 11, and 14, but they were clearly detected only in one of the homologues of each pair. The nucleolus organizer regions (NORs) were mapped by silver staining and fluorescent in situ hybridization of 45S rDNA probes. Silver signals (Ag-NORs) colocalized with rDNA loci were detected at the termini of the short arm of 6 chromosomes. The secondary constriction heteromorphism observed in Feulgen-stained metaphases suggests that differential rRNA gene expression between homologous rDNA loci can occur, resulting in different degrees of chromatin decondensation. In addition, a heteromorphic chromosome pair was identified and was interpreted as being a sex chromosome pair in this dioecious species.

Heterochromatin patterns and ribosomal DNA loci distribution in diploid and polyploid Crotalaria species (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae), and inferences on karyotype evolution

Most Crotalaria species display a symmetric karyotype with 2n = 16, but 2n = 14 is found in Chrysocalycinae subsection Incanae and 2n = 32 in American species of the section Calycinae. Seven species of the sections Chrysocalycinae, Calycinae, and Crotalaria were analyzed for the identification of heterochromatin types with GC- and AT-specific fluorochromes and chromosomal location of ribosomal DNA loci using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). A major 45S rDNA locus was observed on chromosome 1 in all the species, and a variable number of minor ones were revealed. Only one 5S rDNA locus was observed in the species investigated. Chromomycin A(3) (CMA) revealed CMA(+) bands colocalized with most rDNA loci, small bands unrelated to ribosomal DNA on two chromosome pairs in Crotalaria incana, and CMA(+) centromeric bands that were quenched by distamycin A were detected in species of Calycinae and Crotalaria sections. DAPI(+) bands were detected in C. incana. The results support the species relationships based on flower specialization and were useful for providing insight into mechanisms of karyotype evolution. The heterochromatin types revealed by fluorochromes suggest the occurrence of rearrangements in repetitive DNA families in these heterochromatic blocks during species diversification. This DNA sequence turnover and the variability in number/position of rDNA sites could be interpreted as resulting from unequal crossing over and (or) transposition events. The occurrence of only one 5S rDNA locus and the smaller chromosome size in the polyploids suggest that DNA sequence losses took place following polyploidization events.