Cytoplasmic effects on DNA methylation between male sterile lines and the maintainer in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Male sterile cytoplasm plays an important role in hybrid wheat, and three-line system including male sterile (A line), its maintainer (B line) and restoring (R line) has played a major role in wheat hybrid production. It is well known that DNA methylation plays an important role in gene expression regulation during biological development in wheat. However, no reports are available on DNA methylation affected by different male sterile cytoplasms in hybrid wheat. We employed a methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism technique to characterize nuclear DNA methylation in three male sterile cytoplasms. A and B lines share the same nucleus, but have different cytoplasms which is male sterile for the A and fertile for the B. The results revealed a relationship of DNA methylation at these sites specifically with male sterile cytoplasms, as well as male sterility, since the only difference between the A lines and B line was the cytoplasm. The DNA methylation was markedly affected by male sterile cytoplasms. K-type cytoplasm affected the methylation to a much greater degree than T-type and S-type cytoplasms, as indicated by the ratio of methylated sites, ratio of fully methylated sites, and polymorphism between A lines and B line for these cytoplasms. The genetic distance between the cytoplasm and nucleus for the K-type is much greater than for the T- and S-types because the former is between Aegilops genus and Triticum genus and the latter is within Triticum genus between Triticum spelta and Triticum timopheevii species. Thus, this difference in genetic distance may be responsible for the variation in methylation that we observed.     

Two new types of cytoplasmic male sterility found in wild Beta beets

Summary Mitochondrial (mt) and chloroplast (ct) DNAs from sugar beet carrying normal fertile and different cytoplasmic male sterile (cms) cytoplasms were compared by restriction analysis and for the occurrence of minicircles. One of the cms materials had the Owen cms cytoplasm currently used for hybrid production in sugar beet; the other three cms materials were derived from wild Beta beets. The mtDNAs from two of the latter cms types (C 7051, C 8640) differed from both the Owen and the fertile cytoplasms in fragment patterns seen after restriction enzyme analysis and in minicircle composition. The third cms type (C 8684) differed from the Owen cytoplasm in mini-circle composition, but restriction enzyme analysis revealed no differences. The presence of the different minicircles was confirmed by Southern hybridization using minicircle-specific clones. All bands hybridized as predicted by gel electrophoresis except a band in the cms type C 8640, which migrated in a similar manner as the c.c.c. form of the a minicircle. This band hybridized only faintly to a minicircle a-specific probe and could be removed by treatment with nuclease S1. In contrast to the large mtDNA variation, restriction analysis of ctDNA detected little variation between cytoplasms. The molecular characterization of the new sources of cms supports the results of previous crossings. Two of the cytoplasms are not only of independent origin, but are also most likely functionally different and thus may be of value in future production of hybrid sugar beet varieties.     

Cytoplasmic male sterility inBeta is associated with structural rearrangements of the mitochondrial DNA and is not due to interspecific organelle transfer

Summary Chloroplast (ct) and mitochondrial (mt) DNAs from four cytoplasmic male sterile (cms) and 22 normal fertile sugar beet lines and accessions of wild beets from the genusBeta have been compared with restriction analyses and Southern hybridizations. We have used restriction analyses of ctDNA as a phylogenetic marker to confirm the taxonomic relationships between the different cytoplasms. According to the ctDNA data, all four cms cytoplasms belong to the same taxonomic section,Beta. Restriction patterns of ct and mtDNA from fertile accessions produced analogous trees of similarity and showed a close correlation between the organellar DNA diversity and the accepted taxonomic classification of the species studied. However, the mtDNA restriction profiles of the four cms types differed dramatically from each other and from those of all fertile accessions from the genus. No indication of cytoplasmic introgression was found in any of the four investigated cms types. Southern hybridization to mtDNA revealed variant genomic arrangements in the different fertile and cms cytoplasms, indicating that rearrangement of the mitochondrial genome is a common denominator to the different cms systems inBeta. It may, indeed, be a common property to spontaneously occurring cms in all or most species.     

