Modifications of Mitochondrial DNA Cause Changes in Floral Development in Homeotic-like Mutants of Tobacco

To investigate the influence of mitochondrial genes on stamen development of higher plants, protoplasts from three different, male-sterile tobacco cultivars were fused. The fused cells were cultured individually into calli, from which plants were regenerated. Cybrid plants were obtained that exhibited flowers with recombined biparental male-sterile morphology and with novel male-sterile stamens that differed from any types from sexual or somatic hybridizations described previously. The male-sterile morphologies of these cybrids and their parents support the hypothesis that nuclear-mitochondrial interaction occurs at several stages in tobacco floral development and that several mitochondrial genes are necessary for normal stamen and corolla development. Analysis by restriction endonuclease digestion of mitochondrial DNA of male-sterile cybrids and their parents revealed that the mitochondrial DNA of male-sterile cybrids with parental floral morphology was unchanged when compared with parental mitochondrial DNA. Cybrids that were morphologically similar to one parent's male-sterile phenotype had mitochondrial DNA almost identical to that parent, whereas cybrids with recombined biparental or novel male-sterile phenotypes contained mitochondrial DNA different from both male-sterile parents and from each other. A set of mitochondrial DNA fragments could be correlated with split corollas, a feature found in several tobacco male-sterile cultivars. DNA gel blot analysis using a number of mitochondrial genes confirmed the conclusions based on ethidium bromide staining of mitochondrial DNA restriction digests.     

Nucleo-cytoplasmic interactions affect RNA editing of cox2, atp6 and atp9 in alloplasmic male-sterile rice (Oryza sativa L.) lines

RNA editing plays an important role in the regulation of mitochondrial gene expression in flowering plants. In this study, we examined RNA editing of the mitochondrial genes cox2, atp6 and atp9 in five isonuclear alloplasmic male-sterile lines (IAMSLs) of rice to investigate whether different cytoplasmic types affect RNA editing. Although many editing sites were conserved among the three genes, we found that the editing efficiency of certain sites was significantly different between different IAMSLs or between IAMSLs and their corresponding cytoplasmic donor CMS lines. Furthermore, several editing sites were found to be either present or absent in certain IAMSLs and their corresponding CMS lines. These results indicate that nuclear loci, as well as unknown editing factors within the mitochondria of different cytoplasmic types, may be involved in RNA editing, and they suggest that RNA editing in plant mitochondria is affected by nucleo-cytoplasmic interactions.     

Variant mitochondrial protein and DNA patterns associated with cytoplasmic male-sterile lines of Nicotiana

Summary Variation in mitochondrial protein synthesis and genome organization was investigated. Three different alloplasmic cytoplasmic male-sterile Nicotiana tabacum cultivars, carrying N. repanda, N. suaveolens or N. debneyi cytoplasm, were analysed together with corresponding male-fertile parental and restored material. Although several differences were detected in the proteins synthesized by isolated mitochondria from the male-sterile and male-fertile plants, most of these were related to the origin of the mitochondria. However, a 23 kD protein was synthesized in the male-sterile cultivar carrying N. debneyi mitochondria, but not in other lines containing this cytoplasm. This protein was also present in the male-fertile parent containing N. tabacum mitochondria. Only the enhanced production of a 30 kD protein in the lines carrying mitochondria from N. repanda or N. debneyi was exclusively correlated with CMS. This protein was not present in any of the corresponding male-fertile parental and restored lines. Restriction enzyme analysis of mitochondrial DNA revealed a difference in abundance of a 5.6 kb XhoI fragment between lines containing N. debneyi mitochondria. No rearrangements of mitochondrial DNA was found between male-fertile and male-sterile lines carrying N. repanda or N. suaveolens cytoplasm. These results might indicate that CMS in alloplasmic Nicotiana cultivars is caused by alterations in the expression of mitochondrial genes, rather than by induced changes in the genome.     

