Quantitative chromosome maps and rDNA localization in the T subgenome of Nicotiana tabacum L. and its putative progenitors

Abstract

Using DAPI-stained prometaphase chromosomes, quantitative idiograms were constructed for the T subgenome of Nicotiana tabacum (2n = 4x = 48, SSTT) and two putative candidates for its T subgenome progenitor, Nicotiana otophora and Nicotiana tomentosiformis (both have 2n = 24, TT). The large chromosomes of the three karyotypes could be identified from the distributional pattern of the DAPI signal. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with 5S rDNA gave not only good cytogenetical landmarks for identification of small chromosomes of the karyotypes but also phylogenetical information. In all three idiograms, 5S rDNA was localized in the proximal region of the long arm of a small submetacentric pair, but an additional 5S rDNA locus was detected terminally on the short arm of a small metacentric pair in N. otophora. The 18S rDNA locus detected here corresponded to satellite regions in all three karyotypes. Two satellited pairs in N. otophora and one satellited pair in N. tomentosiformis had single large subterminal DAPI blocks and two interstitial DAPI bands on their long arms, respectively. For the T subgenome component of N. tabacum, the single intense DAPI band was depicted on the center of the long arm of a satellited pair in the idiogram, although two interstitial bands were often detected on the long arm of the satellited pair in some spreads. Therefore, it was suggested that the T component of N. tabacum was more similar to that of N. tomentosiformis than N. otophora, especially in respect of the number and location of rDNA and the distributional patterns of DAPI signals.