Chromosomal differentiation between Pinus heldreichii and Pinus nigra

Abstract

Two tertiary relict pines, Pinus heldreichii and P. nigra, have been considered as taxonomically very close species. Both species have very discontinuous geographical distributions which overlap in some localities in Balkan Peninsula. The pattern of heterochromatin regions distribution (AT-, GC-rich and DAPI positive heterochromatin) and activity of nucleolar organizing regions (NORs) were analyzed for these two pines by fluorochrome banding and silver staining respectively. Morphometric data for karyotype of P. heldreichii were presented here for the first time. Chromomycin (CMA) banding pattern was particularly species specific, P. heldreichii possessed 12 and P. nigra 24 bands. In comparison with other species from subsection Pinus, P. heldreichii displayed particular CMA-banding pattern. Hoechst banding was less specific and similar to other pines. DAPI staining was applied after DNA denaturation/renaturation and revealed important differences in number and position of bands between the two species. Number of secondary constrictions (SCs), of NORs and of nucleoli also differed between P. heldreichii (10) and P. nigra (12). Our results proved a clear interspecific differentiation at the chromosomal level between the two species and add some data to discuss about the possible new subsectional placement of P. heldreichii.

Full text

267
Ann. For. Sci. 63 (2006) 267– 274
© INRA, EDP Sciences, 2006
DOI: 10.1051/forest:2006005
Original article
Chromosomal differentiation between Pinus heldreichii
and Pinus nigra
Faruk BOGUNICa, Edina MURATOVICb, Sonja SILJAK-YAKOVLEVc*
a University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Forestry, Zagrebacka 20, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
b University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology, Laboratory for research and protection of endemic resources,
Zmaja od Bosne 33, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
c Université Paris-Sud, UMR CNRS 8079, Écologie, Systématique, Évolution, Bât. 360, 91405 Orsay, France
(Received 17 October 2004; accepted 12 July 2005)
Abstract – Two tertiary relict pines, Pinus heldreichii and P. nigra, have been considered as taxonomically very close species. Both species
have very discontinuous geographical distributions which overlap in some localities in Balkan Peninsula. The pattern of heterochromatin
regions distribution (AT-, GC-rich and DAPI positive heterochromatin) and activity of nucleolar organizing regions (NORs) were analyzed for
these two pines by fluorochrome banding and silver staining respectively. Morphometric data for karyotype of P. heldreichii were presented
here for the first time. Chromomycin (CMA) banding pattern was particularly species specific, P. heldreichii possessed 12 and P. nigra
24 bands. In comparison with other species from subsection Pinus, P. heldreichii displayed particular CMA-banding pattern. Hoechst banding
was less specific and similar to other pines. DAPI staining was applied after DNA denaturation/renaturation and revealed important differences
in number and position of bands between the two species. Number of secondary constrictions (SCs), of NORs and of nucleoli also differed
between P. heldreichii (10) and P. nigra (12). Our results proved a clear interspecific differentiation at the chromosomal level between the two
species and add some data to discuss about the possible new subsectional placement of P. heldreichii.
Pinus / heterochromatin / fluorochrome banding / G-C and A-T rich DNA / interspecific differentiation
Résumé – Différentiation chromosomique entre Pinus heldreichii et Pinus nigra. Deux reliques tertiaires, Pinus heldreichii et P. nigra, sont
considérées comme espèces taxonomiquement très proches. Leur distribution géographique est très discontinue, se chevauchant dans quelques
localités des Balkans. La répartition des régions hétérochromatiques (AT-, GC- riche et hétérochromatine constitutive nonspécifique) et
l’activité des organisateurs nucléolaires (NORs) sont analysées par fluorochrome banding et coloration au nitrate d’argent respectivement. Les
données morphometriques du caryotype de P. heldreichii sont présentées ici pour la première fois. La distribution des bandes GC-riches est
particulièrement spécifique, P. heldreichii possède 12 et P. nigra 24 bandes. En comparaison avec d’autres espèces de la subsection Pinus,
P. heldreichii présente un chromomycin banding particulier. Les bandes AT-riches sont moins spécifiques et leur localisation est similaire aux
autres pins. La coloration au DAPI, effectuée après la dénaturation/renaturation de l’ADN, révèle des différences importantes en nombre et
position des bandes entre deux espèces. Le nombre des constrictions secondaires (SCs), des NORs et des nucléoles diffère également entre
P. heldreichii (10) et P. nigra (12). Nos résultats montrent une différentiation nette au niveau chromosomique entre ces deux espèces et ouvrent
la discussion sur un changement éventuel de subsection pour P. heldreichii.
