Analysis of the meiosis in the F_1 hybrids of Longiflorum × Asiatic(LA) of lilies(Lilium) using genomic in situ hybridization

Longiflorum and Asiatic lilies of the genus Lilium of the family Liliaceae are two important groups of modem lily cultivars. One of the main trends of lily breeding is to realize introgression between these groups. With cut style pollination and embryo rescue, distant hybrids between the two groups have been obtained. However, the FI hybrids are highly sterile or some of them could produce a small number of 2n gametes, and their BC1 progenies are usually triploids. Dutch lily breeders have selected many cultivars from these BC1 progenies based on their variation. It is presumably suggested that such variation could be caused by intergenomic recombination and abnormal meiosis during gamete formation in F1 hybrids of Longiflorum × Asiatic （LA） hybrids in Lilium. Therefore, the meiotic process of ten F1 LA hybrids was cytologically investigated using genomic in situ hybridization and traditional cytological methods in the present research. The results showed that： at metaphase I, the homoeologous chromosome pairing among different F1 hybrids ranged from 2.0 to 11.4 bivalents formed by homoeologous chromosomes per pollen mother cell （PMC）, and very few multivalents, and even very few bivalents were formed by two chromosomes within one genome rather than homoeologous chromosomes in some PMCs; at anaphase I, all biva- lents were disjoined and most univalents were divided. Both the disjoined bivalents （half-bivalents） and the divided univalents （sister chromatids） moved to the opposite poles, and then formed two groups of chromosomes; because the two resulting half-bivalents retained their axes in the cell undisturbed, many crossover types, including single crossovers, three strand double crossovers, four strand double crossovers, four strand triple crossovers, and four strand multiple crossovers between the non-sister chromatids in the tetrads of bivalents, were clearly inferred by analyzing the breakpoints on the disjoined bivalents. The present investigation not only explained the reason for sterility of the Fl LA hybrids and the variation of their BCx progenies, but also provided a new method to analyze crossover types in other F1 interspecific hybrids as well.

Establishment of a Multi-color Genomic in situ Hybridization Technique to Simultaneously Discriminate the Three Interspecific Hybrid Genomes in Gossypium

To identify alien chromosomes in recipient progenies and to analyze genome components in polyploidy, a genomic in situ hybridization （GISH） technique that is suitable for cotton was developed using increased stringency conditions. The increased stringency conditions were a combination of the four factors in the following optimized state： 100：1 ratio of blocking DNA to probe, 60% formamide wash solution, 43 ℃ temperature wash and a 13 min wash. Under these specific conditions using gDNA from Gossypium sturtianum （C1 C1 ） as a probe, strong hybridization signals were only observed on chromosomes from the C1 genome in somatic cells of the hybrid F1 （G. hirsutum x G. sturtianum） （AtDtC1）. Therefore, GISH was able to discriminate parental chromosomes in the hybrid. Further, we developed a multi-color GISH to simultaneously discriminate the three genomes of the above hybrid. The results repeatedly displayed the three genomes, At, Dt, and C1, and each set of chromosomes with a unique color, making them easy to identify. The power of the multi-color GISH was proven by analysis of the hexaploid hybrid F1 （G. hirsutum x G. australe） （AtAtDtDtG2G2）. We believe that the powerful multi-color GISH technique could be applied extensively to analyze the genome component in polyploidy and to identify alien chromosomes in the recipient progenies.

Characterization of Interspecific Hybrids Between Oryza sativa L, and Three Wild Rice Species of China by Genomic In Situ Hybridization

In the genus Oryza, interspecific hybrids are useful bridges for transferring the desired genes from wild species to cultivated rice （Oryza sativa L.）. In the present study, hybrids between O. sativa （AA genome） and three Chinese wild rices, namely O. rufipogon （AA genome）, O. officinalis （CC genome）, and O. meyeriana （GG genome）, were produced. Agricultural traits of the F1 hybrids surveyed were intermediate between their parents and appreciably resembled wild rice parents. Except for the O. sativa × O. rufipogon hybrid, the other F1 hybrids were completely sterile. Genomic in situ hybridization （GISH） was used for hybrid verification. Wild rice genomic DNAs were used as probes and cultivated rice DNA was used as a block. With the exception of O. rufipogon chromosomes, this method distinguished the other two wild rice and cultivated rice chromosomes at the stage of mitotic metaphase with different blocking ratios. The results suggest that a more distant phylogenetic relationship exists between O. meyeriana and O. sativa and that O. rufipogon and O. sativa share a high degree of sequence homology. The average mitotic chromosome length of O. officinalis and O. meyeriana was 1.25- and 1.51-fold that of O. sativa, respectively. 4＇,6＇-Diamidino- 2-phenylindole staining showed that the chromosomes of O. officinalis and O. meyeriana harbored more heterochromatin, suggesting that the C and G genomes were amplified with repetitive sequences compared with the A genome. Although chromocenters formed by chromatin compaction were detected with wild rice-specific signals corresponding to the C and G genomes in discrete domains of the F1 hybrid interphase nuclei, the size and number of O. meyeriana chromocenters were bigger and greater than those of O. officinalis. The present results provide an important understanding of the genomic relationships and a tool for the transfer of useful genes from three native wild rice species in China to cultivars.

