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Telomeres and seed banks

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Abstract

We have found that a progressive loss of telomeric sequences occurs in high molecular weight DNA with an increasing appearance at a low molecular weight as the period of storage in the dry state was extended in time to provide seed germination loss from 98 to 0%. Telomere distribution would appear to follow the general pattern of DNA random fragmentation, which occurs in the embryos of seeds stored in a dry state; however, there are also indications of an overall telomere loss from DNA as a consequence of storage. There is a need for a convenient quality marker for the seeds that can be monitored over time. Having reviewed the implications of our results very carefully, we believe that there is considerable potential for the use of telomere sequences to mark the embryo ageing of seeds held in seed banks.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The School of Biological and Molecular Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane, Headington, Oxford, 0X3 OBP, UK

    I. Boubriak

  2. The Institute of Cell Biology and Genetic Engineering, The Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, 148 Zabolotnogo st., Kiev, 03143, Ukraine

    I. Boubriak

  3. The Department of Virology, Kiev National University, 64, Volodymyrska st., Kiev, 01033, Ukraine

    V. Polischuk

  4. The Institute of Botany, The Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, 2, Tereshchenkivska st., Kiev, 01601, Ukraine

    A. Grodzinsky

  5. Oxford Research Unit, The Open University, Foxcombe Hall, Boars Hill, Oxford, 0X1 5HR, UK

    D. J. Osborne

Authors
  1. I. Boubriak
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  2. V. Polischuk
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  3. A. Grodzinsky
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  4. D. J. Osborne
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The text was submitted by the authors in English.

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Boubriak, I., Polischuk, V., Grodzinsky, A. et al. Telomeres and seed banks. Cytol. Genet. 41, 18–24 (2007). https://doi.org/10.3103/S0095452707010045

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.3103/S0095452707010045

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