Pinus / hétérochromatine / fluorochrome banding / ADN riche en G-C et A-T / différentiation interspécifique
1. INTRODUCTION
Pinus heldreichii Christ. (Bosnian pine) and P. nigra Arnold
(European black pine) have been considered as taxonomically
very close Tertiary relict pine species [49]. Both pines were
classified into subsection Pinus but additional confirmation of
subsectional placement of P. heldreichii is suggested [33, 42].
Certain authors, investigating morphoanatomical features of
Bosnian pine, proposed inclusion of P. heldreichii into group
of species close to P. halepensis Mill. [10, 14]. Recent chemical
and molecular studies provided additional evidences for exclu-
sion of P. heldreichii from subsection Pinus and included it into
group of “Mediterranean pines” [35, 45, 51]. Geographical dis-
tribution of Pinus heldreichii is limited to Balkan high moun-
tains and few localities in South Italy while P. nigra occurs
mostly in mountains of Mediterranean region [1]. Black pine
is highly variable Mediterranean species including five subspe-
cies with many varieties [15, 49]. On the contrary, only two
* Corresponding author: sonia.yakovlev@ese.u-psud.fr
Article published by EDP Sciences and available at http://www.edpsciences.org/forestor http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/forest:2006005

268 F. Bogunic et al.
varieties of P. heldreichii (var. heldreichii Christ and var. leu-
codermis Ant.) can be recognized [15, 49]. Both species have
very discontinuous geographical distributions which overlap in
some localities of the Balkan Peninsula [12]. Their putative
spontaneous hybrids (P. × nigraedermis Fuk. et Vid.) were
reported from Mt. Rujište (Bosnia and Herzegovina) [13].
Conventional cytogenetics revealed same chromosome
number and prominent karyotype uniformity in both species,
which is a characteristic of genus Pinus, and even of entire fam-
ily Pinaceae [21]. Recent investigations employing modern
molecular-cytogenetic techniques are focused to physical
genome mapping, molecular chromosome structure and
genome size. Fluorochrome banding was firstly reported for
Pinus nigra var. maritima (Aiton) Melville [23], and then for
other pines [24, 25, 27] detecting specific heterochromatin pat-
tern in karyotype. Recently employed techniques of fluorescent
in situ hybridization (FISH) revealed organization of ribosomal
genes in Pinus species [9, 26, 28, 34]. Last decade was partic-
ularly marked by genome size investigations of Pinus species
[2, 20, 29, 39, 40, 48, 50]. All these methods are very useful
for consideration of phylogenetic and systematic relationships
among pine species.
There are many chromosome reports for P. nigra and those
were obtained by conventional [3, 21, 36, 43] and molecular-
cytogenetical methods [23, 28]. Only few data exist concerning
P. heldreichii karyotype [7, 43]. So, chromosomal organisation
of this species is scarcely known and there are still not mor-
phometric data for its karyotype.
Therefore, the aim of the present study is to provide and com-
plete the data on karyotype features and chromosome organi-
zation for P. heldreichii and P. nigra. We also discuss some
systematic aspects in the light of new cytogenetic data for these
two pines.
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS
2.1. Material
Plant material originated from natural populations of P. heldreichii
and P. nigra except of a population of Black pine from the arboretum
(Tab. I). Seeds from adult trees were collected and used for cytological
analysis. Seeds were soaked in 5% sodium hypochlorite to sterilize
surface for 20 min, and rinsed twice in distilled water [21].
Identification and nomenclature of investigated species followed
usual classification system [15, 33, 42]. Vouchers corresponding to
studied pine individuals were deposited in Herbarium of Faculty of
Forestry, University of Sarajevo.
