ASSESSMENT OF A SPECIES-SPECIFIC ELEMENT (BREP-1) IN BANANA

The nuclear genome of wild-type banana accessions was investigated for repetitive elements. We report here the occurrence, in the banana gen ome, of a sequence family of species-specific repetitive elements: Bre p 1. This sequence family is distributed throughout the Musaceae with various copy numbers. The two species Musa acuminata and M. schizocarp a carry the highest copy numbers in contrast to M. balbisiana and test ed representatives of different other sections. PCR primers were defin ed in the core consensus sequence for specific amplifications, which a llow representatives of this sequence family to be easily detected in wild and cultivated banana clones. Sequence data were analysed and hyp otheses on the evolution of banana cultivars from the wild-type banana clones are discussed.