Lactorisfernandeziana, endemic to the island of Masatierra in the Juan Fernandez Archipelago, is the only living member of the primitive angiosperm family, Lactoridaceae. The species was surveyed for ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and RAPD (Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA) variation. Previous analyses of allozymes had revealed no variation within the species. Variation was found for length in the intergenic spacer and for restriction sites in the 18S-25S genes ofrDNA, and for the presence of amplified bands using 16 primers. Different rDNA repeat lengths and restriction site variants were detected within individuals as well as within and among populations. The level of variation in RAPDs is low relative to other Juan Fernandez endemic species surveyed, and nearly all variants were restricted to single populations. The rDNA length variants were distributed throughout the island, whereas the rDNA restriction site variants and RAPD markers indicated minor genetic differences among the populations.

Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers were used to measure genetic diversity within and divergence among species of Dendroseris (Asteraceae: Lactuceae), a genus endemic to the Juan Fernandez Islands, Chile. Results were compared to previous studies employing allozymes. For five of the species, RAPD banding patterns distinguished all individuals examined, and different mutilocus genotypes were found even in species exhibiting no allozyme diversity. RAPD band diversities ranged from 0.003 to 0.022 within species; >90% of total diversity was among species and <10% within them. Relative levels of allozyme and RAPD diversity were similar for some species, particularly those with highest and lowest diversities, but overall there was no significant correlation. Relationships inferred from a neighbor-joining tree generated from RAPD bands were similar to results obtained from morphology, chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) restriction site mutations, and sequences from the internal transcribed spacer regions of nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS), but somewhat better resolution was achieved. Relationships shown by allozymes differed from trees based on other data; this ostensibly is a result of the sharing of ancestral alleles and the absence of alleles generated subsequent to speciation. Dendroseris represents an example where RAPD markers, because of their greater variability, provide a useful alternative to allozymes for assessing diversity in rare species endemic to oceanic islands and for resolving relationships among the species.

RAPD analysis was carried out on 52 accessions of Solanum melongena (eggplant) and related weedy forms known as "insanum". Twenty-two primers amplified 130 fragments. Solanum melongena exhibited 117 of the fragments, all of which were also present in insanum. Insanum displayed an additional 13 fragments not found in S. melongena. Overall, the insanum accessions were more diverse than those of S. melongena. The calculated similarity between them was 0.947. The RAPD results were closely concordant with the results of an electrophoretic isozyme survey performed on the same accessions. The concordance of the results shows that even though S. melongena and insanum are highly diverse morphologically, it is no longer appropriate to distinguish them taxonomically.

No abstract

Lactoris fernandeziana, endemic to the island of Masatierra in the Juan Fernandez Archipelago, is the only living member of the primitive angiosperm family, Lactoridaceae. The species was surveyed for ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and RAPD (Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA) variation. Previous analyses of allozymes had revealed no variation within the species. Variation was found for length in the intergenic spacer and for restriction sites in the 18S–25S genes of rDNA, and for the presence of amplified bands using 16 primers. Different rDNA repeat lengths and restriction site variants were detected within individuals as well as within and among populations. The level of variation in RAPDs is low relative to other Juan Fernandez endemic species surveyed, and nearly all variants were restricted to single populations. The rDNA length variants were distributed throughout the island, whereas the rDNA restriction site variants and RAPD markers indicated minor genetic differences among the populations.

Bands of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPDs) were used as markers to test the hypothesis that the species Margyracaena skottsbergii, which is endemic to the island of Masatierra in the Juan Fernandez archipelago, represents an intergeneric hybrid between Acaena argentea and Margyricarpus digynus. Thirteen 10‐mer primers produced 18 consistent species‐specific bands for A. argentea and 27 for M. digynus, with all 45 bands present in the presumed hybrid Margyracaena. A second species of Acaena on Masatierra, A. ovalifolia, has 23 unique amplified bands in all plants examined, and it shares none of these bands with Margyracaena. The data from RAPDs are concordant with morphology in implicating Acaena argentea rather than A. ovalifolia as one parent of Margyracaena. RAPDs can provide numerous genetic markers while requiring minimal quantities of DNA, thereby making them attractive for the study of hybridization, particularly in rare plants where DNA amounts may be limiting.

DNA primers for 37 genes have been developed in pea (Pisum sativum L.). Two-thirds of these primers also amplify orthologous sequences in lentil (Lens culinaris). The primers were designed to be complementary to highly conserved sequences in exons of known genes. In addition, most of the priming sequences were selected to be 1000 to 3000 bp distant on the genomic DNA and to amplify a fragment that contained at least one intron. Segregating sequence polymorphism in mapping populations of recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from wide crosses in Pisum was observed by restriction of the amplified fragment with endonucleases recognizing four-base restriction sites. Successful mapping of 36 of these genes in pea demonstrated the utility of these primers for mapping, and it appears likely that the primers should have general utility for comparative mapping in legumes.

Bands of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPDs) were used as markers to test the hypothesis that the species x Margyracaena skottsbergii, which is endemic to the island of Masatierra in the Juan Fernandez archipelago, represents an intergeneric hybrid between Acaena argentea and Margyricarpus digynus. Thirteen IO-mer primers produced 18 consistent species-specific bands for A. argentea and 27 for M. digynus. with all 45 bands present in the presumed hybrid x Margyracaena.A second species of Acaena on Masatierra, A. ovalifolia, has 23 unique amplified bands in all plants examined, and it shares none of these bands with x Margyracaena. The data from RAPDs are concordant with morphology in implicating Acaena argentea rather than A. ovalifolia as one parent of