Analysis of OPT8511 RAPD fragments closely linked with cold sensitivity at seedling stage in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

OPT8(511) was confirmed to be strongly associated with cold sensitivity of rice by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis for the cold tolerance with 94 F2 population crossed with 'Dular' (cold sensitive cultivar) and 'Toyohatamochi' (cold resistant cultivar). A DNA marker from the RAPD fragment, OPT8(511), has been cloned with genomic DNA from rice cultivar ('Dular') and the nucleotide sequence has been determined. The nucleotide sequence revealed that the putative open reading frame was 511 base pairs and contained 169 amino acid residues. It is 79% and 57% identical to the rice cDNA (C26347) in DataBank at the nucleotide and amino acid sequence levels, respectively. The clone OPT8(511) specifically amplified a 511 bp band from the DNA of cold sensitive cultivars. Use of this marker could facilitate early selection of character associated with cold tolerance in rice.