Genetic Relationships Among Five Basic Genomes St, E, A, B and D in Triticeae Revealed by Genomic Southern and in situ Hybridization

The St and E are two important basic genomes in the perennial tribe Triticeae （Poaceae）. They exist in many perennial species and are very closely related to the A, B and D genomes of bread wheat （Triticum aestivum L.）. Genomic Southern hybridization and genomic in situ hybridization （GISH） were used to analyze the genomic relationships between the two genomes （St and E） and the three basic genomes （A, B and D） of T. aestivum. The semi-quantitative analysis of the Southern hybridization suggested that both St and E genomes are most closely related to the D genome, then the A genome, and relatively distant to the B genome. GISH analysis using St and E genomic DNA as probes further confirmed the conclusion. St and E are the two basic genomes of Thinopyrum ponticum （StStE^eE^bE^x） and Th. intermedium （StE^eE^b）, two perennial species successfully used in wheat improvement. Therefore, this paper provides a possible answer as to why most of the spontaneous wheat-Thinopyrum translocations and substitutions usually happen in the D genome, some in the A genome and rarely in the B genome. This would develop further use of alien species for wheat improvement, especially those containing St or E in their genome components.

Identification of Intergeneric Hybrid Plants Between Oryza sativa and O.minuta via GISH and RAPD

To transfer desirable resistance traits from O. minuta to O. sativa, intergeneric hybrid plants between O. sativa (AA, 2n=2X=24) and O. minuta (BBCC, 2n=4X=48) were produced by embryo rescue after sexual cross. Morphological observation and chromosome counts indicated their hybrid status (ABC, 2n=3X=36). Genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) was further applied to confirm the parentage of the chromosomes of F 1 hybrids. Chromosomes of O. minuta and O. sativa were distinguishable in the hybrids in different fluorescence colors. GISH indicated that A and BC chromosomes were not randomly assembled in a cell. RAPD profiles unequivocally revealed their hybrids with double parent patterns. The results of blast tests showed that the hybrids had obtained disease resistance from O. minuta, and had a level of susceptibility between the parents.

Structural Changes of 2V Chromosome of Haynaldia villosa Induced by Gametocidal Chromosome 3C of Aegilops triuncialis

Haynaldia villosa （2n=2X= 14, VV）, a relative of wheat, plays important roles in wheat improvement mainly owing to its disease resistance. Powdery mildew resistance gene Pm21 has been successfully transferred into wheat by Cytogenetic Institute, Nanjing Agricultural University, China, and is widely used in the current wheat breeding programs. In this research, our objective is to further transfer and utilize the beneficial genes such as eye-spot resistance, yellow rust resistance, and gene of the tufted bristles on the glume ridge （a remarkable morphology） mapped on 2V of Haynaldia villosa. A disomic addition line with gametocidal chromosome 3C ofAegilops triuncialis added in Norin-26 was crossed to the wheat-H, villosa disomic substitution 2V（2D） and the hybrid F1 was then self-crossed. Chromosome C-banding, genomic in situ hybridization （GISH）, and meiotic analysis in combination with molecular markers were applied to detect the chromosome variations derived from hybrids Fz and F3. To date, four translocations including one small segmental translocation T6BS·6BL-2VS, two whole arm translocations （preliminarily designed as T3DS·2VL and T2VS.7DL） and one intercalary translocation T2VS·2VL-W-2VL, one deletion Del. 2VS·2VL-, one monotelosomic Mt2VS, and one isochromosome 2VS·2VS line have been developed and characterized. One wheat SSR marker Xwmc25.120 tagging 2VS and one wheat STS marker NAU/STSBCD135-1 （2BL） tagging 2VL were successfully used to confirm the alien chromosome segments involved in the seven lines. The tufted bristles on the glume ridge appeared in lines T2VS-7DL, Mt2VS, 2VS-2VS as well as the parent DS2V（2D）, whereas in T3DS·2VL, this trait did not appear. The gene controlling the tufted bristles was located on 2VS. Gametocidal chromosome 3C ofAegilops triuncialis could successfully induce chromosome 2V structural changes.

