Transfer of wild abortive cytoplasmic male sterility through protoplast fusion in rice

Wild abortive cytoplasmic male sterility has been extensively used in hybrid seed production in the tropics. Using protoplast fusion between cytoplasmic male sterile and fertile maintainer lines; we report here, transfer of wild abortive cytoplasmic male sterility to the nuclear background of RCPL1-2C, an advance breeding line which also served as maintainer of this cytoplasm. In total, 27 putative cybrids between V20A and RCPL1-2C and 23 lines between V20A and V20B were recovered and all of them were sterile. DNA blots prepared from the mitochondrial DNA of the cybrid lines from both the sets were probed with orf155 that is known to exhibit polymorphism between the mitochondrial DNA of the male-sterile and fertile maintainer lines. Hybridization of orf155 to 1.3 kb HindIII-digested mitochondrial DNA fragment of the cybrids showed transfer of mitochondrial DNA from wild abortive cytoplasmic male-sterile line to the maintainers, viz. RCPL 1-2C and V20B. Expression of male sterility was confirmed by the presence of sterile pollen grains and the lack of seed setting due to selfing in all the cybrid lines. These cybrids, on crossing with respective fertile maintainers set seeds that in turn, produced sterile BC1 plants. DNA blots from HindIII-digested mitochondrial DNA of these BC1 plants when probed with orf155 again exhibited localization of orf155 in wild abortive cytoplasm-specific 1.3 kb HindIII-digested mitochondrial DNA fragments. This demonstrated that the cytoplasmic male sterility transferred through protoplast fusion retained intact female fertility and was inherited and expressed in BC1 plants. Fusion-derived CMS lines, on pollination with pollen grains from restorer, showed restoration of fertility in all the lines. The results demonstrate that protoplasts fusion can be used for transferring maternally inherited traits like cytoplasmic male sterility to the desired nuclear background which can, in turn, be used in hybrid seed production programme of rice in the tropical world.     

Molecular basis of cytoplasmic male sterility and fertility restoration in rice

Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is a maternally inherited trait that causes dysfunctions in pollen and anther development. CMS is caused by the interaction between nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. A product of a CMS-causing gene encoded by the mitochondrial genome affects mitochondrial function and the regulation of nuclear genes, leading to male sterility. In contrast, the RESTORER OF FERTILITY gene (Rf gene) in the nuclear genome suppresses the expression of the CMS-causing gene and restores male fertility. An alloplasmic CMS line is often bred as a result of nuclear substitution, which causes the removal of functional Rf genes and allows the expression of a CMS-causing gene in mitochondria. The CMS/Rf system is an excellent model for understanding the genetic interactions and cooperative functions of mitochondrial and nuclear genomes in plants, and is also an agronomically important trait for hybrid seed production. In this review article, pollen and anther phenotypes of CMS, CMS-associated mitochondrial genes, Rf genes, and the mechanism that causes pollen abortion and its agronomical application for rice are described.     

Genic markers for wild abortive (WA) cytoplasm based male sterility and its fertility restoration in rice

Commercial exploitation of heterosis is essential for enhancing productivity of rice. The use of cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) and fertility restoration system greatly facilitates large scale production of hybrid seed. The wild abortive (WA) cytoplasm is most widely used for hybrid seed production in rice. The present study was undertaken to develop molecular markers for both WA cytoplasm based male sterility and its fertility restoration for use in efficient hybrid breeding. High degree of genetic differentiation of WA-cytoplasm from its normal fertile counterpart was observed due to DNA rearrangements involving five (coxI, coxIII, cob, atp6 and rps3) mitochondrial genes. Cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) markers based on five mitochondrial genes namely, coxIII, cob, atp9, rps3 and 18SrRNA polymorphic between CMS and maintainer line were developed. The utility of these informative markers was demonstrated in purity testing of the CMS line Pusa6A being used in commercial hybrid seed production. Fertility restoration was found to be controlled by a major locus in the Basmati restorer line PRR78, which was mapped to a short marker interval of 0.8 cM and a physical interval of 163.6 kb on rice chromosome 10. A total of 13 pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) motif containing genes were predicted in a 1.66 Mb region on the long-arm of this chromosome of which, four were present in the marker interval containing the fertility restorer gene. High degree of conservation of gene order was observed between japonica and indica for the predicted PPR genes. A sequence tagged site (STS) and a genic non-coding microsatellite (GNMS) marker were designed based on one of the candidate PPR motif containing genes present in the marker interval, which were validated using F₂ population and other known restorer lines. The candidate gene based marker identified in the present study would be useful in marker assisted selection (MAS) for fertility restorer gene in hybrid breeding programme based on WA-CMS of rice.     