2.2. Methods
Seeds were germinated on moist filter paper in Petri dishes at 23 °C
temperature in incubator. Root tips were pretreated during 23–24 h in
0.05% aqueous solution of colchicine. Pretreated material was fixed
in acetic-alcohol (3:1, absolute ethanol:glacial acetic acid, v/v) and
placed in refrigerator (+4 °C) for 24 h [11]. After fixation plant mate-
rial was washed in distilled water and finally stored in 70% ethanol at
–20 °C until use.
Chromosome spreads were obtained using protoplast technique
[16] with slight modifications. Hydrolysis was made by enzymatic
treatment during 50 min in moist chamber at 37 °C. A universal enzy-
matic mix was used to hydrolyze plant material and to release chro-
mosomes from cytoplasm: 3% cellulase R10 (Yakult Honsha Co.), 1%
pectolyase Y-23 (Seishin corporation, Tokyo, Japan), 4% hemicellu-
lase (Sigma Chemical Co.) in citrate buffer (pH = 4.2).
After hydrolysis, meristems were gently squashed in a drop of 45%
acetic acid to gain protoplast suspension. The quality of chromosome
spreads was controlled under phase-contrast microscope. After removal
of the coverslips with liquid CO2 [8], the slides were dehydrated in
absolute ethanol and air-dried for at least 12 h at room temperature.
To observe GC- and AT-rich regions, chromosomes were stained
with chromomycin A3 (CMA) (Sigma) [31, 46] and Hoechst 33258
(Ho) (Sigma) [37], with minor modifications: CMA3 concentration
was 0.2 mg/mL [47]; 5 mM MgSO4 was added in McIlvain buffer [31]
instead of 10 mM MgCl4 [46]; dystamicin A3 staining was avoided
because it did not improve CMA staining.
After staining with CMA and Hoechst same plates were also
destained and prepared for DAPI (4,6 diamino-2-phenylindol) stain-
ing. The chromosomes were denatured using 70% formamide in
2×SSC, 2 min at 75 °C, then 5 min at 55 °C and incubated at 37 °C in
mixture sond containing 2×SSC overnight following protocols for
FISH experiment [47]. Staining was performed in 2 µg/mL of DAPI
in McIlvain buffer (pH = 7) for 15 min.
For silver staining of nucleoli germinated root tips were fixed in
standard fixative solution (3:1 absolute ethanol/glacial aceti c acid) and
stored 24 h in refrigerator. Meristem tissues were squashed in a drop
of 45% acetic acid. Coverslips were removed by freezing with liquid
CO2 and dehydrated with absolute ethanol, then air-dried at room tem-
perature for at least 12 h. Silver nitrate solution (50% in distilled water)
was dropped on slides and incubated at moist chamber for 15 h at 60 °C
[19]. Nucleoli number was determined on 100 interphase nuclei per
individual. At least three individuals from both species were analyzed.
The chromosome observations were performed using an epifluo-
rescent Zeiss Axiophot microscope with filter set 01 (excitation 365,
emission 480 nm long pass) for Ho and DAPI staining and filter set 07
(excitation 457, emission 530 for long pass) for CMA. Images were cap-
tured with a Princeton Micromax CCD Camera, using Metavue analyser.
Numerical karyotype analysis was done for four populations of
P. heldreichii and two populations of P. nigra (five individuals per
population). Chromosomes were identified and ordered according to
their total length, arm ratio and fluorochrome banding patterns. Fol-
lowing karyological features were analyzed: /TL (total length of each
chromosome) = l (long arm) + s (short arm)/, the ratio between long
and short arm (r), the relative length of each chromosome (RL = 100 ×
TL/ΣTL), the global asymmetric index (AsI = Σl× 100/ΣTL), and the
ratio between the longest and shortest chromosome pairs (R). The chro-
mosome types were characterized according recommended classifica-
tion [32, 44]. Ideograms were drawn from mean values of long and
short arms for each chromosome pair.
Table I . Origin of investigated material.
