Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Ribosomal RNA genes of Phaseolus coccineus V. Relationship between rDNA phenotype and somatic differentiation

  • Original Papers
  • Published:
Protoplasma Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Size variations in the intergenic spacer of ribosomal DNA were detected between individual plants of openly pollinated Phaseolus coccineus. Eleven days after sowing, two plant samples were examined: slowly developing plants with a length less than 40 cm; and fast developing plants with a length greater than 70 cm. The two samples were characterized by different plant weight and, at maturity, by highly distinctive seed yield. They also exhibited distinct patterns of protein expression as analyzed by 2-D electrophoresis. In particular a 38 kDa protein, related to malate dehydrogenase on the basis of its N-terminal sequence, was present at higher concentration and higher activity levels in fast developing plants. Intergenic spacer length variants were detected in both samples at approximately 180 bp intervals. More than one spacer length variant was present in each individual plant. At least 13 different intergenic spacer hybridization patterns were in fact detected: some patterns occurred equally in both slowly and fast developing samples while the majority of patterns was significantly different between the two samples.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

FDP:

fast developing plants

IGS:

intergenic spacer

MDH:

malate dehydrogenase

rDNA SLV:

spacer length variant of ribosomal DNA

SDP:

slowly developing plants

References

  • Avanzi S, Cionini PG, D'Amato F (1970) Cytochemical and autoradiographic analyses on the embryo suspensor cells of Phaseolus coccineus. Caryologia 23: 605–638

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bjellqvist B, Pasquali C, Ravier F, Sanchez JC, Hochstrasser D (1993) A non linear wide range immobilized pH gradient for 2-D electrophoresis and its definition in a relevant pN scale. Electrophoresis 14: 1357–1365

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bradford MM (1976) A rapid and sensitive method for the quantification of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein-dye binding. Anal Biochem 72: 248–254

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carmona MJ, De Dominicis RI, Salvi G, Maggini F (1984) Ribosomal RNA genes in biotypes of Scilla peruviana. Plant Syst Evol 146: 1–11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chalmers KJ, Waugh R, Watters J, Foster BP, Nevo E, Abbott RJ, Powell W (1992) Grain isozyme and ribosomal DNA variability in Hordeum spontaneum populations from Israel. Theor Appl Genet 84: 313–322

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen ZJ, Pikaard CS (1997) Transcriptional analysis of nucleolar dominance in polyploid plants: biased expression/silencing of progenitor rRNA genes is developmentally regulated in Brassica. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 94: 3442–3447

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Choumane W, Heizmann P (1988) Structure and variability of nuclear ribosomal genes in the genus Helianthus. Theor Appl Genet 76: 481–489

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cluster PD, Marinkovic D, Allard RW, Ayala FJ (1987) Correlation between development rates, enzyme activities, ribosomal DNA spacer-length phenotypes and adaptation in Drosophila melanogaster. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 84: 610–614

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • De Lucchini S, Andronico F, Andreassoli M, Giuliani M, Savino R, Nardi I (1988) Extraribosomal spacer sequences in Triturus. J Mol Biol 204: 805–813

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flavell RB, O'Dell M, Sharp P, Nevo E, Beiles A (1986a) Variation in the intergenic spacer of ribosomal DNA of wild wheat, Triticum dicoccoides in Israel. Mol Biol Evol 3: 547–558

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • — —, Thompson WF, Vincent M, Sardana R, Barker RF (1986b) The differential expression of ribosomal rRNA genes. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 314: 385–397

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • — —, Sardana R, Jackson S (1993) Regulatory DNA of ribosomal RNA genes and control of nucleolus organizing activity in wheat. Crop Sci 33: 889–894

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Forino LMC, Tagliasacchi AM, Avanzi S (1979) Different structure of polytene chromosomes of Phaseolus coccineus suspensors during early embryogenesis: nucleolus organizing chromosome pairs S1 and S2. Protoplasma 101: 231–246

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Frediani M, Forino LMC, Tagliasacchi AM, Cionini PG, Durante M, Avanzi S (1986) Functional heterogeneity during early embryogenesis of Phaseolus coccineus ribosomal cistrons in polytene chromosomes of embryo suspensors. Protoplasma 132: 51–57

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gardner CO (1968) Mutation studies involving quantitative traits. Gamma Field Symp 7: 57–77

    Google Scholar 

  • - (1969) The role of mass selection and mutagenic treatment in modern corn breading. In: Sutherland JI, Falasca RJ (eds) Proceedings of the 24th Annual Corn and Sorghum Research Conference of the American Seed Trade Association, Chicago, Illinois, 9–11 December, 1969, pp 15–21

  • Gietl C, Lehnerer M, Olsen O (1990) Mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase from watermelon: sequence of cDNA clones and primary structure of the higher-plant precursor protein. Plant Mol Biol 14: 1019–1030

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gorg A, Postel W, Gunter S (1988) The current state of two-dimensional electrophoresis with immobilized pH gradients. Electrophoresis 9: 531–546

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hochstrasser DF, Harrington MG, Hochstrasser AC, Miller MJ, Merril CR (1988) Methods for increasing the resolution of two-dimensional protein electrophoresis. Anal Biochem 173: 424–435

