Molecular cytogenetics of valuable Arctic and sub-Arctic pasture grass species from the Aveneae/Poeae tribe complex (Poaceae)

Alexandra V Amosova,Elizaveta O Punina,Olga V Muravenko,Olga Yu Yurkevich,Alexander V Rodionov,Tatiana E Samatadze,Igor G Loskutov,Lilit Ghukasyan,Svyatoslav A Zoshchuk

doi:10.1186/s12863-019-0792-2

Alexandra V Amosova, Elizaveta O Punina + Show 7 more

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https://doi.org/10.1186/s12863-019-0792-2

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Abstract

BackgroundGrasslands in the Arctic tundra undergo irreversible degradation due to climatic changes and also over-exploitation and depletion of scarce resources. Comprehensive investigations of cytogenomic structures of valuable Arctic and sub-Arctic grassland species is essential for clarifying their genetic peculiarities and phylogenetic relationships, and also successful developing new forage grass cultivars with high levels of adaptation, stable productivity and longevity. We performed molecular cytogenetic characterization of insufficiently studied pasture grass species (Poaceae) from related genera representing two neighboring clades: 1) Deschampsia and Holcus; 2) Alopecurus, Arctagrostis and Beckmannia, which are the primary fodder resources in the Arctic tundra.ResultsWe constructed the integrated schematic maps of distribution of these species in the northern, central and eastern parts of Eurasia based on the currently available data as only scattered data on their occurrence is currently available. The species karyotypes were examined with the use of DAPI-banding, multicolour FISH with 35S rDNA, 5S rDNA and the (GTT)9 microsatellite motif and also sequential rapid multocolour GISH with genomic DNAs of Deschampsia sukatschewii, Deschampsia flexuosa and Holcus lanatus belonging to one of the studied clades. Cytogenomic structures of the species were specified; peculiarities and common features of their genomes were revealed. Different chromosomal rearrangements were detected in Beckmannia syzigachne, Deschampsia cespitosa and D. flexuosa; B chromosomes with distinct DAPI-bands were observed in karyotypes of D. cespitosa and H. lanatus.ConclusionsThe peculiarities of distribution patterns of the examined chromosomal markers and also presence of common homologous DNA repeats in karyotypes of the studies species allowed us to verify their relationships. The obtained unique data on distribution areas and cytogenomic structures of the valuable Arctic and sub-Arctic pasture species are important for further genetic and biotechnological studies and also plant breeding progress.

Highlights

Grasslands in the Arctic tundra undergo irreversible degradation due to climatic changes and over-exploitation and depletion of scarce resources
Species distribution areas For A. aequalis, A. arundinaceus, A. latifolia, B. syzigachne, D. cespitosa, D. flexuosa, D. sukatschewii and H. lanatus, we constructed integrated schematic maps of their distribution in the northern, central and eastern parts of Eurasia based on the analysis of currently available data [2, 6, 45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52] (Fig. 1)
Circumboreal-polar species, A. aequalis, A. arundinaceus and D. cespitosa are widespread in the Eurasian continent from the Arctic Scandinavia to the Far East regions and Chukotka Peninsula

Summary

Introduction

Grasslands in the Arctic tundra undergo irreversible degradation due to climatic changes and over-exploitation and depletion of scarce resources. Comprehensive investigations of cytogenomic structures of valuable Arctic and sub-Arctic grassland species is essential for clarifying their genetic peculiarities and phylogenetic relationships, and successful developing new forage grass cultivars with high levels of adaptation, stable productivity and longevity. The unique Arctic ecosystem requires special attention as grasslands in the Arctic regions undergo irreversible degradation due to climatic changes and over-exploitation and depletion of scarce resources [10]. Introduction of native Arctic grassland species and non-native cold-hardy ecotypes of perennial grasses with high levels of adaptation and seed productivity as well as development of new valuable cultivars from promising wild morphotypes could be the strategies for reducing feed costs and increasing feed efficiency in the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions [11, 12]. The investigation of the evolutionary changes occurred in their genomes (especially, under environmental stress factors) is an important aspect for clarifying the mechanisms related to abiotic stress tolerance and for further crop breeding strategies [13, 14]

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