Fine mapping and candidate gene analysis of the nuclear restorer gene Rfp for pol CMS in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.)

The Polima (pol) system of cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) in rapeseed is widely used in China for commercial hybrid seed production. Genetic studies have shown that its fertility restorer gene (Rfp) is monogenic dominant. For fine mapping of the Rfp gene, a near isogenic line comprising 3,662 individuals of BC(14)F(1) generation segregating for the Rfp gene was created. Based on the sequences of two SCAR markers, SCAP0612ST and SCAP0612EM2, developed by Zhao et al. (Genes Genom 30(3):191-196, 2008) and the synteny region of Brassica napus and other Brassica species, 13 markers strongly linked with the Rfp gene were identified. By integrating three of these markers to the published linkage map, the Rfp gene was mapped on linkage group N9 of B. napus. Using these markers, the Rfp locus was narrowed down to a 29.2-kb genomic region of Brassica rapa. Seven open reading frames (ORFs) were predicted in the target region, of these, ORF2, encoding a PPR protein, was the most likely candidate gene of Rfp. These results lay a solid foundation for map-based cloning of the Rfp gene and will be helpful for marker-assisted selection of elite CMS restorer lines.     

RFLP和AFLP分析白菜型油菜和甘蓝型油菜遗传多样性及其在油菜改良中的应用价值

采用RFLP和AFLP标记对来自中国和欧美的7份甘蓝型油菜和22份白菜型油菜进行了遗传多样性分析。在这29份材料中,166个酶-探针组合和2对AFLP引物共检测到1477个RFLP标记和183个AFLP标记。RFLP数据显示以拟南芥EST克隆作探针比用油菜基因组克隆做探针能检测到更多的多态性位点,且采用EcoR Ⅰ或BamH Ⅰ酶切比HindⅢ酶切多态性好,白菜型油菜和甘蓝型油菜中基因的拷贝数平均都为3个左右。UPGMA聚类分析表明中国白菜型油菜的遗传多样性比甘蓝型油菜和欧美白菜型油菜丰富,欧美甘蓝型油菜与欧美白菜型油菜聚为一类,而与中国甘蓝型油菜差异更大。中国白菜型油菜丰富的遗传多样性为中国甘蓝型油菜的改良提供了宝贵的资源,揭示了利用白菜型油菜A基因组和甘蓝型油菜A基因组间亚基因组杂种优势的可能性。     

甘蓝型油菜pol CMS育性恢复基因对orf224/atp6的转录调控

用 10个线粒体基因探针对波里马细胞质雄性不育 (polimaCMS)三系 1141A(pol) ,1141B(nap)和 1141R(pol)的花蕾线粒体RNA进行了Northern检测。结果表明 ,只有 3个探针atp6、orf2 2 4和orf2 2 2检测到转录本的差异。atp6在可育的 1141B中只转录产生一个丰度很高的 1 1kb转录本 ,在雄性不育的 1141A和pol胞质恢复系 1141R中 ,这个转录本的丰度明显减少并出现了分子量较大的 2个转录本 2 2kb、1 9kb转录本。与 1141A相比 ,恢复系1141R的 2 2kb和 1 9kb转录本丰度明显减少 ,并伴随着两个新的转录本 1 4kb和 1 3kb。表明orf2 2 4 atp6的表达与polCMS有关 ,并且其转录受到恢复基因Rfp的调控。同时通过对杂种F1 ( 1141A× 1141R)与另一个恢复系RS35 (pol)的比较证实 ,Rfp对orf2 2 4 atp6的调控与Rfp纯合与否无关。orf2 2 4 atp6在 1141A的苗期叶片中还转录产生育性恢复特异的 1 4kb转录本 ,这可能与细胞核基因型和相对低温条件有关。     

Progressive introgression between Brassica napus (oilseed rape) and B. rapa

We have earlier shown extensive introgression between oilseed rape (Brassica napus) and B. rapa in a weedy population using AFLP markers specific for the nuclear genomes. In order to describe the progress of this introgression, we examined 117 offspring from 12 maternal plants from the introgressed population with the same AFLP-markers; AFLP data were supported by chromosome counting. We also analysed the offspring with a species-specific chloroplast marker and finally evaluated the reproductive system in selected maternal plants. Our results indicated a high outcrossing rate of the introgressed maternal plants. It seemed that B. rapa most often functioned as the maternal plant in the introgression process and that the amount of oilseed rape DNA was highly diminished in the offspring compared to their introgressed maternal plants. However, our analysis of plants from the weedy population indicated that introgression can lead to both (1) exchange of chloroplast DNA between species producing B. rapa-like plants with B. napus chloroplasts and (2) incorporation of B. napus C-genome DNA into the B. rapa genome. Therefore, we question whether it can be regarded as containment to position transgenes in the chloroplast or in specific parts of the nuclear genome of B. napus.     

