DIFFERENTIAL GIEMSA STAINING IN PLANTS. V. TWO TYPES OF CONSTITUTIVE HETEROCHROMATIN IN SPECIES OFAVENA

Abstract
Modified ASG (Acetic/Saline/Giemsa) and BSG (Barium hydroxide/Saline/Giemsa) chromosome banding techniques applied to several diploid species of oats produced two distinct types of C-banding patterns. One pattern consisted mainly of centromeric bands with occasional telomeric and/or intercalary bands while the other was comprised only of prominent telomeric and intercalary bands. These two banding patterns which probably reflect two distinct types of constitutive heterochromatin resulted from a change in the HCl hydrolysis temperature prior to the application of the ASG or BSG technique; hydrolysis at 60 °C yielded the centromeric bands and hydrolysis at room temperature produced telomeric and intercalary bands. Since all species examined reacted in a similar manner, precise Giemsa banding patterns should now be possible for all or most species of oats.