Fluorescent Banding Pattern and Species-Specific DNA Marker in Rumex thyrsiflorus Fingerh.

Abstract

The object of this work was to analyze the karyotype structure of Rumex thyrsiflorus using differential fluorescent methods of chromosome staining (C-banding/DAPI and CMA₃/DA/DAPI) and molecular sex markers. The results obtained were compared with data on the structure of the sex chromosomes and autosomes in R. acetosa, a model species in studies of sex determination and sex chromosome evolution in plants with an XX/XY₁Y₂ system. A high level of similarity was found in the sex chromosome structure of the 2 species, along with small differences in their autosomal complexes. It suggests that differentiation of these 2 closely related species was not accompanied by major structural changes within their sex chromosomes. Molecular tests, however, revealed differences in the composition of male-specific repetitive sequence RAYSII, occurring in the Y₁ chromosome. Amplification of this sequence showed the presence of a single product (∼700 bp) in R. acetosa and of 2 products (∼600 bp and ∼700 bp) in R. thyrsiflorus. The longer product (∼700 bp) was also revealed in R. arifolius, another species closely related to R. acetosa. The shorter DNA fragment, characteristic of R. thyrsiflorus, differed from the common product by of a large indel with a length of 110 bp. This fragment may serve as a species-specific molecular marker useful in taxonomical and population studies as well as in further research on the sex chromosome differentiation in R. thyrsiflorus.