Species Locality
P. heldreichii Mt. Hranisava, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1780 m
Mt. Rujiste, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1050 m
Blidinje (Mt. Cvrsnica), Bosnia and
Herzegovina, 950 m
Mt. Sar-planina, Serbia and Monte Negro,
1600 m
P. n ig ra subsp. nigra* Pale, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 900 m
P. n ig ra subsp. nigra Konjic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 780 m
* Individuals from Arboretum of Faculty of Forestry, University of Sarajevo.

Differentiation of Pinus heldreichii and P. nigra 269
3. RESULTS
3.1. Karyotype analysis
Karyotypes of both species present the same diploid number
2n = 24 (Fig. 1). Morphometri c data of chromosome lengths for
P. heldreichii ranged from 8.94 to 14.93 µm (Tab. II).
Decreasing in chromosome lengths was in generally con-
tinual and gradual in each metaphase plate (Fig. 2A,
Tab. II). Two smallest chromosome pairs decreased sharply
and possessed submedial centromeres, particularly pair 12.
Chromosome pair 11 belonged to meta-submetacentric (m-sm)
type. Hence, chromosome complement was symmetric and
homogenous (AsI% = 53.04). Mean value of total haploid
karyotype length was 152.74 µm. Value of r ranged from
1.06 to 1.78. The first ten chromosomes had r values ranging from
1.02 to 1.1, while this value varied from 1.30 to 1.78 for chro-
mosome pairs 11 and 12 (Tab. II). Significant differences were
Figures 1. Pinus heldreichii (1) and
P. nigra (2): CMA (a), Hoechst (b) and
DAPI (c) banding patterns.
Table II. Morphometric data for karyotypes of Pinus heldreichii and P. nigra.
P. heldreichii P. nigra
ChP l ± SD (µm) s ± SD (µm) TL ± SD (µm) r/t l ± SD (µm) s ± SD (µm) TL ± SD (µm) r/t
I 7.78 ± 0.35 7.15 ± 0.45 14.93 ± 0.74 1.09/m *6.63 ± 0.18 5.89 ± 0.29 12.53 ± 0.20 1.12/m
II 7.44 ± 0.45 *6.98 ± 0.43 14.33 ± 0.85 1.06/m 6.45 ± 0.19 5.59 ± 0.31 12.04 ± 0.35 1.15/m
III 7.33 ± 0.46 6.71 ± 0.44 14.05 ± 0.81 1.09/m 6.39 ± 0.21 *5.62 ± 0.61 12.02 ± 0.51 1.15/m
IV 7.16 ± 0.52 6.54 ± 0.43 13.70 ± 0.86 1.09/m 6.16 ± 0.20 *5.65 ± 0.28 11.81 ± 0.33 1.09/m
V 6.94 ± 0.46 *6.47 ± 0.47 13.41 ± 0.91 1.07/m *6.16 ± 0.17 5.43 ± 0.18 11.60 ± 0.32 1.13/m
VI 6.83 ± 0.42 *6.37 ± 0.45 13.21 ± 0.82 1.07/m 5.89 ± 0.30 5.48 ± 0.16 11.37 ± 0.40 1.07/m
VII 6.67 ± 0.37 *6.30 ± 0.41 12.97 ± 0.73 1.06/m *5.68 ± 0.26 5.18 ± 0.32 10.87 ± 0.57 1.09/m
VIII 6.60 ± 0.38 6.14 ± 0.42 12.75 ± 0.75 1.07/m 5.56 ± 0.22 5.13 ± 0.22 10.69 ± 0.62 1.08/m
IX 6.43 ± 0.40 *5.94 ± 0.40 12.38 ± 0.75 1.08/m 5.46 ± 0.34 *4.95 ± 0.25 10.42 ± 0.56 1.10/m
X 6.08 ± 0.40 5.51 ± 0.27 11.60 ± 0.60 1.10m/ 5.04 ± 0.16 4.61 ± 0.36 9.65 ± 0.51 1.09/m
XI 5.97 ± 0.30 4.34 ± 0.32 10.32 ± 0.54 1.38/m-sm 5.14 ± 0.14 3.87 ± 0.04 9.01 ± 0.17 1.32/m-sm
XII 5.72 ± 0.43 3.22 ± 0.31 8.94 ± 0.60 1.78/sm 4.70 ± 0.29 2.85 ± 0.29 7.55 ± 0.52 1.65/m-sm
THL (µm) 152.74 129.60
AsI (%)
R
53.04
1.66
53.48
1.66
ChP: chromosome pair; l: long arm; s: short arm; TL: total length of chromosome; r: ratio long/short arm; t: morphological type of chromosome; THL:
total length of haploid chromosome set; *: position of secondary constrictions; R: ratio of the longest and shortest chromosome pairs; SD: standard
deviation.