莲品种DNA指纹图谱的构建

为了克服单纯依据形态特性鉴定品种的局限性, 我们开展了莲品种DNA指纹图谱构建研究, 旨在对其品种的快速准确鉴定及专利权保护等起一定作用。本研究以圆明园保存的72个莲品种为实验材料, 用来自不同地点的1,409份野生莲(Nelumbo nucifera)和58份美洲黄莲(N. lutea)群体样本作遗传背景参照。从104对核微卫星引物(nSSR)中筛选出15对, 从17对叶绿体微卫星(cpSSR)引物中筛选出2对, 共17对引物作为72个莲品种DNA指纹鉴定的条码。15对nSSR引物共检测到94个等位基因(平均6.27个), 其中11个属于美洲黄莲, 65个属于野生莲, 18个不能区分; 多态信息含量(PIC)介于0.3899-0.8023之间 (平均0.5748)。2对cpSSR引物共检测到13个单倍型, 其中9个属于野生莲, 4个属于美洲黄莲。全部17对引物标记结果显示, 共有19个品种含有美洲黄莲遗传组分, 其中8个母系来源于美洲黄莲; 有36个品种(涉及12对引物)具有至少1个特有基因型; 最少8对引物组合可完全区分开68个品种。有2组共4个品种组内全部17对引物均不能区分。本研究通过核心引物组合法使68个莲品种获得特异性DNA指纹。推荐13对nSSR和2对cpSSR共15对引物作为莲品种鉴定的核心条码, 并建议将形态特征与DNA指纹相结合作为莲品种的鉴定标准。     

NUMTs in sequenced eukaryotic genomes

Mitochondrial DNA sequences are frequently transferred to the nucleus giving rise to the so-called nuclear mitochondrial DNA (NUMT). Analysis of 13 eukaryotic species with sequenced mitochondrial and nuclear genomes reveals a large interspecific variation of NUMT number and size. Copy number ranges from none or few copies in Anopheles, Caenorhabditis, Plasmodium, Drosophila, and Fugu to more than 500 in human, rice, and Arabidopsis. The average size is between 62 (baker's yeast) and 647 bps (Neurospora), respectively. A correlation between the abundance of NUMTs and the size of the nuclear or the mitochondrial genomes, or of the nuclear gene density, is not evident. Other factors, such as the number and/or stability of mitochondria in the germline, or species-specific mechanisms controlling accumulation/loss of nuclear DNA, might be responsible for the interspecific diversity in NUMT accumulation.     

Molecular analysis of cytoplasmic male sterility in chives (Allium schoenoprasum L.)

The mitochondria of chive plants with normal N or male-sterile S cytoplasms have been examined by restriction fragment analysis and Southern hybridizations of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and in organello protein biosynthesis. Restriction fragment patterns of the mtDNA differed extensively between N-and S-cytoplasms. The percentage of fragments with different mobility varied between 44–48% depending on the restriction enzyme used. In contrast to mtDNA, the restriction fragment patterns of the chloropolast DNA from N- and S-cytoplasms were identical. The organization of the analyzed mitochondrial genes coxII, coxIII, nad1 and nad3 was different in N- and S-cytoplasms. Comparison of mitochondrial proteins analyzed by in organello translation revealed an 18-kDa protein present only in S-cytoplasm. The restorer gene X suppressed the synthesis of that protein in S-cytoplasm. Thus, the 18-kDa protein seems to be associated with the cytoplasmic male-sterile phenotype.     

Transformation of callus cultures of nine plant species mediated by agrobacterium

A simple method for the Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of callus cultures of nine plant species, Lycopersicum esculentum Mill, Petunia hybrida Vilm, Pimpinella anisum L., Solanum melongena L., S. tuberosum L., Nicotiana glauca Graham, N. glutinosa L., N. plumbaginifolia Viviani and N. tabacum L., is described. Plant calli were resuspended in liquid media, co-cultivated with A. tumefaciens, and plated on restrictive media. The combination of a gene for kanamycin resistance and a gene for firefly luciferase was convenient in the selection and confirmation of hundreds of transformants. Four strains of A. tumefaciens, A208, A348, A281, and PC2760, were employed. All of the callus cultures were successfully transformed with at least one strain of A. tumefaciens, and A281 was the most effective of the four strains. N. glutinosa, N. plumbaginifolia, N. tabacum, P. hybrida and L. esculentum were transformed more efficiently than the other species tested.     

