The rye B chromosome is a supernumerary chromosome that increases in number in its host by directed postmeiotic drive. Two types of rye B chromosomes that had been introduced into common wheat were dissected into separate segments by the gametocidal system to produce a number of rearranged B chromosomes, such as telosomes, terminal deletions and translocations with wheat chromosomes. A total of 13 dissected B chromosomes were isolated in common wheat, and were investigated for their nondisjunction properties. Rearranged B chromosomes, separated from their B-specific repetitive sequences on the distal part of the long arm, did not undergo nondisjunction, and neither did a translocated wheat chromosome carrying a long-arm distal segment containing the Bspecific repetitive sequences. However, such rearranged B chromosomes, missing their B-specific sequences could undergo nondisjunction when they coexisted with the standard B chromosome or a wheat chromosome carrying the B-specific sequences. Deficiencies of the short arm did not completely abolish the nondisjunction properties of the B chromosome, but did reduce the frequency of nondisjunction. These results confirmed previous suggestions that the directed nondisjunction of the rye B chromosome is controlled by two elements, pericentromeric sticking sites and a trans-acting element carried at the distal region of the long arm of the B chromosome. Additionally, it is now shown that the distal region of the long arm of the B chromosome which provides this function is that which carries the B-specific repetitive sequences.

The surprisingly conserved chromosome structure suggests that although the rye Bs experienced rapid evolution including multiple rearrangements at the early evolutionary stages, this process has slowed significantly and may have even ceased during its recent evolution.

Cultivated rye (Secale cereale) and its weedy relative (S. segetale) carry B chromosomes. The B chromosomes are known to be morphologically alike at somatic metaphase and they are of the standard type in natural populations. To clarify the cytogenetic relationship between the standard B chromosomes of S. cereale and those of S. segetale, we made four crosses between Afghan S. segetale with two standard B chromosomes as a pistillate parent and Turkish, Iranian, Korean, and Japanese S. cereale, all with two standard B chromosomes as pollen parents. We observed the pairing of B chromosomes at diakinesis in pollen mother cells in all F1 hybrids with four standard B chromosomes, two from each of the pistillate and the pollen parents. The degree of pairing of B chromosomes in all F1 hybrids with four standard B chromosomes was similar to or somewhat lower than, that in parental strains with four standard B chromosomes. These results showed that the standard B chromosomes in S. segetale from Afghanistan are homologous with those in S. cereale from Turkey, Iran, Korea, and Japan. We therefore propose monophyletic origin of the standard B chromosomes in S. segetale and S. cereale.

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To elucidate the cytogenetical effects of B chromosomes of cultivated rye (Secale cereale) from Korea in common wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. Chinese Spring), the transfer of rye B chromosomes to Chinese Spring wheat was undertaken and alien chromosome addition lines were produced and cytogenetically characterized. The presence of B chromosomes did not disturb the pairing between A chromosomes of Chinese Spring at metaphase I. The increase in the number of B chromosomes did not only increase the number of laggards at anaphase I and the number of micronuclei at dyad stage, but did also drastically decrease pollen and selfed seed fertility. Moreover, selfed progenies of B chromosome‐carrying plants showed considerable seed shrivelling as the number of B chromosomes increased. The B chromosomes in Chinese Spring displayed non‐Mendelian inheritance. The characteristics of the B chromosome addition lines produced in the present study were compared with those from other lines.