Molecular Characterization of a Maize B Chromosome Centric Sequence

INVESTIGATIONS

Molecular Characterization of a Maize B Chromosome Centric Sequence

M. R. Alfenito and J. A. Birchler
Present address: Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-5020.

Supernumerary chromosomes are widespread in the plant kingdom but little is known of their molecular nature or mechanism of origin. We report here the initial cloning of sequences from the maize B chromosome. Our analysis suggests that many sequences are highly repetitive and shared with the normal A chromosomes. However, all clones selected for B-specificity contain at least one copy of a particular repeat. Cytological mapping using B chromosome derivatives and in situ hybridization show that the B specific repeats are derived from the centric region of the chromosome. Sequence analysis of this repeat shows homology to motifs mapped to various plant and animal centromeres and to the maize neocentromere. A precise localization of these sequences among breakpoints within the B centromere and an homology to a facultative centromere, suggest a role for this sequence in centromere function.

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				W. Yu, F. Han, Z. Gao, J. M. Vega, and J. A. Birchler Construction and behavior of engineered minichromosomes in maize PNAS, May 22, 2007; 104(21): 8924 - 8929. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Han, J. C. Lamb, W. Yu, Z. Gao, and J. A. Birchler Centromere Function and Nondisjunction Are Independent Components of the Maize B Chromosome Accumulation Mechanism PLANT CELL, February 1, 2007; 19(2): 524 - 533. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Han, J. C. Lamb, and J. A. Birchler High frequency of centromere inactivation resulting in stable dicentric chromosomes of maize PNAS, February 28, 2006; 103(9): 3238 - 3243. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. R. Leach, A. Houben, B. Field, K. Pistrick, D. Demidov, and J. N. Timmis Molecular Evidence for Transcription of Genes on a B Chromosome in Crepis capillaris Genetics, September 1, 2005; 171(1): 269 - 278. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. Jin, J. C. Lamb, J. M. Vega, R. K. Dawe, J. A. Birchler, and J. Jiang Molecular and Functional Dissection of the Maize B Chromosome Centromere PLANT CELL, May 1, 2005; 17(5): 1412 - 1423. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S.-F. Peng, Y.-P. Lin, and B.-y. Lin Characterization of AFLP Sequences From Regions of Maize B Chromosome Defined by 12 B-10L Translocations Genetics, January 1, 2005; 169(1): 375 - 388. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Kato, J. C. Lamb, and J. A. Birchler From the Cover: Chromosome painting using repetitive DNA sequences as probes for somatic chromosome identification in maize PNAS, September 14, 2004; 101(37): 13554 - 13559. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y.-M. Cheng and B.-Y. Lin Molecular Organization of Large Fragments in the Maize B Chromosome: Indication of a Novel Repeat Genetics, April 1, 2004; 166(4): 1947 - 1961. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. Jin, J. R. Melo, K. Nagaki, P. B. Talbert, S. Henikoff, R. K. Dawe, and J. Jiang Maize Centromeres: Organization and Functional Adaptation in the Genetic Background of Oat PLANT CELL, March 1, 2004; 16(3): 571 - 581. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Gonzalez-Sanchez, M. Rosato, M. Chiavarino, and M. J. Puertas Chromosome Instabilities and Programmed Cell Death in Tapetal Cells of Maize With B Chromosomes and Effects on Pollen Viability Genetics, February 1, 2004; 166(2): 999 - 1009. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. C. Hsu, C. J. Wang, C. M. Chen, H. Y. Hu, and C. C. Chen Molecular Characterization of a Family of Tandemly Repeated DNA Sequences, TR-1, in Heterochromatic Knobs of Maize and Its Relatives Genetics, July 1, 2003; 164(3): 1087 - 1097. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y.-M. Cheng and B.-Y. Lin Cloning and Characterization of Maize B Chromosome Sequences Derived From Microdissection Genetics, May 1, 2003; 164(1): 299 - 310. