Banding of rye (Secale cereale) chromosomes using the restriction enzymes AluI, DraI, HpaII, and MspI.

Mitotic metaphase chromosomes of the rye inbred line L 301, which belongs to the Sortiment of the University of Hohenheim, were treated in situ with the restriction enzymes AluI (recognition sequence: 5′-AC/GT-3′), DraI (recognition sequence: 5′-TTT/AAA-3′), and the isoschizomeres HpaII and MspI (recognition sequence: 5′-C/CGG-3′) and stained with Giemsa. The chromosomes indicated similar banding patterns in comparison with the conventional Giemsa-C-banding. However, we have found in rye chromosomes after restrictase treatment that the telomeric bands were reduced in extension. In a lower degree the centromeric bands of individual chromosomes could be absent in dependence of the used restriction enzymes. The number of the intercalary bands were also reduced. Nevertheless, the tested restriction enzymes produced characteristic banding patterns of the rye genome. This uncomplicated banding technique is suited for a very quick banding method of karyotype analysis especially to obtain a first survey of the band patterns on the rye chromosomes.