The 5S rDNA units in <i>Kengyilia</i> (Poaceae: Triticeae): diversity of the nontranscribed spacer and genomic relationships

Abstract

The sequences of eighty 5S rDNA clones were obtained by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of DNA from 12 accessions representing eight species of Kengyilia. Orthologous sequences were grouped into five unit classes: long P1, long S1, long {Y1, short P1, and short S1. Both the long P1 and long S1 classes are prevalent in Kengyilia, whereas the rest are rare. The short S1 class has not been described previously in other Kengyilia species. Two clones represent the long {Y1 class, with only one clone reported previously in Kengyilia alatavica (Drobow) J.L. Yang, Yen & Baum and a single clone found in this investigation. The long H1 unit class reported earlier for Kengyilia rigidula (Keng and S.L. Chen) J.L. Yang, Yen & Baum, but not for K. alatavica, was not found in any of the eight species investigated. Therefore, its presence in K. rigidula may be the result of introgression from Elymus nutans Grisebach, an HS-genome species containing the long H1 unit class; the two are often found growing tog...