Variation in the restriction fragments of 18S–26S rRNA loci in South American Elymus (Triticeae)

Abstract

The repeat units of the 18S–5.8S–26S ribosomal genes (rDNA) of 15 South American and 6 Asiatic and North American species of Elymus were shown to vary between 8.7 and 11.3 kb among species. Interspecific variation in the EcoRI and BamHI cleavage sites was observed. BamHI restriction sites were present in the subrepeats in the intergenic spacers in rDNA from diploid Hordeum (H genome) and absent in the diploid Pseudoroegneria (S genome) and in nearly all the tetraploid species of Elymus (SH genomes). Tetraploid Elymus species have only two pairs of chromosomes with secondary constrictions similar to those found in Pseudoroegneria and a maximum of two different repeat unit length classes. These results suggest that the rDNA in the H genome was lost during the evolution of the tetraploid Elymus. However, the additional H genome present in the hexaploid Elymus with genome formula SSHHH′H′ still show active ribosomal genes. Nucleolar organizer activity was also observed in rDNA from both the S and H genomes in artificial SS × HH amphiploids, suggesting no complete nucleolar dominance (amphiplasty) between the S and H genomes.Key words: Elymus, ribosomal genes, RFLP, nucleolus.