SPELT1 - A NOVEL FAMILY OF TANDEMLY REPEA TED DNA IN CEREALS

A novel family of tandemly repeated DNA in the cereal genome, ''Spelt1 ,'' was isolated acid described. This family accounts for about 2% of the DNA of Aegilops speltoides, one of the putative donors of B genome of hexaploid wheat, Genomes of fifteen other cereal species studied, including those with AB, AG, and ABD genome formulas, contain signific antly lower amounts of Spelt1 repeats. RFLP analysis revealed three di fferent types of Spelt1 sequence organization in the wheat and aegilop s genomes studied. Data indicating that Spelt 1 is a specific marker o f Ae. speltoides-chromosomes are presented.