Comparative analysis of fertility restoration genes for WA,Y, and DA cytoplasmic male sterility in rice

Rice chromosome single segment substitution line (SSSL) W23-19-06-06-11 with the genotype Rf3Rf3/Rf4Rf4, a strong restorer line for wild-abortive (WA) cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS), was recently identified from the SSSL library. To investigate the genetic mode of Rf genes and the genetic relationship among WA, yegong (Y), and dwarf-wildabortive (DA) CMS systems, the plants derived from three BC3F2 populations involving W23-19-06-06-11 and the three CMS lines, that carried the Rf3Rf3/Rf4Rf4, Rf3Rf3/rf4rf4, and rf3rf3/Rf4Rf4 genotypes and WA-, Y-, and DA-CMS cytoplasm, were selected and their pollen and spikelet fertility were evaluated. The results show that the genetic effect displayed a trend of Y-CMS > WA-CMS > DA-CMS in the genetic background of W23-19-06-06-11, the effect of Rf4 appeared to be slightly larger than that of Rf3, and their effects were additive for the three CMS systems. Two pairs of dominant genes governed the fertility restoration in pollen and spikelet in the W23-19-06-06-11 which indicates that the genetic mode of the Rf genes was a qualitative character for the three CMS systems.     

植物细胞质雄性不育及育性恢复研究进展

植物细胞质雄性不育是一种广泛存在于高等植物中的母性遗传性状。细胞质雄性不育不仅为研究核质互作提供了良好材料,同时也是植物杂种优势利用的重要基础,其分子机理是目前研究的重点。多种研究证据表明,线粒体基因与细胞质雄性不育密切相关。随着分子生物学和分子遗传学的不断发展,许多植物的恢复基因已经被定位和克隆,进一步阐明了植物细胞质雄性不育和育性恢复的分子机理。本文综述了近几年植物中细胞质雄性不育和育性恢复相关基因的研究进展,并探讨了细胞质雄性不育/育性恢复系统在育种方面的应用。     

植物细胞质雄性不育及其育性恢复的分子基础

植物细胞质雄性不育是广泛存在于高等植物中的现象, 其表现为母性遗传、花粉败育, 但雌蕊正常。细胞质雄性不育在杂交种子生产中起着重要作用, 研究其分子作用机制有利于更有效地利用细胞质雄性不育。随着一些不育基因和恢复基因相继被克隆, 人们对一些细胞质雄性不育和恢复系统的分子作用机理已经有一定了解。本文综述了近年来对植物细胞质雄性不育基因和恢复基因作用机理研究的进展。     

Genetics of fertility restoration in the C-group of cytoplasmic male sterility in maize

The genetics of fertility restoration of cms-C group cytoplasm of maize was studied using crosses involving stable maintainer lines and lines that restored full pollen fertility. Pollen fertility in the sources of cms-C sterile cytoplasms studied was restored by a single dominant restorer (Rf4) gene. The fertility restoration was sporophytic. Allelism tests among five restorer lines showed that they all apparently carried the same alleles (Rf4 Rf4). Similar tests also demonstrated that seven nonrestoring maintainer lines had apparently the same genotype (rf4 rf4), although a partial "late break" of fertility was observed at low levels in some maintainer crosses. Comparative studies among different cms-C sources (C, Bb, ES, PR and RB) indicated that similar inheritance of fertility restoration was involved. The data indicated that a single, dominant Rf gene is involved in the restoration of several C-group cytoplasms, at least in the lines studied here. This is the first single-gene, sporophytic restorer system described in maize to date.     

