Comparative Analysis of Heterochromatin Distribution Pattern in Wild and Cultivated Species of Curcuma L.

Abstract

Fluorochrome banding pattern with CMA and DAPI showed variation in the type, amount and distribution of heterochromatin in all the Curcuma species studied. The study provided clear insight on the numbers and genomic components such as the repetitive (GC, AT and GC/AT-rich) and non-repetitive DNA fraction(s). The polymorphism in heterochromatic-rich repetitive fraction(s) reflects higher molecular organization of the genome and evolutionary status of the genus Curcuma. The present works entails the importance of heterochromatin rich-repetitive DNA fraction(s) which play significant role in genome organization and evolutionary pattern in the genus Curcuma.