Cloned sequences of three retrotransposons of rice, Tos1-1, Tos2-1 and
Tos3-1, were used as molecular genetic markers to distinguish the cul
tivars of Asian and African rice, Oryza sativa and Oryza glaberrima. D
NAs of six cultivars each of Indica and Japonica types of O. sativa we
re analyzed after digestion with four different restriction enzymes. I
ndica cultivars could be distinguished from each other by any of three
types of one probe-one restriction enzyme combination. Although the h
ybridization patterns were similar among Japonica cultivars, these cul
tivars could be distinguished from each other by one type of one probe
-one enzyme combination. Five cultivars of O. glaberrima examined were
also distinguished from each other by using one probe-one enzyme comb
ination. The results shown here indicate that retrotransposon-mediated
fingerprinting is an efficient method to distinguish or identify the
cultivars of rice. Retrotransposon-mediated fingerprinting should beco
me a general method, because retrotransposons are ubiquitous in plant
species and retrotransposon probes can easily be obtained from any pla
nt species.