植物胞质雄性不育及育性恢复的分子机制研究进展(综述)

本文从与雄性不育有关的线粒体基因引起雄性不育的机理、雄性不育育性恢复机制以及育性恢复基因的克隆等方面,介绍国内外对植物细胞质雄性不育分子机理的研究进展,并对今后的研究进行讨论。     

高等植物胞质雄性不育及育性恢复的分子生物学研究进展

综述了几种植物胞质雄性不育的分子机理研究进展,着重介绍了与细胞质雄性不育相关的线粒体连锁位点的分析及育性恢复的几种假说,并对今后的研究进行了讨论。     

QTL involved in the partial restoration of male fertility of C-type cytoplasmic male sterility in maize

Partial restoration of male fertility limits the use of C-type cytoplasmic male sterility (C-CMS) for the production of hybrid seeds in maize. Nevertheless, the genetic basis of the trait is still unknown. Therefore, the aim to this study was to identify genomic regions that govern partial restoration by means of a QTL analysis carried out in an F₂ population (n = 180). This population was derived from the Corn Belt inbred lines B37C and K55. F₂BC₁ progenies were phenotyped at three locations in Switzerland. Male fertility was rated according to the quality and number of anthers as well as the anthesis-silking interval. A weak effect of environment on the expression of partial restoration was reflected by high heritabilities of all fertility-related traits. Partial restoration was inherited like an oligogenic trait. Three major QTL regions were found consistently across environments in the chromosomal bins 2.09, 3.06 and 7.03. Therefore, a marker-assisted counter-selection of partial restoration is promising. Minor QTL regions were found on chromosomes 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8. A combination of partial restorer alleles at different QTL can lead to full restoration of fertility. The maternal parent was clearly involved in the partial restoration, because the restorer alleles at QTL in bins 2.09, 6.04 and 7.03 originated from B37. The three major QTL regions collocated with other restorer genes of maize, a phenomenon, which seems to be typical for restorer genes. Therefore, a study of the clusters of restorer genes in maize could lead to a better understanding of their evolution and function. In this respect, the long arm of chromosome 2 is particularly interesting, because it harbors restorer genes for the three major CMS systems (C, T and S) of maize.     

AFLP and PCR-based markers linked to Rf3, a fertility restorer gene for S cytoplasmic male sterility in maize

The Rf3 gene restores the pollen fertility disturbed by S male sterile cytoplasm. In order to develop molecular markers tightly linked to Rf3, we used amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) technique with near isogenic lines (NILs) and bulk segregant analysis (BSA). A BC₁F₁ population from a pair of NILs with different Rf3 locus was constructed and 528 primer combinations was screened. A linkage map was constructed around the Rf3 locus, which was mapped on the distal region of chromosome 2 long arm with the help of SSR marker UMC2184. The closest marker E7P6 was 0.9 cM away from Rf3. Marker E3P1, 2.4 cM from Rf3, and E12M7, 1.8 cM from Rf3, were converted into a codominant CAPS and a dominant SCAR marker, and designated as CAPSE3P1 and SCARE12M7, respectively. These markers are useful for marker-assisted selection and map-based cloning of the Rf3 gene.     

The fertility restorer gene, Rf2, for Lead Rice-type cytoplasmic male sterility of rice encodes a mitochondrial glycine-rich protein

Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is associated with a mitochondrial mutation that causes an inability to produce fertile pollen. The fertility of CMS plants is restored in the presence of a nuclear-encoded fertility restorer (Rf) gene. In Lead Rice-type CMS, discovered in the indica variety 'Lead Rice', fertility of the CMS plant is restored by the single nuclear-encoded gene Rf2 in a gametophytic manner. We performed map-based cloning of Rf2, and proved that it encodes a protein consisting of 152 amino acids with a glycine-rich domain. Expression of Rf2 mRNA was detected in developing and mature anthers. An RF2-GFP fusion was shown to be targeted to mitochondria. Replacement of isoleucine by threonine at amino acid 78 of the RF2 protein was considered to be the cause of functional loss in the rf2 allele. As Rf2 does not encode a pentatricopeptide repeat protein, unlike a majority of previously identified Rf genes, the data from this study provide new insights into the mechanism for restoring fertility in CMS.     

