User:Wallaceb2023/B chromosome

In plants
B-chromosomes are a significant reflection of genetic diversity between varying plant species.1 These supernumerary chromosomes are commonly observed in angiosperms, specifically the flowering plants bred through outcrossing.1

The obscure development of B-chromosomes is supported by the irregularity of their appearances in specific species populations. The number of B-chromosomes copied between cells within individual members of a plant population fluctuates.2 For example, the sister species Aegilops speltoides and Aegilops mutica possess copies of B-chromosomes within their aerial tissues, while their roots exhibit an absence of these supernumerary chromosomes.2

The morphological structure and size of B-chromosomes is different from normally-occurring chromosomes in both plants and mammals.2 Most often in plants, B-chromosomes are notably “non-homologous and smaller than the smallest A-chromosome” (Douglas 2017 p14)

References


 * 1) Houben, A., Banaei-Moghaddam, A.M., Klemme, S. (2013). Biology and Evolution of B Chromosomes. In: Greilhuber, J., Dolezel, J., Wendel, J. (eds) Plant Genome Diversity Volume 2. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-1160-4_10
 * 2) Douglas, R.N., Birchler, J.A. (2017). B Chromosomes. In: Bhat, T., Wani, A. (eds) Chromosome Structure and Aberrations. Springer, New Delhi. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-3673-3_2