Phylogenetic Studies on Prunus Species by DNA Fingerprints

Abstract

Twenty-eight Prunus species were examined in order to survey their genetic diversity. Genomic DNA was extracted from 36 varieties and used for the template DNA of PCR. DNA fingerprints were generated by random primers or semi-random primers, some primers consensus to the repeated units as telomers, and three sets of sequence-tagged primers specific to domains of chloroplast DNA (psbA, rbcL-ORF106, atpB-rbcL). PCR products generated from these three domains were digested by 12 restriction enzymes. RFLPs were detected among varieties and subjected to the UPGMA. Thirty-six varieties were classified approximately into two groups: “Plum group” and “Cherry group.” It was inferred that these two groups were divided in old time. P. tomentosa, P. japonica, P. glandurosa, and P. besseyi, which are classified into the cherries, showed the same fingerprint patterns from chloroplast DNA of the plum group; plums and cherries have a large genetic diversity. It was supposed that the diversity of plums depended on nuclear DNA, besides the diversity of cherries on both nuclear and chloroplast DNA.