270 F. Bogunic et al.
not detected by ANOVA test among populations for mean
chromosome lengths. Secondary constrictions (SCs) were
located at five chromosome pairs: 2, 5, 6, 7 and 9 (Tab. II). The
highest values of total lengths of haploid chromosome sets
were observed for Sar-planina (153.60 µm) and Blidinje
(153.63 µm) samples (Tab. III).
Similar karyotype pattern is observed for P. nigra (Figs. 1
(2a) and 2B), but mean values of chromosome lengths were
lower than in P. heldreichii. Therefore, mean value of total
length of haploid chromosome set (THL) was only 129.60 µm
(Tab. II). Chromosome length values decreased continually
and gradually, from 12.53 to 7.55, and sharply decreased from
9th to 12th chromosome pair (Tab. II). Strong decreasing was
Table III. Comparison of some morphometric karyotype data
among studied populations of P. heldreichii.
HBRS
THL (µm) 152.41 153.63 151.30 153.60
ΣTLl (µm) 81.3 80.93 80.19 81.55
AsI% 53.34 52.67 53.00 53.09
R1.68 1.66 1.60 1.73
THL: Total length of haploid chromosome set; ΣTLl: total length of long
chromosome arms; AsI%: Asymmetric index; R: ratio of the longest and
shortest chromosomes lengths; H: Hranisava; B: Blidinje; R: Rujiste; S:
Sar-planina.
Figure 2. Idiograms of P. heldreichii (A) and P. nigra (B) showing CMA (lines), Hoechst (white), DAPI (black) banding patterns.

Differentiation of Pinus heldreichii and P. nigra 271
recorded between chromosome pair 11 and 12. Karyotype was
composed from ten metacentric and two smallest meta-submet-
acentric pairs. Karyotype was also very symmetric and homog-
enous (AsI% = 53.48) like in P. heldreichii. The r values of first
ten chromosome pairs ranged from 1.07 to 1.15, while chro-
mosome pairs 11 and 12 had r values 1.32 and 1.65, respec-
tively. Chromosome complement of black pine possessed 12
secondary constrictions which were located on chromosome
pairs: 1, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 9 (Tab. II).
3.2. Fluorochrome banding and silver staining
In P. held reichii CMA staining displayed 12 GC - rich bands.
Ten intercalary bands were located on short arms, while chro-
mosome pair 7 possessed also the centromeric band. Three
types of chromosomes could be distinguished in P. heldreichii
karyotype by CMA staining: chromosome pairs without any
CMA bands (1, 3, 4, 8, 10, 11 and 12), chromosome pairs with
intercalary bands (2, 5, 6 and 9) and one chromosome pair (7)
with both intercalary and centromeric bands (Figs. 1 (1a) and
2A). Sporadically, some individuals were characterized with
13th intercalary band on the short arm of chromosome pair 11.
Karyotype of P. nigra was characterized by more of CMA
bands (24 bands). In contrast to P. heldreichii, black pine pos-
sessed only three chromosome pairs that lacked bands (3, 6 and
9), 4 chromosome pairs with intercalary CMA bands (pairs 1,
4, 7 and 8), 2 with only centromeric bands (pairs 11 and 12)
and 3 pairs (2, 5 and 10) having both intercalary and centro-
meric bands (Figs. 1 (2a) and 2B).
In karyotype of P. heldreichii 26 Hoechst (Ho) bands were
registered mostly in centromere regions (Fig. 1 (1b)). Only pairs
5 and 10 had intercalary Ho bands on their long arms (Fig. 2A).