Frequency-dependent fitness of hybrids between oilseed rape (Brassica napus) and weedy B. rapa (Brassicaceae)

Fitness of interspecific hybrids is sometimes high relative to their parents, despite the conventional belief that they are mostly unfit. F(1) hybrids between oilseed rape (Brassica napus) and weedy B. rapa can be significantly more fit than their weedy parents under some conditions; however, under other conditions they are less fit. To understand the reasons, we measured the seed production of B. napus, B. rapa, and different generations of hybrid plants at three different densities and in mixtures of different frequencies (including pure stands). Brassica napus, B. rapa, and backcross plants (F(1) ♀ × B. rapa) produced many more seeds per plant in pure plots than in mixtures and more seeds in plots when each was present at high frequency. The opposite was true for F(1) plants that produced many more seeds than B. rapa in mixtures, but fewer in pure stands. Both vegetative and reproductive interactions may be responsible for these effects. Our results show that the fitness of both parents and hybrids is strongly frequency-dependent and that the likelihood of introgression of genes between the species thus may depend on the numbers and densities of parents and their various hybrid offspring in the population.     

Glyphosate-drift but not herbivory alters the rate of transgene flow from single and stacked trait transgenic canola (Brassica napus) to nontransgenic B. napus and B. rapa

? Transgenic plants can offer agricultural benefits, but the escape of transgenes is an environmental concern. In this study we tested the hypothesis that glyphosate drift and herbivory selective pressures can change the rate of transgene flow between the crop Brassica napus (canola), and weedy species and contribute to the potential for increased transgene escape risk and persistence outside of cultivation. ? We constructed plant communities containing single transgenic B. napus genotypes expressing glyphosate herbicide resistance (CP4 EPSPS), lepidopteran insect resistance (Cry1Ac), or both traits ('stacked'), plus nontransgenic B. napus, Brassica rapa and Brassica nigra. Two different selective pressures, a sublethal glyphosate dose and lepidopteran herbivores (Plutella xylostella), were applied and rates of transgene flow and transgenic seed production were measured. ? Selective treatments differed in the degree in which they affected gene flow and production of transgenic hybrid seed. Most notably, glyphosate-drift increased the incidence of transgenic seeds on nontransgenic B. napus by altering flowering phenology and reproductive function. ? The findings of this study indicate that transgenic traits may be transmitted to wild populations and may increase in frequency in weedy populations through the direct and indirect effects of selection pressures on gene flow.     

一种快速生长的甘蓝型油菜DH系的获得和鉴定

从快速生长的甘蓝型油菜的小孢子培养中共获得23个再生植株。经倍性鉴定,其中自发加倍成二倍体的有10株,单倍体13株。单倍体再用秋水仙碱处理后获得DH系,所得材料对油菜功能基因组学的研究可能有一定的价值。     

Alloplasmic male sterile Brassica napus with Enarthrocarpus lyratus cytoplasm: introgression and molecular mapping of an E. lyratus chromosome segment carrying a fertility restoring gene.

A cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) system for Brassica napus (2n = 38; AACC) was developed by backcross substitution of its nucleus into the cytoplasm of a wild crucifer, Enarthrocarpus lyratus. Male sterility was complete, stable, and expressed in small flowers with rudimentary anthers. Since the B. napus germplasm lines were complete or partial maintainers of male sterility, the required fertility restorer gene (Rfl) was introgressed from the cytoplasm donor species. Inheritance studies carried out on F1 and F2 populations derived from hybridizing cytoplasmic male sterile and male fertile near-isogenic (PNILs) lines of B. napus 'Westar', revealed a monogenic dominant control for fertility restoration. Bulked segregant analysis with 215 RAPD primers helped in the identification of putative primers associated with fertility restoration. Co-segregation analysis of eight such primers with Rfl gene revealed two markers, OPK 15700 and OPZ 061300, which flank the Rfl locus on either side at a distance of 8.2 and 2.5 cM, respectively. These DNA markers will be useful in marker-assisted selection for improving the commercial potential of this newly developed CMS-fertility-restorer system for hybrid seed production programs in rapeseed.     

