scholarly journals Centromere Function and Nondisjunction Are Independent Components of the Maize B Chromosome Accumulation Mechanism

2007 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 524-533 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fangpu Han ◽  
Jonathan C. Lamb ◽  
Weichang Yu ◽  
Zhi Gao ◽  
James A. Birchler
1984 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 194-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. C. Gregg ◽  
G. C. Webb ◽  
M. A. Adena

The B chromosomes of Chortoicetes terminifera possess an accumulation mechanism. B chromosomes were transmitted at a rate of 0.766 in one B(♂) × zero B(♀) crosses and 0.477 in zero B(♂) one × B(♀) crosses. In crosses where the female had a B chromosome, there were significant differences in transmission rates between pods, but these were not related to differences in G-banding patterns of the B chromosomes involved. In crosses where either the male or female parent had two B chromosomes the B chromosomes did not segregate perfectly, nor did they segregate in a random fashion. The closest resemblance to the behaviour of normal bivalents occurred when the two B chromosomes were of the same, rather than different, G-banding variants, and when they were present in the male rather than the female parent. B chromosomes occurred at eight localities scattered throughout New South Wales. No locality was found where they were not present. The average frequency of B chromosomes was 14.0% for one-B individuals and 0.8% for two-B individuals. There were no significant differences in B-chromosome frequency between males and females. Of the eight localities, only one had a B-chromosome frequency significantly different from any other locality. This relatively uniformity of B-chromosome distribution is interpreted as a consequence of the migratory nature of C. terminifera. A model was constructed to simulate the dynamics of B chromosomes in locust populations. Three main dynamic patterns were recognized, and these were related to differences in the fitness of one-B and two-B individuals. It was concluded that the B chromosome of C. terminifera is probably parasitic, although the simulation model revealed some difficulties which suggest that caution should be applied to the description of any B chromosome as purely parasitic.Key words: B chromosomes, locust, meiotic drive, G-banding, fitness. Chortoicetes terminifera (Walker).


Genetics ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 135 (2) ◽  
pp. 589-597 ◽  
Author(s):  
M R Alfenito ◽  
J A Birchler

Abstract 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.


Author(s):  
Ryan N. Douglas ◽  
Hua Yang ◽  
Bing Zhang ◽  
Chen Chen ◽  
Fangpu Han ◽  
...  

AbstractThe B chromosome of maize undergoes nondisjunction at the second pollen mitosis as part of its accumulation mechanism. Previous work identified 9-Bic-1 (9-B inactivated centromere-1), which comprises an epigenetically silenced B chromosome centromere that was translocated to the short arm of chromosome 9(9S). This chromosome is stable in isolation, but when normal B chromosomes are added to the genotype, it will attempt to undergo nondisjunction during the second pollen mitosis and usually fractures the chromosome in 9S. These broken chromosomes allow a test of whether the inactive centromere is reactivated or whether a de novo centromere is formed elsewhere on the chromosome to allow recovery of fragments. Breakpoint determination on the B chromosome and chromosome 9 showed that mini chromosome B1104 has the same breakpoint as 9-Bic-1 in the B centromere region and includes a portion of 9S. CENH3 binding was found on the B centromere region and on 9S, suggesting both centromere reactivation and de novo centromere formation. Another mini chromosome, B496, showed evidence of rearrangement, but it also only showed evidence for a de novo centromere. Other mini chromosome fragments recovered were directly derived from the B chromosome with breakpoints concentrated near the centromeric knob region, which suggests that the B chromosome is broken at a low frequency due to the failure of the sister chromatids to separate at the second pollen mitosis. Our results indicate that both reactivation and de novo centromere formation could occur on fragments derived from the progenitor possessing an inactive centromere.


Genes ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 476 ◽  
Author(s):  
Handong Su ◽  
Yalin Liu ◽  
Yang Liu ◽  
James Birchler ◽  
Fangpu Han

The maize B chromosome is a non-essential chromosome with an accumulation mechanism. The dispensable nature of the B chromosome facilitates many types of genetic studies in maize. Maize lines with B chromosomes have been widely used in studies of centromere functions. Here, we discuss the maize B chromosome alongside the latest progress of B centromere activities, including centromere misdivision, inactivation, reactivation, and de novo centromere formation. The meiotic features of the B centromere, related to mini-chromosomes and the control of the size of the maize centromere, are also discussed.


Genome ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 797-801 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. I. Cano ◽  
J. L. Santos

A main type of a large supernumerary B chromosome has been found in several natural populations of the grasshopper Heteracris littoralis. A study on the geographical distribution of the polymorphism and the meiotic behavior of Bs in both sexes has been carried out with special reference to their effect on two endophenotypic parameters: recombination level and macrospermatid production. Male B bivalents are characterized by a high level of pairing and a strict proximal localization of chiasmata. In the females the B chromosome always divides reductionally at anaphase I indicating the possible existence of an accumulation mechanism based on meiotic drive. There is no effect of Bs on either mean chiasma frequency or between-cell variance in either of the sexes. However, in males a positive correlation between the number of Bs and production of abnormal spermatids (macrospermatids) was found.Key words: B chromosomes, chiasma frequency, female meiosis.


2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
G. Lámer

Abstract The paper is an overview of issues related to the space creation of a building, possibilities of developing frame structure and connections of force distribution in the construction. In plane the force distribution can be compression, bending and tension. In space “enclosing” a geometric solid means space creation. In space as it is to be expected, the force distribution must be compression, bending and tension in two different directions at the same time. This can be really variant but in the case of surface or surface-like constructions generated by translations (and/or rotations) on one hand, there are some other surfaces, which cannot be generated by translations (and/or rotations), on the other hand, the dimension of the inside “forces” is not two but three (independent components of a two-by-two tensor either in the case of compression tension, or in the case of bending). By this, force distribution is more complicated in space than in plane.


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