CMA bands appeared Ho negative.
As for CMA staining, P. nigra possessed more of Ho bands
(34) (Fig. 1 (2b)). Only three pairs (2, 8 and 12) lacked Ho sig-
nals. Most of signals were located in centromeric regions and
some were intercalary on one or both arms. Weak spot signals
were observed at centromeres of chromosome pair 10 (Fig. 2B).
All CMA bands appeared negative after Ho staining.
DAPI staining after DNA denaturation/renaturation
revealed many bands at the centromeric region in most chro-
mosomes of both species, and also many intercalary bands
(Fig. 1 (1c, 2c)). This staining produced more prominent band-
ing pattern for both pines. Numerous DAPI bands coincided
with CMA and Hoechst signals, but also additional DAPI sig-
nals were detected (Figs. 2A and 2B). According to the position
of DAPI bands (44 bands) four types of chromosomes can be
recognized for P. heldreichii: chromosome pairs with only cen-
tromeric band (pairs 4, 6, 10 and 11), chromosome pairs with
centromeric and intercalar bands on short arm (pairs 2, 7, and
8), chromosome pairs with centromeric and intercalar bands on
long arm (pairs 5, 9 and 12) and chromosome pairs with cen-
tromeric band and intercalar bands on both arms (pairs 1 and 3).
DAPI signals were observed at CMA positions of chromosome
pairs 2 and 7. Also, DAPI coincided with all Ho centromeric
signals and intercalary signals of chromosome pairs 5 and 12.
DAPI banding displayed the highest number of signals (58) in
karyotype of P. nigra. The number and position of mentioned
specific bands are presented on ideograms (Figs. 2A and 2B).
The nucleoli number of analyzed nuclei was different and
range from 2 (minimum number) to 10 (maximum number),
with five nucleoli per nuclei as the most frequent case in P. hel-
dreichii (Fig. 3). Maximum number of nucleoli for P. nigra was
12, minimum number was 2, and the most frequent nucleoli
number was 6 (Fig. 3).
4. DISCUSSION
Basic karyological features of P. heldreichii have already
been known [7, 43]. Authors reported the chromosome number,
Figure 3. The frequency of observed
nucleoli in P. heldreichii (gray) and
P. nigra (white) nuclei.

272 F. Bogunic et al.
details on chromosome morphology and the number of second-
ary constrictions (SCs): one chromosome pair bearing SCs was
observed, but the origin of plant material is unknown [43],
while karyotype from Calabria population showed three pairs
with SCs [7], The first morphometric data on P. heldreichii
karyotype is presented here. Chromosomes of P. heldreichii are
long, ranging from 8.93 to 14.93 µm, these values being the
highest within subsection Pinus [21].
Chromosomal reports on P. nigra are numerous [4, 5, 21, 30,
36, 41, 43]. Chromosome lengths (12.79–7.55 µm), much l ower
than those observed in P. heldreichii (14.93–8.94 µm), reflect
also obvious differences in genome size which was 45.5 pg and
50.01 pg respectively (Tab. IV) [2]. Values of r and AsI (%) for
both species are in concordance with the results obtained by
other authors [4, 21, 43] which emphasizes karyotype uniform-
ity found by conventional cytogenetical techniques. Discord-
ance in number and position of SCs is particularly obvious,
because of arm lengths and total chromosome lengths that are
nearly identical. Thus, inversion in the position of individual
chromosomes in karyotype may easily occur.
Despite the earlier mentioned facts certain relations can be
discussed only when same methods are applied. Hence, the two
species differ in mean values of chromosome lengths, number
and position of SCs as well as morphological types of chromo-
somes. Two smallest chromosome pairs of P. nigra and the last
chromosome pair of P. heldreichii belong to m-sm type
(Tab. IV).
In this study fluorescent-banding methods were used to
identify individual chromosomes and analyze interspecific
relationships. Thus, banding pattern displayed marked differ-
ences between the two species (Tab. IV), but also common fea-
tures with other Pinus species [23–25, 27] were evident.