玉米CMS-C同质异核不育系育性恢复的遗传研究

玉米是最早利用细胞质雄性不育系生产杂交种的作物之一,C型细胞质雄性不育系（C-type cytoplasmic male sterile, CMS-C）在杂交种生产中具有重要的作用,育性恢复的稳定性直接影响其应用价值。然而,玉米CMS-C的育性恢复机理复杂,且至今仍不明确。为进一步探究玉米CMS-C育性恢复的影响因素,本研究以玉米CMS-C同质异核不育系C48-2、C黄早四和C478为母本,分别与测验系18白、自330、5022以及恢复系A619组配杂交获得F₁。其中育性恢复F₁通过自交获得F₂,并以育性恢复F₁为父本分别给育性保持F₁授粉,组配双交群体,共获得4个F₂群体,6个双交群体。同时以不育系C48-2、C黄早四和C478为母本,各自的保持系48-2、黄早四和478为父本杂交组配不完全双列杂交F₁。将所有杂交组合的F₁、F₂以及双交组合群体分别在不同年份不同地点种植观察,通过植株田间育性调查并结合室内花粉镜检鉴定育性表现。结果表明：1) 同一测验系对玉米CMS-C同质异核不育系的恢保关系不同,暗示不育系的核背景参与调控育性恢复表现;2) 在不同年份不同地点对(C48-2×A619) F₂群体进行种植观察,发现不同环境下F₂群体可育株与不育株的分离比均符合15∶1,但在云南种植的可育株的育性级别主要为Ⅲ和Ⅳ级,而在四川种植的可育株的育性级别主要为Ⅴ级,表明环境对恢复系A619恢复后代的育性表现有影响;3) 通过恢保关系测定发现18白不能恢复C478,48-2也不能恢复C478,但双交群体[(C478×18白) F_1S×(C48-2×18白) F_1F]后代却出现了可育株与不育株的分离;同理,双交群体[(C48-2×自330) F_1S×(C478×自330) F_1F]的后代也出现了可育株与不育株的分离。因此,本文推测C48-2、C478核背景中存在微效恢复基因,这些微效基因与18白、自330中的微效恢复基因通过杂交聚合后能使C478、C48-2的育性恢复,暗示玉米CMS-C的育性恢复呈现一定的剂量效应。这些结果为进一步认识玉米CMS-C育性恢复的复杂性和多样性奠定了基础,为深入研究玉米CMS-C育性恢复机理以及加快CMS-C在不育化制种中的应用提供重要参考。     

Inheritance and fine mapping of fertility restoration for cytoplasmic male sterility in Gossypium hirsutum L

Genetics of CMS fertility restoration was presented through the analysis of classic genetics and molecular markers. Based on F(2) segregation of the crosses between CMS and the restoring lines, the testcrosses and F(1) x F(1) populations, together with RAPD and SSR mapping, one dominant gene was identified to control the CMS fertility restoration in cotton. The strategy of genotype representation analysis (GRA) was put forward to screen the markers linked with the Rf(1) locus. Using 1,025 random decamer primers and 282 pairs of SSR primers, two RAPD and three SSR markers were identified to be closely linked to the Rf(1) gene. Among the five markers, three were co-dominantly inherited. Additionally, based on the analysis of monosomic and telesomic lines with one SSR maker, the Rf(1) locus could be located on the long arm of chromosome 4. The molecular markers available here are helpful in the development of the elite restoring lines in cotton by marker-assisted selection.     

Influencing of the cytoplasmic male sterility and fertility in beets

Attempts have been made to find a method to control the male sterility-male fertility balance in beets. It proved not possible to induce male sterility in O-types by means of grafting. Nor was transmission by infection with aphids or by rubbing with juice successful. In some cases exposure of germinated seed of plasmatic male sterile annual beet material to temperatures of up to 55°C resulted in the occurrence of male fertile plants. The accompanying change could not be uniformly explained from the propagation obtained. It is possible that S-plasm has changed into N-plasm. Further investigations are in progress.     

