Molecular and cytogenetic description of somatic hybrids between Gentiana cruciata L. and G. tibetica King

Somatic hybridization provides an opportunity to create cells with new genetic constitution. Here, the interspecific somatic hybrid plants regenerated in vitro following fusion of cell suspension–derived protoplasts of tetraploid Cross Gentian (Gentiana cruciata L., 2n = 52) with protoplasts released from mesophyll tissue of another tetraploid species, Tibetan Gentian (G. tibetica King, 2n = 52), were studied. According to the results of genome analyses with AFLP, ISSR, and CAPS markers, all somatic hybrids were genetically closer to “suspension” fusion partner G. cruciata than to “mesophyll” partner G. tibetica, but they got G. tibetica chloroplasts. Chromosome counting revealed little variation in the number of chromosomes in hybrid’s cells (2n = 88 or 2n = 90), although all plants possessed similar nuclear DNA content which remained stable even after 2 years of in vitro culture. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) showed that hybrids possessed 4 to 7 chromosomes bearing 5S rDNA sites and 6 or 7 chromosomes with 35S rDNA sites. A part of FISH signals was smaller than those observed in the parental species, which could indicate the loss of rDNA sequences. Genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) showed the predominance of the number of G. cruciata chromosomes over chromosomes of G. tibetica. However, a significant level of cross-hybridization was observed for about one-third of hybrid chromosomes, indicating a high degree of homeology between the genomes of G. cruciata and G. tibetica. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s13353-019-00530-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.