Isolation and molecular characterization of cathepsin L-like cysteine protease cDNAs from Western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis)

Cysteine proteases are predominant in thrips guts (TGs) and, therefore, a suitable target for selecting effective protease inhibitors against western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis). We report the isolation of four full-length cysteine protease cDNA clones from thrips in a two-step PCR approach with degenerate oligonucleotides designed on conserved cathepsin L domains. At the deduced amino acid level, the clones possessed all functional and structural characteristics of cathepsin L, and showed high mutual identity and strong similarity with cathepsin L-like cysteine proteases from other insects and arthropods. Southern analysis indicated that a family of four closely related and 10 12 less-related genes encode the cathepsin L-like cysteine proteases in the thrips genome. Partial sequencing of genomic DNA demonstrated the presence of three introns in the coding DNA

Characterisation of distant Alstroemeria hybrids: application of highly repetitive DNA sequences from A. ligtu spp. ligtu

Clones from a Sau3A family of eight highly repetitive sequences previously isolated from a genomic DNA library of Alstroemeria ligtu ssp. ligtu were sequenced and found to be highly conserved. A trinucleotide microsatellite repeat [GCA](3-4) was present. A second, unrelated, Sau3A repeat was also characterised. Southern analysis proved that the isolated repeats were specific for the A. ligtu subspecies and could not be detected in other Chilean or Brazilean Alstroemeria species. As shown by in situ hybridisation, the Sau3A family and the unrelated Sau3A repeat co-localised at distinct sites along most chromosomes of Alstroemeria ligtu ssp. ligtu and Alstroemeria ligtu ssp. simsii. The present set of species-specific repetitive sequences enables the identification of A. ligtu chromosomes, and thus the tracking of chromosome transmission to interspecific hybrids and their progeny

Molecular characterization and physical localization of highly repetitive DNA sequences from Brazilian Alstroemeria species

Highly repetitive DNA sequences were isolated from genomic DNA libraries of Alstroemeria psittacina and A. inodora. Among the repetitive sequences that were isolated, tandem repeats as well as dispersed repeats could be discerned. The tandem repeats belonged to a family of interlinked Sau3A subfragments with sizes varying from 68-127 bp, and constituted a larger HinfI repeat of approximately 400 bp. Southern hybridization showed a similar molecular organization of the tandem repeats in each of the Brazilian Alstroemeria species tested. None of the repeats hybridized with DNA from Chilean Alstroemeria species, which indicates that they are specific for the Brazilian species. In-situ localization studies revealed the tandem repeats to be localized in clusters on the chromosomes of A. inodora and A. psittacina: distal hybridization sites were found on chromosome arms 2PS, 6PL, 7PS, 7PL and 8PL, interstitial sites on chromosome arms 2PL, 3PL, 4PL and 5PL. The applicability of the tandem repeats for cytogenetic analysis of interspecific hybrids and their role in heterochromatin organization are discussed

Molecular cytogenetics of Alstroemeria: identification of parental genomes in interspecific hy brids and characterization of repetitive DNA families in constitutive heterochromatin.

The genus Alstroemeria consists of diploid(2n=2x=16) species originating mainly from Chile and Brazil. Most cultivars are triploid or tetraploid interspecific hybrids. C-banding of eight species revealed obvious differentiation of constitutive heterochromatin within the genus. The present study focused on the molecular (cyto)genetic background of this differentiation. Genomic slot-blot analysis demonstrated strong conservation of major parts of the genomes among six species. The chromosomes of A. aurea and A. ligtu, species with pronounced interstitial C-bands, were found to contain large amounts of highly repetitive and species-specific DNA. The variation in size,number and intensity of strongly probed bands of major repetitive DNA families observed in genomic Southern blots of Sau3A, HaeIII, and MseI digests indicated a strong correlation between variation in genomic DNA composition and different C-banding patterns among Alstroemeria species. Genomic in situ hybridization (GISH)revealed a clear distinction between parental chromosomes in the hybrids between Chilean and Brazilian species and also between Chilean species, as long as at least one of the parental species possessed prominent C-banding. Regarding the latter, discriminative hybridization resulted from highly repetitive species specific DNA in the heterochromatic chromosome regions of A. aurea and A. ligtu, and caused GISH banding patterns that coincided with the C-banding patterns