DNA methylation affected by male sterile cytoplasm in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Male sterile cytoplasm plays an important role in hybrid rice, and cytoplasmic effects are sufficiently documented. However, no reports are available on DNA methylation affected by male sterile cytoplasm in hybrid rice. We used a methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism technique to characterize DNA methylation in four male sterile cytoplasms that are widely commercialized in China. In total, 12 pairs of selective primers in combinations of EcoRI and MspI/HpaII amplified 350 bands among four male sterile (A) lines and the corresponding maintainer (B) lines. Sites b1 and b3 were fully methylated only in all the B lines, while b2 was fully methylated only in all the A lines. These results implied a relationship of DNA methylation at these sites specifically with male sterile cytoplasms, as well as male sterility, since the only difference between the A and B lines was the cytoplasm. The DNA methylation was markedly affected by male sterile cytoplasms. WA-type and Yinshui-type cytoplasms affected the methylation to a much greater degree than G-type and D-type cytoplasms, as indicated by the number and degree of methylated sites, ratio of methylated sites, number of fully methylated sites, ratio of fully methylated sites, and polymorphism between A and B lines for these cytoplasms. The genetic distance between the cytoplasm and nucleus for the WA-type is much greater than for G- and D-types because the former is between wild and cultivated species and the latter is within indica subspecies between African and Asian cultivars. This difference in genetic distance may be responsible for the variation in methylation which we observed.     

用线粒体DNA鉴定玉米雄性不育细胞质的研究

参照Kemble法,通过分析玉米线粒体DNA,鉴定出我国生产上应用的玉米双型和唐徐型雄性不育细胞质属于S组。近年新获得的不育类型Y型属于T组,为玉米种子生产合理应用雄性不育细胞质提供了可靠依据,并对鉴别玉米雄性不育细胞质的方法进行了讨论。     

DNA polymorphism in Allium cepa cytoplasms and its implications concerning the origin of onions

Summary Mitochondrial and chloroplast DNA was isolated from fertile and cytoplasmic male sterile cultivars of cultivated onions. Restriction fragment length polymorphism led to the distinction between cytoplasms S and M. Mitochondrial DNA patterns from S cytoplasms appeared dentical and characterized mostly male sterile lines. An open-pollinated variety was found to bear this cytoplasm and thought to be the origin of S types. Mitochondrial DNA patterns from M cytoplasms were subdivided into four types, M₁ and M₂ corresponding to normal N cytoplasm, M₃ and M₄ probably corresponding to T cytoplasms. S and M cytoplasms were also distinguished by chloroplast DNA restriction patterns. Our results confirm previous genetic distinction between S, N and T cytoplasms.     

粘类非1BL/1RS小麦CMS基因定向选择及其育性特性的研究

对携有不同不育基因的4个粘类小麦雄性不育系进行了定向选择与鉴定,并对其育性特性进行研究,以选育更具应用价值的粘类非1BL/1RS小麦雄性不育系,推动三系杂交小麦的实际应用.结果表明:(1)根尖体细胞随体鉴定和A-PAGE技术分析筛选出的SP4、莫迦小麦为非1BL/1RS类型,其它供试不育系均属于1BL/1RS类型;(2)减数分裂及成熟花粉粒形态观察,粘类非1BL/1RS小麦雄性不育系其不育性是在整个配子发育过程中连续产生的,且在B型不育细胞质背景下,SP4和莫迦小麦的花粉细胞学形态与在K、Ven型2种不育细胞质背景下的不同,B型不育细胞质背景下SP4和莫迦不育系的花粉萌发率比K、Ven型不育细胞质背景下的花粉萌发率高;(3)以不同来源不育基因培育成的粘类K、Ven型非1BL/1RS不育系育性恢复性测定发现,SP4、莫迦小麦2种雄性不育系育性恢复性有一定差异,莫迦小麦不育类型育性恢复性高于SP4.     

Localization and organization of tRNA genes on the mitochondrial genomes of fertile and male sterile lines of maize

Summary Maize mitochondrial (mt) tRNA genes were localized on the mt master circles of two fertile lines (WF9-N and B37-N) and of one cytoplasmic male sterile line (B37-cmsT) of maize. The three genomes contain 16 tRNA genes with 14 different anticodons which correspond to 13 amino acids. Out of these 16 tRNA genes, 6 show a high degree of homology with the corresponding chloroplast (cp) tRNA genes and were shown to originate from cp DNA insertions and to be expressed in the mitochondria. The organization of the mt tRNA genes in both fertile lines is similar. The same genes are found, in the same environment, as judged from the restriction maps, in fertile and male sterile lines that have the same nuclear background, but the relative organization of the mt tRNA genes on the master circle is completely different.     

