Abstract
Different banding procedures and preferential Giemsa staining of late replicating DNA-rich regions were carried out in metaphase chromosomes of three species belonging to different sections of the genus Allium (A. cepa, A. sativum and A. nigrum). The banding, as well as the late replicating patterns were species-specific. The late replicating pattern proved to be, in all cases, the more detailed, and represented the highest percentage of the karyotype differentially stained. Lower percents of the karyotype positively stained were accounted for by C-banding, by modified C-banding and by N-banding. In A. cepa interphase nuclei the pattern of constitutive heterochromatin fitted well with that of late replicating DNA-rich regions, but the coincidence with that revealed by C-banding was only partial. This supports the suggestion that late replicating regions may be considered to be a special category of heterochromatin. On the other hand, it seems that not all C-banded material replicates at the end of the S phase. By the modified C-banding, stained centromere dots or small bands, as well as bands at the NORs are observed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Back, F., 1976. The variable condition of euchromatin and heterochromatin. Int. Rev. Cytol. 45: 25–64.
Bostock, C. J. & Christic, S., 1975. Chromosomes of a cell line of Dipodomys paramintinus (kangaroo rat). A banding and autoradiographic study. Chromosoma 51: 25–34.
Cortés, F., González-Gil, G. & López-Sáez, J. F., 1980. Differential staining of late replicating DNA-rich regions in Allium cepa chromosomes. Caryologia 33: 193–202.
Cortés, F., González-Gil, G. & Hazen, M. J., 1983a. C-banding and sister chromatid exchanges in three species of the genus Allium (A. cepa, A. ascalonicum and A. sativum). Caryologia 36: 203–210.
Cortés, F., Escalza, P., Sosa, M. D. & López-Campos, J. L., 1983b. Cytological demonstration of DNA synthesis inhibition at late S by 5-aminouracil. Expl Cell Res. 148: 503–507.
Cremonini, R., Loiero, M. & Durante, M., 1981. Differentiation of metaxylem cell line in the root of Allium cepa. II. Changes in nucleotide sequence redundancy. Protoplasma 108: 1–7.
Eiberg, H., (1974). New selective Giemsa technique for human chromosomes, Cd staining. Nature 248: 55.
El-Gadi, A. & Elkington, T. T., 1975. Comparison of the Giemsa C-band karyotypes and relationships of Allium cepa, Allium fistulosum and Allium galanthum. Chromosoma 51: 19–23.
Fiskesjö, G., 1974. Two types of constitutive heterochromatin made visible in Allium by a rapid C-banding method. Hereditas 78: 153–156.
González-Gil, G. & Navarrete, M. H., 1982. On the mechanism of differential Giemsa staining of BrdU-substituted chromatids. Chromosoma 86: 375–382.
Ingle, H., Pearson, G. & Sinclair, J., 1973. Species distribution and properties of nuclear satellite DNA in higher plants. Nature New Biol. 242: 192–197.
King, M. & John, B., 1980. Regularities and restrictions governing C-band variation in anidoid grasshoppers. Chromosoma 76: 123–150.
LaCour, L. F., 1978. Two types of constitutive heterochromatin in the chromosomes of some Fritillaris species. Chromosoma 67: 67–75.
Lima de Faria, A. & Jaworska, L., 1968. Late DNA synthesis in heterochromatin. Nature 217: 138–142.
Loiero, M., Durante, M., Tagliassechi, A. M. & Avanzi, S., 1982. Two patterns of labelling by tritiated highly repetitive DNA in metaphase chromosomes of Allium cepa. Cytobios 34: 15–24.
Marazia, M. & Maggini, F., 1977. Reassociation kinetics of the DNA in Allium cepa and Allium sativum. Atti AGI 22: 199–201.
Sato, S., 1981. Cytological studies on the satellited chromosomes of Allium cepa. Caryologia 34: 431–440.
Sosa, M. D. & Cortés, F., 1984. Chromosome arrangement throughout mitosis and interphase in Allium sativum (Liliaceae). Experientia 40: 285–286.
Stack, S. M. & Clarke, C. R., 1973. Pericentromeric chromosome banding in higher plants. Can. J. Genet. Cytol. 15: 367–369.
Stack, S. M., 1974. Differential Giemsa staining of kinetochores and nucleolus organizer heterochromatin in mitotic chromosomes of higher plants. Chromosoma 47: 361–378.
Stack, S. M., Clarke, C. R., Cary, W. E. & Muffly, J. T., 1974. Different kinds of heterochromatin in higher plant chromosomes. J. Cell Sci. 14: 499–504.
Stack, S. M. & Comings, D. E., 1979. The chromosomes and DNA of Allium cepa. Chromosoma 70: 161–181.
Vosa, C. G. & Marchi, P., 1972. Quinacrine fluorescence and Giemsa staining in plants. Nature New Biol. 273: 191–192.
Vosa, C. G., 1973. The enhanced and reduced quinacrine fluorescence bands and their relationship to the Giemsa pattern in A. flavum. In: Chromosome identification. Nobel Symposia 23 (T. Caspersson & L. Zech, Eds), pp. 156–158, Academic Press, (New York).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cortés, F., Escalza, P. Analysis of different banding patterns and late replicating regions in chromosomes of Allium cepa, A. sativum and A. nigrum . Genetica 71, 39–46 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00123231
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00123231