Fate of multicentric and ring chromosomes induced by a new gametocidal factor located on chromosome 4Mg of Aegilops geniculata.

A new gametocidal (Gc) factor was identified on chromosome 4Mg of Aegilops geniculata Roth. When transferred to Chinese Spring wheat, monosomic and disomic Triticum aestivum-Ae. geniculata chromosome 4Mg addition plants undergo regular first and second meiotic divisions. Male gametogenesis in disomic 4Mg addition plants also is normal. However, chromosome breakage and anaphase bridges were observed at ana/telophase of the first (29%) and second (11%) pollen mitosis in monosomic 4Mg addition plants. Gc-induced multicentric and ring chromosomes can be transmitted to the offspring and initiate breakage fusion bridge (BFB) cycles in dividing root tip meristem cells of the derived sporophytes. The fate of multicentric and ring chromosomes was analyzed in root meristems at different time intervals after seed germination. The majority of the BFB cycles ceased about 32 days after germination. Broken chromosome ends were healed either by the fusion of a centric and an acentric fragment forming terminal translocation chromosomes or as deficiencies or telocentric chromosomes. Lack of cytologically detectable telomeric repeats at the stabilized newly broken termini suggests that chromosome healing by addition of telomeric repeats may be a gradual process.