Basic studies on hybrid wheat breeding

Summary The nuclei of 12 common wheats (genome constitution AABBDD) were placed into the cytoplasms of Aegilops kotschyi and Ae. variabilis (both C^uC^uS^vS^v) by repeated backcrosses. Using these nucleus-cytoplasm hybrids, male sterility-fertility restoration relationship was investigated. Male sterility was expressed by these cytoplasms only in Slm, Splt and Mch. The other nine common wheat nuclei gave normal fertility against these cytoplasms. These cytoplasms were compared with the Triticum timopheevi cytoplasm that is now widely used in the hybrid wheat breeding program in order to investigate their effects on important agronomic traits of the 12 common wheats: The kotschyi and variabilis cytoplasms were as good as the timopheevi cytoplasm in this respect.The F₁ hybrid between (kotschyi)- or (variabilis)-Splt and CS showed normal fertility. Segregation of the fertiles and steriles in their F₂ generations followed the simple Mendelian fashion, i.e., 3 fertile1 sterile. Thus, the fertility restoration in this case is mainly controlled by a single dominant gene which will be designated as Rfv1. To determine its location, ditelo-lBS and -lBL of CS were crossed as male parents to male sterile (kotschyi)- and (variabilis)-Splt. The F₁ hybrids between the male sterile Spit's and CS ditelo-lBS became male fertile, while those between the male sterile Spit's and CS ditelo-lBL became completely male sterile. Thus, the location of the gene Rfv1 has been determined to be on the short arm of chromosome lB of CS. Furthermore, a close relationship between the fertility-restoring genes and the nucleolus organizer region was pointed out.Finally, the schemes of breeding the male sterile lines of a cultivar with these cytoplasms, and its maintainer line were formulated. The following two points were considered as the advantages of the present male sterility-fertility restoration system over that using the timopheevi cytoplasm in breeding hybrid wheat: (1) easier fertility restoration in F₁ hybrids, and (2) no need of breeding the restorer line.This work was supported by a Grand-in-Aid from the Ministry of Education, No. 386002. Contribution from the Laboratory of Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Japan, No. 420.     

Distribution of mitochondrial plasmid-like DNA in cultivated rice (Oryza sativa L.) and its relationship with varietal groups

Summary Mitochondrial (mt) plasmid-like DNA was found in most of more than 100 rice cultivars (Oryza sativa L.) by the use of 0.7% agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE). The DNA varied in molecular weight and number. By electron microscopy, small circular DNAs of different sizes could be detected in addition to the DNAs of high molecular weight, even in cultivars in which mt plasmid-like DNA was not detected by AGE. The detection of the mt plasmid-like DNAs by AGE did not depend on their presence or absence, but on their high stoichiometry. The relationship between cytoplasms with mt plasmid-like DNAs and varietal (for example, Indica rice) groups was close. The geographical distribution of cytoplasms is discussed.     

几类异质易恢复小麦雄性不育系杂种籽粒品质研究初报

利用具有粘果出羊草（Ae.kotschyi),易变山羊草（Ae.variabilis),偏凸山羊草（Ae.ventricosa)和二角山羊草（Ae.bicornis)异源细胞质小麦雄性不育系（以下简称粘,易,偏和二角型）组配成不同组合的杂种小麦,研究这4种不育系对杂种小麦籽粒品质的影响。结果表明,由它们所配制的杂种小麦在蛋白质含量,湿面筋含量,沉淀值等性状上均高于具有普通小麦细胞质的相同核型杂种小麦,尤其粘,易型某些组合在湿面筋含量,沉淀值两性状上差异达到显著水平。因此,利用这4种不育系很有希望培育出优势,高产的杂种小麦。     

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.     

水稻7种不同细胞质源滇型不育系间恢保关系研究

本研究选用7种细胞质源不同的滇型不育系为母本,10个常用品种或品系为父本,得到70个杂交组合.通过分析70个杂交后代的花粉可育度和自然结实率可知,这7个细胞质源不同的滇型不育系之间的保持关系基本一致;5个滇一型恢复系对这7个不育系的恢复能力差异较大.鉴于7种不同细胞质源不育系的保持关系相同,使转育同核异质不育系成为可能,从而为实现滇型杂交水稻细胞质多样化提供了实验依据.     

Mitochondrial Plasmids in Sorghum: Presence of Linear Plasmids in Indian Male Sterile and Milo 296 Lines

The presence of plasm ids of sizes 5.8 kbp, 5.3 kbp, 2.3 kbp, 1.7 kbp and 1.36 kbp was detected in 3 Indian male sterile cytotypes viz. Maldandi, Guntur, Vizianagaram but not in their fertile maintainer lines. The 5.8 kbp and 5.3 kbp plasm ids do not possess any homology with the nuclear or chloroplastic DNA as also with the main mitochondrial genome of sterile and maintainer fertile lines. The detection of these plasm ids in the male sterile, maintainer fertile and fertility restored lines of 296 variety is surprising as the male sterile 296A and restored line possess a milo cytoplasm that has as yet not been shown to contain such plasmids. This observation suggests that plasm ids have no role to play in male sterility but their presence could be used as a marker for characterization/classification of certain cytoplasms especially the Indian cytoplasms.     

