Supernumerary B Chromosomes of Aegilops Speltoides Undergo Precise Elimination in Roots Early in Embryo Development
ARTICLE https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-16594-x OPEN Supernumerary B chromosomes of Aegilops speltoides undergo precise elimination in roots early in embryo development Alevtina Ruban 1,2,6, Thomas Schmutzer 1,3,6, Dan D. Wu1,4, Joerg Fuchs1, Anastassia Boudichevskaia 1,2, Myroslava Rubtsova1,5, Klaus Pistrick 1, Michael Melzer1, Axel Himmelbach1, Veit Schubert1, Uwe Scholz 1 & ✉ Andreas Houben 1 1234567890():,; Not necessarily all cells of an organism contain the same genome. Some eukaryotes exhibit dramatic differences between cells of different organs, resulting from programmed elimina- tion of chromosomes or their fragments. Here, we present a detailed analysis of programmed B chromosome elimination in plants. Using goatgrass Aegilops speltoides as a model, we demonstrate that the elimination of B chromosomes is a strictly controlled and highly efficient root-specific process. At the onset of embryo differentiation B chromosomes undergo elimination in proto-root cells. Independent of centromere activity, B chromosomes demonstrate nondisjunction of chromatids and lagging in anaphase, leading to micro- nucleation. Chromatin structure and DNA replication differ between micronuclei and primary nuclei and degradation of micronucleated DNA is the final step of B chromosome elimination. This process might allow root tissues to survive the detrimental expression, or over- expression of B chromosome-located root-specific genes with paralogs located on standard chromosomes. 1 Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, 06466 Seeland OT Gatersleben, Germany. 2 KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA, 37574 Einbeck, Germany. 3 Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Institute for Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, 06099 Halle (Saale), Germany. 4 Triticeae Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, 611130 Wenjiang, China.
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