Diploid homo- and heterokaryotypes of barley translocation lines with only one satellite chromosome pair containing two nucleolus organizer regions (NORs) in opposite arms were found to show repressed nucleolus formation by the transposed NOR as evident from the formation of only micronucleoli. The same was true for auto-tetraploid homokaryotypes and for translocation lines with all NORs tandemly arranged into the same chromosome arm. When NORs were transposed to chromosomes without NOR in the standard karyotype, the normal pattern of nucleolus formation remained unaffected. The modified mode of nucleolus formation after the combination of all NORs in one chromosome pair is interpreted to be due to intrachromosomal nucleolar dominance analogous to interchromosomal nucleolar dominance observed in certain interspecific hybrids.
A complete chromosomal fusion-fission cycle is described for the first time. In the field bean, Vicia faba, this cycle probably started with a reversible fusion of two telocentrics giving rise to the standard metacentric chromosome I. The next step was a recent fission of this chromosome into two stable telocentrics eventually followed by a new fusion reconstituting the metacentric chromosome.
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