Identification and cell wall analysis of interspecific hybrids between Oryza sativa and Oryza ridleyi

Oryza ridleyi is an allotetraploid wild species with the HHJJ genome, and Oryza sativa is a diploid cultivated rice that has the AA genome. Although the wide hybrid between the two species is difficult to obtain, we overcome this difficulty by young embryo rescue. An obvious heterosis was primarily found for the plant height, tillering ability, vegetative vigor, etc. However, the hybrid panicle and culm traits were found to resemble that of the wild rice parent, O. ridleyi, for the long awns, exoteric purple stigma, grain shattering, dispersed panicles, and culm mechanical strength. Genomic in situ hybridization （GISH） analysis was subsequently performed on the mitotic metaphase chromosome of the root tips, and we determined that the hybrid is an allotriploid with 36 chromosomes and its genomic constitution is AHJ. Chemical analyses conducted on the culm of O. sativa, O. ridleyi, and their interspecific hybrids showed that major changes occurred in the xylose, glucose, and arabinose concentrations, which are correlated with the specific hemicellulose polymer and cellulose components that are important in the primary cell walls of green plants. Meanwhile, the culm anatomical analyses indicated that additional large vascular bundles and an extra sclerenchyma cell layer were found in O. ridleyi. Additionally, further thickening of the secondary cell walls of the cortical fiber sclerenchyma cells and the phloem companion cells was discovered in O. ridleyi and in the interspecific hybrids. These results imply that there may be a potential link between culm mechanical strength and culm anatomical structure.

Molecular Characterization of a Triticum durum-Haynaldia villosa Amphiploid and Its Derivatives for Resistance to Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici

Take-all is a serious disease found in wheat across the world. Haynaldia villosa is considered to be resistant to take-all at a high level. TH3 was an amphiploid （2n =42, AABBVV） between Triticum durum and Haynaldia viUosa with significant resistance to take-all fungus isolated from China. In greenhouse experiment, the derivatives of the hybrid between wheat and TH3 showed better resistance to take-all than that of the wheat control. One of the derivatives named HW918-5 was selected for further analysis. Cytological and genomic in situ hybridization （GISH） analysis indicated that a monotelosome originated from H. villosa existed in the genome of the offspring of the line HW918-5. The monotelosome with promising resistant gene for take-all was located on the 3V chromosome of H. villosa in the further PCR-based molecular analysis.

DETECTION OF CYTOMEGALOVIRUS GENOME BY IN SITU HYBRIDIZATION IN PARAFFIN EMBEDDED ENDOMYOCARDIAL BIOPSY SPECIMENS OF VIRAL MYOCARDITIS

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) genes were detected by in situ hybridization in 25 Chinese patients with viral myocarditis (VMC). The positive hybridization signals werre found in cardiomyocytes (6 cases, 24%), capillary endothelial cells (4 cases, 16%) and interstitial cells (7 cases, 28%). The difference between VMC and control group (16 cases died of brain trauma and 10 cases of congenital heart diseases was statistically significant. There was no definite pathomorphological relationship between the detection of CMV genes and myocardial lesions. The results suggest that CMV infection may be one of the causes of myocarditis and chronic stimulation of the immune system induced by CMV may be a possible pathogenesis of this disease.

Molecular Cytogenetic Characterization of Wheat-Thinopyrum elongatum Addition,Substitution and Translocation Lines with a Novel Source of Resistance to Wheat Fusarium Head Blight

