Fragile Sites of 'Valencia' Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis) Chromosomes Are Related with Active 45s rDNA

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 11; no. 3; p. e0151512
• Main Authors: Lan, Hong, Chen, Chun-Li, Miao, Yin, Yu, Chang-Xiu, Guo, Wen-Wu, Xu, Qiang, Deng, Xiu-Xin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 15-03-2016; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Banding; Biology and Life Sciences; Chromosome Banding; Chromosome Fragile Sites - genetics; Chromosomes; Chromosomes, Plant - genetics; Chromosomes, Plant - ultrastructure; Citrus sinensis; Citrus sinensis - genetics; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; DNA methylation; DNA probes; DNA, Plant - genetics; DNA, Ribosomal - genetics; Epigenetics; Fluorescence; Fluorescence in situ hybridization; Fluorophores; Fragile sites; Gene mapping; Genetic aspects; Heterozygosity; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; Meiosis; Meristem; Mitosis; Nucleoli; Nucleolus Organizer Region - ultrastructure; Oranges; Organoids; Physiological aspects; Ploidies; Pollen; Recombinant DNA; Research and Analysis Methods; RNA, Plant - genetics; RNA, Ribosomal - genetics; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Silver Staining; Staining; Studies; Telomere - ultrastructure; Translocation; Translocation, Genetic; China
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0151512

Citrus sinensis chromosomes present a morphological differentiation of bands after staining by the fluorochromes CMA and DAPI, but there is still little information on its chromosomal characteristics. In this study, the chromosomes in 'Valencia' C. sinensis were analyzed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using telomere DNA and the 45S rDNA gene as probes combining CMA/DAPI staining, which showed that there were two fragile sites in sweet orange chromosomes co-localizing at distended 45S rDNA regions, one proximally locating on B-type chromosome and the other subterminally locating on D-type chromosome. While the chromosomal CMA banding and 45S rDNA FISH mapping in the doubled haploid line of 'Valencia' C. sinensis indicated six 45S rDNA regions, four were identified as fragile sites as doubled comparing its parental line, which confirmed the cytological heterozygosity and chromosomal heteromorphisms in sweet orange. Furthermore, Ag-NOR identified two distended 45S rDNA regions to be active nucleolar organizing regions (NORs) in diploid 'Valencia' C. sinensis. The occurrence of quadrivalent in meiosis of pollen mother cells (PMCs) in 'Valencia' sweet orange further confirmed it was a chromosomal reciprocal translocation line. We speculated this chromosome translocation was probably related to fragile sites. Our data provide insights into the chromosomal characteristics of the fragile sites in 'Valencia' sweet orange and are expected to facilitate the further investigation of the possible functions of fragile sites.