Karyotype of black pine showed much more of CMA, Hoechst
and DAPI signals than P. heldreichii (Tab. IV). In spite of great
differences in the number of CMA bands (12 bands for P. hel-
dreichii and 24 for P. nigra) these two species possess some
common features: chromosomes having interstitial signals and
those having both interstitial and centromeric signals. Further,
chromosomes with both interstitial and centromeric signals are
found for species from subgenus Pinus, while it was not yet
recorded in subgenus Strobus [27], but the authors had analysed
only one species from soft pines group. Centromeric bands
were not observed using C-banding technique for Strobus
investigated pines either [36].
Both species have four chromosome pairs with only inter-
stitial CMA signals, but only one pair with both interstitial and
centromeric signals in P. heldreichii and three in P. nigra were
observed. Three pairs with interstitial signals have the same
positions in the complements (2, 5, 7). The second, fifth and
tenth pair of P. nigra possesses centromeric signals as well,
while P. heldreichii has CMA centromeric bands in pair 7. Two
smallest chromosome pairs of P. nigra have centromeric bands.
Present CMA banding pattern is very similar to previous results
for P. nigra var. maritima [23]. We found same number of
CMA bands (24), but some differences exist in band positions
and chromosome type. While six chromosome pairs with inter-
stitial signals were described in var. maritima [23], present
study showed one more chromosome pair with both interstitial
and proximal band in P. nigra subsp. nigra. However, intraspe-
cific variation in number and size of heterochromatic bands is
not rare case in plant karyotypes [18].
Recent study on pines pointed out the presence of centro-
meric CMA bands in two smallest chromosome pairs which
sequences have been used as PCSR (Proximal CMA-band spe-
cific repeats) probes in FISH experiment [28]. Proximal CMA
signals of pairs 11 and 12 are characteristic for most investi-
gated pines, especially for all species belonging to subsection
Pinus: P. densiflora Sieb. et Zucc. (both pairs), P. thunberghii
Franco (pair 12), P. luchuensis Mayr (pair 12), P. yunannensis
Franch (both pairs), P. tabuleformis Carr. (both pairs) [27]. The
correlation between PCSR and CMA signals was found at prox-
imal regions of chromosomes [28], but our results showed one
chromosome pair with both proximal and interstitial signal
more than in Black pine from Slovakia.
The source of these slight differences may be linked to dif-
ferent investigated taxa of black pine, thus supposing possible
karyotypic differentiation between geographical races within
species. Interindividual variation of CMA bands has already
been observed in P. nigra var. maritima [23] and P. densiflora
and P. thunberghii [25].
However, P. heldreichii is very interesting and unique
because it does not possess any proximal CMA signal at chro-
mosome pairs 11 and 12. In comparison to P. nigra, P. heldre-
ichii has half as much CMA signals (Tab. IV). An interesting
fact is also the number of chromosome pairs with both inter-
stitial and proximal signals. Evidently, Asian pines display in
general more CMA signals, higher number of chromosomes
having both interstitial and proximal signals and higher number
of long chromosomes with proximal signal [27]. Pinus heldre-
ichii and European black pine have more chromosomes with
interstitial signals.
The results of hybridization in situ of PCSR, telomere
repeats and rDNA in P. densiflora, P. sylvestris, P. thunberghii
and P. nigra showed that P. nigra is not so close to the other
three species [28]. To our knowledge P. heldreichii is pine with
the lowest number of CMA bands except of P. bungeana [27]
that belongs to subgenus Strobus. In P. heldreichii the number
of CMA signals (12) corresponded to numbers of SCs and
Table I V. Comparison of some cytogenetic characters of P. heldreichii and P. nigra.
T THL (µm) SC Nl CMA Ho DAPI 2C DNA (pg)
P. heldreichii 10 m, 1 m-sm, 1 sm 152.74 10 10 12 26 44 50.01
P. n ig ra 10 m, 2 m-sm 129.60 12 12 24 34 58 45.50
T: morphological type of chromosome; THL: total length of haploid chromosome set; SC: number of secondary constrictions; Nl: number of nucleoli;
CMA: number of CMA bands; Ho: number of Hoechst bands; DAPI: number of DAPI bands; 2C DNA: mean value of genome size (from [2]).