Molecular mapping of the fertility restorer gene for ms-CW-type cytoplasmic male sterility of rice

Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) of rice (Oryza sativa L.) was first reported using the cytoplasm of a Chinese wild rice, Oryza rufipogon Griff. strain W1. However, it was not possible to characterize this ms-CW-type CMS in more detail until a restorer line had been developed due to the lack of restorer genes among cultivars thus far tested. The breeding of a restorer line (W1-R) was eventually achieved by transferring the restorer gene(s) of W1 to a cultivar. We report here the characterization of the ms-CW pollen grains and mapping of the restorer gene for ms-CW-type CMS. Pollen grains of the male-sterile plants appeared to be normal and viable based on the fluorochromatic reaction test, but they did not germinate on normal stigmas. The 1:1 segregation of fertile and sterile plants in a BC₁F₁ population from a cross between W1-R and a maintainer line demonstrated that fertility restoration is controlled by a single gene. The fertile seed set of all the F₂ plants examined indicated that the fertility restoration functions gametophytically. We designated the fertility restorer gene Rfcw. Using cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) and simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, we localized Rfcw to chromosome 4 with a genetic distance of 0.6 cM from the nearest SSR marker.     

Linkage analysis between the partial restoration (pr) and the restorer-of-fertility (Rf) loci in pepper cytoplasmic male sterility

Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) in chili pepper is restored by one major dominant nuclear gene, restorer-of-fertility (Rf), together with some modifier genes and is also affected by temperature. As a result, male fertility was identified as having several phenotypes. That identified and used in the present study allowed partial restoration of fertility, producing plants that simultaneously produce normal and aborted pollen grains, with most grains stuck to the anther wall, even after dehiscence, resulting in low seed set per fruit. The trait was visible only in the presence of Paterson's sterile cytoplasm and was controlled by a recessive nuclear gene, partial restoration (pr). A CAPS marker, PR-CAPS, closely linked to the trait, has been developed by Lee et al. (2008). In this study, linkage analysis was performed in 205 F(2) individuals derived from the 'Buja' Korean commercial F(1) chili pepper variety using the PR-CAPS marker and the three Rf-linked markers (OPP13-CAPS, AFRF8-CAPS, and CRF-SCAR) previously reported. Consequently, we found that these four markers were tightly linked. This result means that the pr gene might be tightly linked to the Rf locus or the third allele of Rf locus. The sequence diversity of the pr- and Rf-linked markers was also analyzed. The internal sequences of OPP13-CAPS (1,180 bp) and PR-CAPS (640 bp) markers in 91 Korean inbred lines were clearly divided into three haplotypes. According to the sequencing results, a new PR-CAPS (MseI or SphI digestion) marker was designed to distinguish the three haplotypes. This marker will be useful for marker-assisted selection to develop new maintainers and restorers in commercial hybrid pepper breeding using CMS.     

Mitochondrial DNA modifications associated with cytoplasmic male sterility in rice

Summary Mitochondrial DNA was isolated from fertile and cytoplasmic male sterile lines of rice. Restriction analysis showed specific modifications in the male sterile cytoplasm. In addition to the major mitochondrial DNA, three small plasmid-like DNA molecules were detected by agarose gel electrophoresis in both cytoplasms. An additional molecule was specifically found in the sterile cytoplasm. These mitochondrial DNA modifications support the hypothesis of the mitochondrial inheritance of the cytoplasmic male sterility in rice.     

Cytoplasmic male sterility and restoration of pollen fertility in higher plants

The review deals with cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) in higher plants: impairment of the pollen formation resulting from interaction of the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. The information on the known nuclear restorer-of-fertility genes and their effects on the expression of CMS-associated mitochondrial loci are considered. Heteroplasmy of mtDNA in plants and its potential association with CMS inheritance, as well as possible mechanisms of the observed direct and reverse association between altered expression of the CMS-inducing mitochondrial genome, metabolic defects, and pollen sterility are discussed.