Cytoplasmic male sterility in sorghum: Organization and expression of mitochondrial genes in Indian CMS cytoplasms

Cytoplasmic male sterility in sorghum has been reported in a number of varieties originating in different geographical regions (India, Africa and America). We have attempted to characterize three male sterile cytoplasms of Indian origin designated as Maldandi, Guntur and Vizianagaram by studying restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) and expression patterns of 14 mitochondrial genes. Our results indicate that the cytoplasms, classified tentatively as Indian A₄ types, are distinct from the American A₄ and A₁ types. Although they are identical to each other with respect to the location of 10 of the mitochondrial genes selected, they can be distinguished from each other on the basis of RFLPs inatp6, atp9 andrrn18. Further the three cytoplasms differ from their maintainers in the location ofnad3, rpsl2 andatpA. Differences are also observed in the pattern of expression ofatpA between all the sterile lines and their respective maintainers.     

Intraspecific diversity of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) mitochondrial DNA

Summary Mitochondrial (mt) DNA, isolated from different sugar beet populations, was analyzed using BamHI and EcoRI restriction enzymes. It was shown that plants possessing the new mtDNA types are revealed among O-type fertilizers quite frequently. Among cytoplasmic male sterile (cms) plants, which evolved during cultivation of O-type fertilizers, plants with altered mt genome were found.     

几类异质1BL／1RS小麦雄性不育系诱导孤雌生殖性的研究

系统调查了4种异质（即偏凸,粘果,易变和二角山羊草细胞质）1BL/1RS小麦雄性不育系与其一系列异质同核系,同质异核系,异质异核系杂交,回交世代诱导孤雌生殖性的遗传变异规律,染色体分裂行为和对外表现特点,结果表明：1、异源细胞质与小麦1BL/1RS核型专一互作,有着消弱同源染色体配对,提高中期单价体细胞率的作用;2、特定细胞质背景下,专一核型内细胞单价体频率高低与诱导孤雌生殖性的频率直接相关;3、1BL/1RS易位染色体中易位片所存在系列差异以及1BL/1RS易位染色体外基因型背景不同,诱导孤雌生殖性的频率明显不同;4、提高或抑制不同杂交,回交世代间孤雌生殖频率,不育系母本或不同基因型父本有着同等重要的作用。选择最佳父母本组合杂交可明显提高或降低后代群体中的孤雌生殖性频率。     

A variant mitochondrial DNA arrangement specific toPetunia stable sterile somatic hybrids

We have characterized two related regions of twoPetunia mitochondrial genomes in order to understand how plant mt genomes from a cytoplasmic male sterile (cms) line and a fertile line diverge from one another. Restriction maps of these regions indicate that a sequence arrangement shared by the two genomes adjoins sequences which are not shared at the corresponding locations in the two genomes. A point where the mt genomes from the cms line and the fertile lines diverge from each other was identified and mapped. Previously we had observed that somatic hybrids constructed from the cms and the fertile line contained mt genomes carrying new combinations of parental mtDNA restriction fragments (3). Using the restriction maps of the two related mtDNA regions, a mtDNA arrangement unique to the cms parent could be shown to be present in all 17 stable sterile somatic hybrids tested and none of the 24 stable fertile somatic hybrids tested. This data does not exclude the possibility that additional, as yet unidentified, mtDNA arrangements unique to the cms parent might also be found exclusively in sterile somatic hybrids. Whether or not the sterile parental mtDNA arrangement reported here is functionally related to cms, it apparently segregates with cms in somatic hybrids.     

普通小麦三种细胞质雄性不育系线粒体DNA的比较研究

对细胞质分别来源于粘果山羊草（Ａｅ．ｋｏｔｓｃｈｙｉ）、偏凸山羊草（Ａｅ．ｖｅｎｔｒｉｃｏｓａ）、提莫菲维（Ｔ．ｔｉｍｏｐｈｅｅｖｉ）的３种普通小麦雄性不育系,其相应保持系和共有的一种恢复系的ｍｔＤＮＡ进行了ＲＦＬＰ比较分析。发现Ｋ型和Ｖ型不育系的ｍｔＤＮＡ在组织结构上不同于Ｔ型,说明Ｋ、Ｖ型不育系是有别于Ｔ型的两种新不育类型。Ｋ型、Ｖ型不育系的ｍｔＤＮＡ与保持系和恢复系显著不同,推测ｍｔＤＮＡ与小麦细胞质雄性不育性有关。实验同时发现Ｔ型不育系与其保持系的ｍｔＤＮＡ非常相似,对这种相似性的原因进行了讨论。