Isolating individual wheat (Triticum aestivum) chromosome arms by flow cytometric analysis of ditelosomic lines

We are reporting the successful isolation of wheat chromosome arm 1DS by flow cytometry. A chromosome suspension was prepared for the 1DS ditelosomic line and the normal 'Chinese Spring' (CS) by chopping 2-day-old root tip meristems, synchronized by hydroxyurea, in HEPES-magnesium sulfate buffer containing propidium iodide. Chromosomes were analyzed and sorted with a FAGS Vantage flow cytometer and cell sorter. An extra peak was observed in the flow karyotype of the ditelosomic line that was absent in 'CS'. The estimated size of chromosomes from the extra peak matched with the expected size of chromosome 1DS. Chromosomes from the putative 1DS peak were analyzed by both fluorescent microscopy and N-banding analysis. A total of 571 chromosomes from two separate experiments were analyzed, and all were observed to be telosomics except for 2 which were broken. About 82% of these telosomics showed the diagnostic N-band of 1DS, the remaining were unbanded and are probably also 1DS. This strategy can also be used to sort other wheat arms.