Thinopyrum elongatum （2n = 2x = 14, EE）, a wild relative of wheat, has been suggested as a potentially novel source of resistance to several major wheat diseases including Fusarium Head Blight （FHB）. In this study, a series of wheat （cv. Chinese Spring, CS） substitution and ditelosomic lines, including Th. elongatum additions, were assessed for Type II resistance to FHB. Results indicated that the lines containing chromosome 7E of Th. elongatum gave a high level of resistance to FHB, wherein the infection did not spread beyond the inoculated floret. Furthermore, it was determined that the novel resistance gene（s） of 7E was located on the short-ann （7ES） based on sharp difference in FHB resistance between the two 7E ditelosomic lines for each arm. On the other hand, Th. elongatum chromosomes 5E and 6E likely contain gene（s） for susceptibility to FHB because the disease spreads rapidly within the inoculated spikes of these lines. Genomic in situ hybridization （GISH） analysis revealed that the alien chromosomes in the addition and substitution lines were intact, and the lines did not contain discernible genomic aberrations. GISH and multicolor-GISH analyses were further performed on three trans- location lines that also showed high levels of resistance to FHB. Lines TA3499 and TA3695 were shown to contain one pair of wheat-Th. elongatum translocated chromosomes involving fragments of 7D plus a segment of the 7E, while line TA3493 was found to contain one pair of wheat-Th, elongatum translocated chromosomes involving the D- and A-genome chromosomes of wheat. Thus, this study has established that the short-arm of chromosome 7E of Th. elongatum harbors gene（s） highly resistant to the spreading of FHB, and chromatin of 7E introgressed into wheat chromosomes largely retained the resistance, implicating the feasibility of using these lines as novel material for breeding FHB-resistant wheat cultivars.

Mass Production of Intergeneric Chromosomal Translocations through Pollen Irradiation of Triticum durum-Haynaldia villosa Amphiploid

Haynaldia villosa possesses a lot of important agronomic traits and has been a powerful gene resource for wheat improvement. However, only several wheat-H, villosa translocation lines have been reported so far. In this study, we attempted to develop an efficient method for inducing wheat-H, villosa chromosomal translocations. Triticum durum- Haynaldia villosa amphiploid pollen treated with 1 200 rad ^60Co-y-rays was pollinated to Triticum aestivum cv. ＇Chinese Spring＇. Ninety-eight intergeneric translocated chromosomes between T. durum and H. villosa were detected by genomic in situ hybridization in 44 of 61 M1 plants, indicating a translocation occurrence frequency of 72.1%; much higher than ever reported. There were 26, 62 and 10 translocated chromosomes involving whole arm translocations, terminal translocations, and intercarlary translocations, respectively. Of the total 108 breakage-fusion events, 79 involved interstitial regions and 29 involved centric regions. The ratio of small segment terminal translocations （W.W-V） was much higher than that of large segment terminal translocations （W-V.V）. All of the M1 plants were self-sterile, and their backcross progeny was all obtained with ＇Chinese Spring＇ as pollen donors. Transmission analysis showed that most of the translocations were transmittable. This study provides a new strategy for rapid mass production of wheat-alien chromosomal translocations, especially terminal translocations that will be more significant for wheat improvement.

Molecular Cytogenetic Identification of a Wheat-Thinopyron intermedium （Host） Barkworth ＆ DR Dewey Partial Amphiploid Resistant to Powdery Mildew

Wide cross and molecular cytogenetic methods were used to transfer the powdery mildew resistance gene from Thinopyron intermedium(Host) Barkworth & DR Dewey to wheat. Among the progeny of crossing common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Yannong 15 with Th. intermedium, a partial amphiploid E990256, with resistance to powdery mildew, was developed. It had 56 chromosomes and could form 28 bivalents in pollen mother cells at metaphase I of meiosis. Resistance verification by race 15 at the seedling stage and by mixed strains of Erysiphales gramnis DC. f. sp. tritici Em. Marchal at the adult stage showed it was immune to powdery mildew at both stages. Gene postulation via 21 isolates of E. gramnis f. sp. tritici and 29 differential hosts showed it was nearly immune to all the isolates used, and its resistance pattern was different from all the mildew resistance genes used, which indicated it probably contained a new resistance gene to powdery mildew. Biochemical verification showed it might convey different Th. intermedium chromosomes from those of the wheat- Th. intermedium partial amphiploids Zhong 1–5. Genomic in situ hybridization analysis by using St genomic DNA as the probe showed E990256 contained a recombination genome of St and E.

