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Updated: May 2, 2026

Optimization and Comparative Analysis of Plant Organellar DNA Enrichment Methods Suitable for Next-generation Sequencing
Published on: July 28, 2017
B chromosomes of Aegilops speltoides are enriched in organelle genome-derived sequences
Alevtina Ruban1, Jörg Fuchs2, André Marques3
1Russian State Agrarian University - Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Moscow, Russia ; Leibniz-Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Chromosome Structure and Function Laboratory, Gatersleben, Germany.
Abstract:
B chromosomes (Bs) are dispensable components of the genome exhibiting non-Mendelian inheritance. Chromosome counts and flow cytometric analysis of the grass species Aegilops speltoides revealed a tissue-type specific distribution of the roughly 570 Mbp large B chromosomes. To address the question whether organelle-to-nucleus DNA transfer is a mechanism that drives the evolution of Bs, in situ hybridization was performed with labelled organellar DNA. The observed B-specific accumulation of chloroplast- and mitochondria-derived sequences suggests a reduced selection against the insertion of organellar DNA in supernumerary chromosomes. The distribution of B-localised organellar-derived sequences and other sequences differs between genotypes of different geographical origins.
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