Paracentromeric sequences on tomato chromosome 6 show homology to human satellite III and to the mammalian CENP-B binding box.

In order to isolate centromeric sequences from tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) chromosome 6, a large-scale RAPD screen was performed. Among 1500 polymorphic RAPD markers tested, 100 were identified as chromosome 6-specific, using a L. esculentum substitution line carrying chromosome 6 from L. pennellii. Fifty-seven of these markers proved to originate from L. pennellii, and of these, 13 were genetically mapped between the morphological markers yellow virescent (yv) and thiaminless (tl), which flank the centromere. These markers could be assigned to three genetic loci, with 11 of the markers mapping to a single locus. Further resolution of this cluster was achieved using radiation-induced deletions that removed yv or tl but not the centromere. Seven markers were shown to be located outside all of the deletions. These seven markers and three of the other markers of the cluster were cloned and sequenced. Five of the clones are present as single-copy or low-copy-number sequences and five represent middle repetitive sequences. Three sequences show homology to the mammalian CENP-B binding box; clone AG12 contains two of these boxes and also shows homology to human satellite III.