Induction and transmission of wheat-Haynaldia villosa chromosomal translocations

In order to develop more wheat-Haynaldia villosa translocations involving different chromosomes and chromosome segments of H. villosa, T. durum-H, villosa amphiploid was irradiated with ^60Co γ-rays at doses of 800, 1,200, and 1,600 rad. Pollen collected from the spikes 1, 2, and 3 days after irradiation were transferred to emasculated spikes of the common wheat cv. ‘Chinese Spring＇. Genomic in situ hybridization was used to identify wheat-H, villosa chromosome translocations in the M1 generation. Transmission of the identified translocation chromosomes was analyzed in the BC1, BC2, and BC3 generations. The results indicated that all three irradiation doses were highly efficient for inducing wheat-alien translocations without affecting the viability of the M1 seeds. Within the range of 800-1,600 rad, both the efficiency of translocation induction and the frequency of interstitial chromosome breakage-fusion increased as the irradiation dosage increased. A higher translocation induction frequency was observed using pollen collected from the spikes 1 day after irradiation over that of 2 or 3 days after irradiation. More than 70% of the translocations detected in the M1 generation were transmitted to the BC1 through the female gametes. All translocations recovered in the BC1 generation were recovered in the following BC2, and BC3 generations. The transmission ability of different translocation types in different genetic backgrounds showed an order of ‘whole-arm translocation 〉 small alien segment translocation 〉 large alien segment translocation＇, through either male or female gametes, In general, the transmission ability through the female gametes was higher than that through the male gametes. By this approach, 14 translocation lines that involved different H. villosa chromosomes have been identified in the BC3 using EST-STS markers, and eight of them were homozygous.

Comparative study of symmetric and asymmetric somatic hybridization between common wheat and Haynaldia villosa

Symmetric and asymmetric protoplast fusion between long term cell suspension-derived protoplasts of Triticum aestivum (cv. Jinan 177) and protoplasts of Haynaldia villosa prepared from one-year-old embryogeneric calli was performed by PEG method. In asymmetric fusion, donor calli were treated with gamma ray at a dose of 40, 60, 80 Gy (1.3 Gy/min) respectively and then used to isolate protoplasts. Results of morphological, cytological, biochemical (isozyme) and 5S rDNA spacer sequence analysis revealed that we obtained somatic hybrid lines at high frequency from both symmetric and asymmetric fusion. Hybrid plants were recovered from symmetric and low dose g-fusion combinations. GISH (genomic in situ hybridization) analysis proved exactly the existence of both parental chromosomes and the common occurrence of several kinds of translocation between them in the hybrid clones regenerated from symmetric and asymmetric fusion. And the elimination of donor DNA in hybrid clones regenerated from asymmetric fusion combinations was found to increase with the increasing gamma doses. It is concluded that transference and recombination of nuclear DNA can be achieved effectively by symmetric and asymmetric fusion, hybrids with small fragment translocation which are valuable in plant breeding can be obtained directly by asymmetric fusion.

Introgression of Resistance to Powdery Mildew Conferred by Chromosome 2R by Crossing Wheat Nullisomic 2D with Rye

Using the nulUsomic back-cross procedure, four wheat-rye chromosome substitution 2R （2D） lines with different agronomic performance, designated WR02-145-1, WR01-145-2, WR02-145-3, and WR02-145-4, were produced from a cross between 2D nullisomic wheat （Triticum aestivum L. cv. ＂Xiaoyan 6＂） and rye （Secale cereale L. cv. ＂German White＂）. The chromosomal constitution of 2n=42=21 in WR02-145 lines was confirmed by cytological and molecular cytogenetic methods. Using genomic in situ hybridization on root tip chromosome preparations, a pair of intact rye chromosomes was detected in the WR02-145 lines. PCR using chromosome-specific primers confirmed the presence of 2R chromosomes of rye in these wheat-rye lines, indicating that WR02o145 lines are disomic chromosome substitution lines 2R （2D）. The WR02-145 lines are resistant to the powdery mildew （Erysiphe graminis DC. f. sp. tritici E. Marchal） isolates prevalent in northern China and may possess gene（s） for resistance to powdery mildew, which differ from the previously identified Pm7gene located on chromosome 2RL. The newly developed ＂Xiaoyan 6＂- ＂German White＂ 2R （2D） chromosome substitution lines are genetically stable, show desirable agronomic traits, and are expected to be useful in wheat improvement.

Variation of B Chromosome Associated with Tissue Culture in Wheat-rye Cross

In vitro variation of B chromosomes was studied by examining the callus cells derived from the immature embryos from a cross of Chinese Spring wheat （Triticum aestivum L.） and Fin 7416 rye （Secale cereale L.） carrying two B chromosomes. In 40-d-old callus cells, the numbers of B chromosomes ranged from one to four in 65.6% of the cells observed. The distribution of B chromosome numbers was associated with the ploidy levels of the normal chromosomes （A chromosomes）. The frequency of the cells with high numbers of B chromosomes （i.e., three or four B chromosomes） in the amphiploid cells with 56 A chromosomes was greater than those in the haploid cells with 28 A chromosomes. Although structural changes in the rye A chromosomes were observed, cytological observation and genomic in situ hybridization demonstrated that the rye B chromosomes were conserved in morphological appearance following tissue culture.