Authors: A Carvalho H GuedesPinto J S HeslopHarrison J LimaBrito
Publish Date: 2008/04/01
Volume: 26, Issue: 1, Pages: 46-
Abstract
The DNA hypomethylation effect of 5azacytine 5AC a cytosine analog is widely known This agent has been used for rRNA gene expression studies of Triticeae amphiploids and hybrids regarding rye rRNA genes suppression caused by the wheat nucleolar dominance phenomenon However this situation is reverted by 5AC treatment which activates rye rRNA gene expression as it has been intensively observed in triticale For nucleolar dominance studies we produced F1 multigeneric hybrids AABBRHch 2n = 6x = 42 from crosses between the triticale cultivar ‘Corgo’ AABBRR 2n = 6x = 42 and the tritordeum cultivars HT9 and HT31 AABBHchHch 2n = 6x = 42 The hybrid seeds were germinated in a low concentration of 5AC treatment and in distilled water nontreated control plants Silver nitrate staining performed in one 5ACtreated F1 hybrid revealed a reduced number of interphase cells with seven nucleoli metaphases with eight AgNORs and neocentromeres in the long arm of three wheat chromosomes Nontreated hybrids presented six AgNORs per mitotic metaphase cell and a maximum of six nucleoli per interphase because of the 1R AgNOR suppression No neocentromere was found in the control F1 hybrid plants Both treated and nontreated seedlings were subsequently evaluated by fluorescent in situ hybridization performed with genomic and repetitive DNA probes to identify Hch and rye genomes to confirm AgNORs location and to detect inactive rDNA loci DAPI counterstaining was also helpful for the detection of neocentromeres in the long arm of three wheat chromosomes This study allowed us to suggest that 5AC treatment specifically induced wheat neocentromeres in the F1 multigeneric triticale × tritordeum hybrids
Keywords: