PAG-II Plant Genome II Conference

Town & Country Conference Center, San Diego, CA, January, 1994.


PG-II: LOCALIZATION OF REPETITIVE AND SINGLE COPY SEQUENCE ON MEIOTIC PACHYTENE AND MITOTIC METAPHASE CHROMOSOMES OF TOMATO USING FLUORESCENCE IN SITU HYBREDIZATION (FISH)

LOCALIZATION OF REPETITIVE AND SINGLE COPY SEQUENCE ON MEIOTIC PACHYTENE AND MITOTIC METAPHASE CHROMOSOMES OF TOMATO USING FLUORESCENCE IN SITU HYBREDIZATION (FISH)

Xiaobo Zhong 1, Hans de Jong 2, and Pim Zabel 1, Wageningen Agricultural University, Departments of Molecular Biology 1, and Genetics 2, Wageningen, The Netherlands


Recently, an integrated molecular/classical linkage map of tomato chromosome has been established, showing the positions of over 40 DNA markers relative to 10 classical markers (Weide et al, 1993 Genetics in press). With the final goal of developing a cytogenetically based physical map of chromosomal 6 that shows the order of loci from the genetic linkage map with respect to cytological landmarks, we have started a molecular cytogenetic study using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Tomato chromosomes at mitotic metaphase are not particular suitable for high resolution physical mapping by their short length. In contrast, chromosomes at meiotic pachytene stage are about 10 times longer, and easier to identify by their differences in chromosome arm lengths and chromomere pattern. We have developed a technique for preparing chromosomal spreads of young pollen mother cells at mid-prophase I which allows multiple sequences to be detected simultaneously using differently coloured probes. In a first series of experiments, the hybridization patterns of four classes of repetitive DNA sequences (ribosomal DNA; TGRI, telomere specific repeat; THG2, dispersed repeat; and GATA repeat, heterochromatin specific) were studied in single and multicoloured FISH. In addition to the repetitive DNA sequences, a start was made to map chromosome 6 specific yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) clones. Preliminary data suggest that FISH of tomato chromosomes at pachytene stage provides a powerful means to develop a cytogenetically based physical map.


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