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Nagaki, P. B. Talbert, C. X. Zhong, R. K. Dawe, S. Henikoff, and J. Jiang Chromatin Immunoprecipitation Reveals That the 180-bp Satellite Repeat Is the Key Functional DNA Element of Arabidopsis thaliana Centromeres Genetics, March 1, 2003; 163(3): 1221 - 1225. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Nagaki, J. Song, R. M. Stupar, A. S. Parokonny, Q. Yuan, S. Ouyang, J. Liu, J. Hsiao, K. M. Jones, R. K. Dawe, et al. Molecular and Cytological Analyses of Large Tracks of Centromeric DNA Reveal the Structure and Evolutionary Dynamics of Maize Centromeres Genetics, February 1, 2003; 163(2): 759 - 770. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. X. Zhong, J. B. Marshall, C. Topp, R. Mroczek, A. Kato, K. Nagaki, J. A. Birchler, J. Jiang, and R. K. Dawe Centromeric Retroelements and Satellites Interact with Maize Kinetochore Protein CENH3 PLANT CELL, November 1, 2002; 14(11): 2825 - 2836. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. KURATA, K.-I. NONOMURA, and Y. HARUSHIMA Rice Genome Organization: the Centromere and Genome Interactions Ann. Bot., October 1, 2002; 90(4): 427 - 435. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Z. Cheng, F. Dong, T. Langdon, S. Ouyang, C. R. Buell, M. Gu, F. R. Blattner, and J. Jiang Functional Rice Centromeres Are Marked by a Satellite Repeat and a Centromere-Specific Retrotransposon PLANT CELL, August 1, 2002; 14(8): 1691 - 1704. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Z. V. Avramova Heterochromatin in Animals and Plants. Similarities and Differences Plant Physiology, May 1, 2002; 129(1): 40 - 49. [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. B. Talbert, R. Masuelli, A. P. Tyagi, L. Comai, and S. Henikoff Centromeric Localization and Adaptive Evolution of an Arabidopsis Histone H3 Variant PLANT CELL, May 1, 2002; 14(5): 1053 - 1066. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. L. Auger and J. A. Birchler Maize Tertiary Trisomic Stocks Derived From B-A Translocations J. Hered., January 1, 2002; 93(1): 42 - 47. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. T. Page, M. K. Wanous, and J. A. Birchler Characterization of a Maize Chromosome 4 Centromeric Sequence: Evidence for an Evolutionary Relationship With the B Chromosome Centromere Genetics, September 1, 2001; 159(1): 291 - 302. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. F. Willard Neocentromeres and human artificial chromosomes: An unnatural act PNAS, May 8, 2001; 98(10): 5374 - 5376. [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Gindullis, C. Desel, I. Galasso, and T. Schmidt The Large-Scale Organization of the Centromeric Region in Beta Species Genome Res., February 1, 2001; 11(2): 253 - 265. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M. S. Zwick, M. N. Islam-Faridi, H. B. Zhang, G. L. Hodnett, M. I. Gomez, J. S. Kim, H. J. Price, and D. M. Stelly Distribution and sequence analysis of the centromere-associated repetitive element CEN38 of Sorghum bicolor (Poaceae) Am. J. Botany, December 1, 2000; 87(12): 1757 - 1764. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				A. M. Chiavarino, M. Rosato, S. Manzanero, G. Jiménez, M. González-Sánchez, and M. J. Puertas Chromosome Nondisjunction and Instabilities in Tapetal Cells Are Affected by B Chromosomes in Maize Genetics, June 1, 2000; 155(2): 889 - 897. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				E. S. Buckler , IV, T. L. Phelps-Durr, C. S. K. Buckler, R. K. Dawe, J. F. Doebley, and T. P. Holtsford Meiotic Drive of Chromosomal Knobs Reshaped the Maize Genome Genetics, September 1, 1999; 153(1): 415 - 426. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				R. K. Dawe, L. M. Reed, H.-G. Yu, M. G. Muszynski, and E. N. Hiatt A Maize Homolog of Mammalian CENPC Is a Constitutive Component of the Inner Kinetochore PLANT CELL, July 1, 1999; 11(7): 1227 - 1238. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				E. Kaszás and J. A. Birchler Meiotic Transmission Rates Correlate With Physical Features of Rearranged Centromeres in Maize Genetics, December 1, 1998; 150(4): 1683 - 1692. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				E. V. Ananiev, R. L. Phillips, and H. W. Rines Chromosome-specific molecular organization of maize (Zea mays L.) centromeric regions PNAS, October 27, 1998; 95(22): 13073 - 13078. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]