Isolation and chromosomal localization of new MITE-like sequences from Secale

Abstract

A species-specific DNA sequence (marker) that can detect the presence of Secale cereale chromatin in common wheat background was developed by using wheat microsatellite primer Xgwm614. One rye-specific DNA amplified fragment of 416bp (pSa614416) was obtained from Secale africanum and a wheat -S. africanum amphiploid. The primer Xgwm614 also gave rise to specific bands in all Chinese Spring-Imperial rye addition lines 1R to 7R. Sequence analysis revealed that pSa614416 was strongly homologous to a miniature inverted transposable element (MITE) stowaway-like element. Results of fluorescence in situ hybridization showed that the signal of pSa614416 was distributed along all S. cereale. cv Jingzhou chromosomes, but the signal strengths were unbalanced on the seven rye genome chromosomes. This repetitive element may be useful as a molecular marker for the introgression of rye germplasm into the wheat genome.