IMMUNOSTAINING AND INTERPHASE ARRANGEMENT OF FIELD BEAN KINETOCHORES

More than 100 sera from patients with scleroderma CREST (calcinosis, R aynaud phenomenon, esophageal dismotility, sclerodactyly, telangiectas ia) were tested in order to detect antigenic nuclear components of the field bean Vicia faba (2n = 12). Kinetochores of mitotic chromosomes and prekinetochores of interphase cells from root-tip meristems were s pecifically labelled via an indirect immunofluorescence procedure by a ntibodies of one of these sera. In 44% of interphase nuclei in which c entromeres could be identified, only half (6) of the number of expecte d prekinetochores (12) was detected, circumstantially indicating at le ast transient association of homologous centromeres. Some nuclei showe d clustering of centromeres at one pole (Rabl configuration). In metap hase chromosomes, each sister kinetochore contained a fluorescent spot . Western blotting of field bean nuclear proteins revealed four antige nic proteins of 28, 30, 64 and 68 kDa.