Oxidative phosphorylation in yeast VI. ATPase activity and protein synthesis in mitochondria isolated from nuclear mutants deficient in cytochromes

1. The oligomycin-sensitive Mg²⁺-dependent ATPase activity of mitochondria isolated from wild-type yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was only slightly inhibited by atractyloside at concentrations which entirely prevented oxidative phosphorylation. This indicated that most of the ATPase in these mitochondrial preparations was located outside the atractyloside-sensitive barrier and did not participate in the energy-transfer process.

2. ATPase activity of mitochondria isolated from nuclear gene mutants deficient in a single cytochrome, a, b, or c, respectively, was strongly inhibited by oligomycin. The mitochondria from these mutants, like those from the wild-type strain, were able to incorporate amino acids into protein.

3. Mitochondrial ATPase activity of single nuclear gene mutants deficient in both cytochromes a and b was only slightly inhibited by oligomycin. These mitochondria were incapable of incorporating amino acids into protein. The mitochondria from these nuclear mutants thus resembled mitochondria of cytoplasmic respiration-deficient mutants.

4. The results suggest that mitochondrial cytochromes may be coded by nuclear genes and that product(s) of mitochondrial protein synthesis may be required for integrating the cytochromes a and b and the components of the oligomycin-sensitive ATPase complex into the mitochondrial membranes.     

Mitochondrial regulation of flower development

Flower development in plants depends not only on a set of nuclear genes but also on the coordinate action of the mitochondrion. Certain mitochondrial genomes in combination with certain nuclear genomes lead to the expression of cytoplasmic male-sterility (CMS). Both mitochondrial genes that determine male-sterility and nuclear Restorer-of-fertility genes that suppress the male-sterile phenotype have been cloned. Lately, the interactions between mitochondrial and nuclear genes through retrograde signalling in CMS-systems have been dissected. Of special interest are the altered expression patterns of floral homeotic genes in certain CMS-systems. Here, we review the mitochondrial influence on flower development and give examples from CMS-systems developed in Brassica, Daucus carota, Nicotiana tabacum and Triticum aestivum.     

Plastid DNA diversity in natural populations of Beta maritima showing additional variation in sexual phenotype and mitochondrial DNA

Summary Plants of two natural populations of Beta maritima, characterized by high percentages of male-sterile plants, have been investigated for organelle DNA polymorphism. We confirm the two classes of mitochondrial DNA variation previously described: (i) mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) type N is associated with male fertility, whereas mtDNA type S can cause cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS); (ii) the 10.4-kb linear plasmid is observed in both types of mitochondria and is not correlated with the cytoplasmic male sterility occurring in this plant material. A third polymorphism is now described for chloroplast DNA (ctDNA). This polymorphism occurs within single populations of Beta maritima. Three different ctDNA types have been identified by HindIII restriction analysis. Among the plants studied, ctDNA type 1 is associated with N mitochondria and type 2 with S mitochondria. Chloroplast DNA type 3 has been found both in a fertile N plant and in a sterile S plant. This finding suggests that the chloroplast DNA polymorphism reported is not involved in the expression of male sterility. A comparison with Beta vulgaris indicates that ctDNA type 3 of Beta maritima corresponds to the ctDNA of fertile sugar beet maintainer lines. The three types of Beta maritima ctDNA described in this study differ from the ctDNA of male-sterile sugar beet.     

Nuclear and mitochondrial genes in the biogenesis of Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitochondria

The mechanisms of interaction of nuclear and mitochondrial genes in biogenesis of mitochondria are discussed in this review. Brief characterization of yeast mitochondrial genes and their products is presented. The mechanism of nuclear and mitochondrial control of expression of the mosaic genes in mitochondria is described. The data on the processing of imported mitochondrial proteins synthesized on cytoplasmic ribosomes are presented. The possibility of existence of common proteins encoded for by common genes and possessing similar functions in the cytoplasm and mitochondria is discussed. A hypothesis is put forward considering the role of common proteins in coordination of nuclear and mitochondrial genes' expression in biogenesis of mitochondria.