Physical location of terminal markers belonging to five linkage groups in maize RFLP map using in situ hybridization

Ten terminal or subterminal RFLP markers belonging to linkage groups 1, 3, 5, 6, and 10 in maize RFLP map were physically locted onto maize mitotic chromosomes with in situ hybridization. All biotinylated probes from 600 to 2 250 bp were detected by DAB staining. The markers belonging to linkage groups 1, 3, 5, 6, and 10 correspondingly located at the chromosomes 1, 3, 5, 6, and 10. All of the tested markers except bnl6.25 and umc44 were duplicated sequences. Each of them was also labeled on another chromosome besides on the chromosome corresponding to its linkage group. The marker bnl3. 04 was triplicated sequences and the signals were detected on three nonhomologous chromosomes. In the tested ten markers, there were only four located at the ends of corresponding chromosomes. Others were located at sites midway along the chromosome arms or near the centromeres. The region covered by two terminal or subterminal markers in each of linkage groups 1, 3, 5, and 6 occupied 80.02%, 38.25%, 82.30% and 51.16% of the region of both short and long arms in chromosomes 1, 3, 5, and 6 respectively. Only two terminal markers of linkage group 10 covered the whole chromosome 10. In some linkage groups, two terminal or subterminal markers covered a short genetic distance but were physically distant, while two covering a longer genetic distance were physically closer. Supported by The National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Doctorate Vesting Point Foundation of the Education Committec of the People's Republic of China Mao Ninghui: born in 1986, used to be an MS student of Wuhan University in 1992–1995 and now is working in Fudan University, Shanghai 200433