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jellen EN, Phillips RL, Rines HW (1994) Chromosomal localization and polymorphism of ribosomal DNA in oat ( Avena spp). Genome 37: 23–32

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kahler AL, Gardner CO, Allard RW (1984) Non random mating in experimental population of maize. Crop Sci 24: 350–354

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kling JG, Gardner CO, Thomas-Compton MA (1987) Gene frequency in mass-selected corn populations and in derived random inbred lines. Crop Sci 27: 190–194

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laemmli UK (1970) Cleavage of structural proteins during the assembly of the head of bacteriophage T4. Nature 227: 680–685

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maggini F, Barsanti P, Marazia T (1978) Individual variation of the nucleolus organizing regions in Allium cepa and Allium sativum. Chromosoma 66: 173–183

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • —, Tucci GF, Demartis A, Gelati MT, Avanzi S (1992) Ribosomal RNA genes of Phaseolus coccineus I. Plant Mol Biol 18: 1073–1082

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • —, Marrocco R, Ruberti F, Ruffini Castiglione M, Avanzi S (1993) Ribosomal RNA genes of Phaseolus coccineus 3: differential amplification of replication units in the embryo suspensor. Cytobios 76: 139–150

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marrocco R, Ruffini Castiglione M, Ruberti F, Maggini F, Avanzi S (1998) Ribosomal RNA genes of Phaseolus coccineus IV: structure and comparative analysis of the intergenic spacer: possible involvement of some nucleotides in the transcription control of coding sequences. DNA Sequence (in press)

  • Matsudaira P (1987) Sequence from picomole quantities of protein electroblotted onto polyvinylidene difluoride membranes. J Biol Chem 262: 10033–10038

    Google Scholar 

  • Moss T (1983) A transcriptional function for the repetitive ribosomal spacer in Xenopus laevis. Nature 302: 223–228

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oakley BR, Kirsch DR, Morris NR (1980) A simplified ultrasensitive silver stain for detecting proteins in polyacrylamide gels. Anal Biochem 105: 361–363

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Phillips SG, Phillips DM (1969) Sites and nucleolus production in cultured Chinese hamster cells. Cell Biol 40: 248–268

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Poeydomenge O, Marolda M, Boudet AM, Grima-Pettenati J (1995) Nucleotide sequence of a cDNA encoding mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase from eucalyptus. Plant Physiol 107: 1455–1456

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rae PMM, Barnett T, Murtif VL (1981) Non transcribed spacer in Drosophila ribosomal DNA. Chromosoma 82: 637–655

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reeder RH (1985) Mechanism of nucleolar dominance in animals and plants. J Cell Biol 101: 2013–2016

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • — (1989) Regulatory elements of the generic ribosomal genes. Curr Opin Cell Biol 1: 466–474

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • —, Roan JG (1994) The mechanism of nucleolar dominance in Xenopus hybrids. Cell 38: 39–44

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rocheford TR, Osterman JC, Gardner CO (1990) Variation in the ribosomal DNA intergenic spacer of a maize population massselected for high grain yield. Theor Appl Genet 79: 793–800

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rogers SO, Bendich A (1987) Ribosomal RNA genes in plants: variability in copy number in the intergenic spacer. Plant Mol Biol 9: 509–520

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rutter WJ, Lardy HA (1958) Purification and properties of pigeon liver malic enzyme. J Biol Chem 233: 374–382

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tagliasacchi AM, Cremonini R, Frediani M, Forino LMC, Tucci G, Avanzi S, Maggini F (1989) Sequences from the intergenic spacer of ribosomal DNA of Phaseolus coccineus localized in extraribosomal loci. G Bot Ital 123 Suppl 2: 151

    Google Scholar 

  • —, Forino LMC, Frediani M, Cremonini R, Tucci GF, Maggini F, Avanzi S (1993) Ribosomal RNA genes in Phaseolus coccineus 2: differential distribution of ribosomal cistrons and cytological localization of various sized replication units in polytene chromosomes of embryo suspensor. Cytobios 75: 137–147

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botanical Sciences, University of Pisa, Via Luca Ghini 5, I-56126, Pisa, Italy

    M. Ruffini Castiglione, F. Ruberti & S. Avanzi

  2. Department of Molecular Biology, Division of Biological Chemistry, University of Siena, Siena

    L. Bini & A. Santucci

  3. Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Agrarian Biotechnology, University of Pisa, Pisa

    P. Pelosi

  4. Department of Agrobiology and Agrochemistry, Tuscia University, Viterbo

    R. Marrocco & F. Maggini

Authors
  1. M. Ruffini Castiglione
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. L. Bini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. P. Pelosi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. R. Marrocco
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. A. Santucci
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. F. Ruberti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. F. Maggini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. S. Avanzi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ruffini Castiglione, M., Bini, L., Pelosi, P. et al. Ribosomal RNA genes of Phaseolus coccineus V. Relationship between rDNA phenotype and somatic differentiation. Protoplasma 203, 75–83 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01280589

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01280589

Keywords

Search

Navigation