Differentiation of Pinus heldreichii and P. nigra 273
nucleoli. This confirms that all NORs could be active. Black
pine has the 6 chromosome pairs with a secondary constrictions
carried a NOR which corresponded to the 6 nucleoli in the most
observed nuclei and that was already reported [36], while 14
intercalary CMA signals were observed. Consequently, two
signals do not correspond to NORs.
Distribution of AT-specific regions in chromosomes
showed generally similar pattern for both species. Ho signals
were mostly observed at centromeric positions of P. heldreichii
karyotype except in chromosome pair 7 which possess CMA
centromeric signal, but DAPI confirmed weak spot signals also.
Centromeric position of Ho bands is confirmed for other con-
ifers, such as Cedrus spp. [6]. Authors confirmed positive CMA
signals that appeared Ho negative, and this pattern was also
found for Picea species [47]. These results are typical for plant
chromosomes after use of DAPI fluorochrome [46], and par-
ticularly for Pinus chromosomes [23, 25]. In our case DAPI was
applied after denaturation of DNA and in this way it detects
constitutive heterochromatin. All centromeric DAPI signals
coincided to Ho signals, but also signals corresponding to a new
DAPI positive heterochromatin in P. heldreichii karyotype
were detected. DAPI coincided with CMA signals at two chro-
mosome pairs (2 and 7). CMA-bands localized at the SCs usu-
ally contain 18S-5.8S-26S rRNA [22, 26]. CMA signals
appeared Ho negative except in chromosome pair 10 in P. nigra,
but in this case DAPI confirmed both CMA and Ho signals and
also displayed new regions of DAPI positive heterochromatin.
Intercalary DAPI signals, AT-rich, are specific for chromo-
somes of Pinus spp., too. So, numerous intercalar DAPI signals
corresponding to telomere repeat sequences were detected by
hybridization in situ [9, 28]. Unspecific DAPI heterochromatic
signals may be explained by possible alternation of AT- and
GC- rich repetitive DNA sequences, with a number of base rep-
etitions not sufficient to allow binding of specific fluorochrome
(5 AT and 3 GC are minimum motifs for Ho and CMA fluo-
rescence respectively, [17]). Hence, these signals are expressed
as DAPI positive heterochromatin. Always intensive interca-
lary DAPI band of chromosome pair 11 were located in long
arm for P. sylvestris, P. densiflora, P. thunberghii and P. nigra
[28], but P. heldreichii had it on a long arm of pair 12 (Fig. 2A).
Recent investigations of phylogenetic relationships of
Dyploxylon pines (subgenus Pinus), based on plastid sequence
data, include P. heldreichii into group of Mediterranean pines
(subsections Halepenses, Canarienses and Pineae) [35, 51].
Actually, it forms sister clade with Mediterranean pines.
According to the classical taxonomic schemes P. nigra is
regarded as the closest relative of P. heldreichii but incongru-
ence between taxonomic and phylogenetic systems is not rare.
Different classification schemes of species emerge as the result
of paucity of discrete characters, homoplasy of morphological
characters and their plesiomorphic nature in the genus Pinus
[35]. However, it has been showed that P. heldreichii had dif-
ferent terpen composition than P. nigra [38]. Seed protein anal-
ysis also supported P. heldreichii being more closely related to
Mediterranean pines than other members from subsection Syl-
vestres [45]. Probably, P. heldreichii and P. nigra shared common
evolutionary history, but diverged separately in circummedi-
terranean area. Our results provide additional corroboration
indicating high genomic differentiation between these two spe-
cies (Tab. IV). Concerning all these facts, subsectional replace-
ment of P. heldreichii into group of “Mediterranean pines”
seem to be natural and future investigations will be focused on
interspecific relationships with species from that group.
Acknowledgements: This study was partly supported by the funding
of Federal Ministry of Education and Science, Federation of Bosnia
and Herzegovina (No. 04-39-4013/03). The authors also thank Odile
Robin for technical support and Dr Dalibor Ballian for help in collec-
tion of samples.
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