Conservation of the microstructure of genome segments in Brassica napus and its diploid relatives

The cultivated Brassica species are the group of crops most closely related to Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis). They represent models for the application in crops of genomic information gained in Arabidopsis and provide an opportunity for the investigation of polyploid genome formation and evolution. The scientific literature contains contradictory evidence for the dynamics of the evolution of polyploid genomes. We aimed at overcoming the inherent complexity of Brassica genomes and clarify the effects of polyploidy on the evolution of genome microstructure in specific segments of the genome. To do this, we have constructed bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) libraries from genomic DNA of B. rapa subspecies trilocularis (JBr) and B. napus var Tapidor (JBnB) to supplement an existing BAC library from B. oleracea. These allowed us to analyse both recent polyploidization (under 10,000 years in B. napus) and more ancient polyploidization events (ca. 20 Myr for B. rapa and B. oleracea relative to Arabidopsis), with an analysis of the events occurring on an intermediate time scale (over the ca. 4 Myr since the divergence of the B. rapa and B. oleracea lineages). Using the Arabidopsis genome sequence and clones from the JBr library, we have analysed aspects of gene conservation and microsynteny between six regions of the genome of B. rapa with the homoeologous regions of the genomes of B. oleracea and Arabidopsis. Extensive divergence of gene content was observed between the B. rapa paralogous segments and their homoeologous segments within the genome of Arabidopsis. A pattern of interspersed gene loss was identified that is similar, but not identical, to that observed in B. oleracea. The conserved genes show highly conserved collinearity with their orthologues across genomes, but a small number of species-specific rearrangements were identified. Thus the evolution of genome microstructure is an ongoing process. Brassica napus is a recently formed polyploid resulting from the hybridization of B. rapa (containing the Brassica A genome) and B. oleracea (containing the Brassica C genome). Using clones from the JBnB library, we have analysed the microstructure of the corresponding segments of the B. napus genome. The results show that there has been little or no change to the microstructure of the analysed segments of the Brassica A and C genomes as a consequence of the hybridization event forming natural B. napus. The observations indicate that, upon polyploid formation, these segments of the genome did not undergo a burst of evolution discernible at the scale of microstructure.     

Conserved patterns of chromosome pairing and recombination in Brassica napus crosses.

The patterns of chromosome pairing and recombination in two contrasting Brassica napus F1 hybrids were deduced. One hybrid was from a winter oilseed rape (WOSR) x spring oilseed rape cross, the other from a resynthesized B. napus x WOSR cross. Segregation at 211 equivalent loci assayed in the population derived from each hybrid produced two collinear genetic maps. Alignment of the maps indicated that B. napus chromosomes behaved reproducibly as 19 homologous pairs and that the 19 distinct chromosomes of B. napus each recombined with unique chromosomes from the interspecific hybrid between Brassica rapa and Brassica oleracea. This result indicated that the genomes of the diploid progenitors of amphidiploid B. napus have remained essentially unaltered since the formation of the species and that the progenitor genomes were similar to those of modern-day B. rapa and B. oleracea. The frequency and distribution of crossovers were almost indistinguishable in the two populations, suggesting that the recombination machinery of B. napus could cope easily with different degrees of genetic divergence between homologous chromosomes. Efficient recombination in wide crosses will facilitate the introgression of novel alleles into oilseed rape from B. rapa and B. oleracea (via resynthesized B. napus) and reduce linkage drag.     

Hybridization between transgenic Brassica napus L. and its wild relatives: Brassica rapa L., Raphanus raphanistrum L., Sinapis arvensis L., and Erucastrum gallicum (Willd.) O.E. Schulz

The frequency of gene flow from Brassica napus L. (canola) to four wild relatives, Brassica rapa L., Raphanus raphanistrum L., Sinapis arvensis L. and Erucastrum gallicum (Willd.) O.E. Schulz, was assessed in greenhouse and/or field experiments, and actual rates measured in commercial fields in Canada. Various marker systems were used to detect hybrid individuals: herbicide resistance traits (HR), green fluorescent protein marker (GFP), species-specific amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs) and ploidy level. Hybridization between B. rapa and B. napus occurred in two field experiments (frequency approximately 7%) and in wild populations in commercial fields (approximately 13.6%). The higher frequency in commercial fields was most likely due to greater distance between B. rapa plants. All F(1) hybrids were morphologically similar to B. rapa, had B. napus- and B. rapa-specific AFLP markers and were triploid (AAC, 2n=29 chromosomes). They had reduced pollen viability (about 55%) and segregated for both self-incompatible and self-compatible individuals (the latter being a B. napus trait). In contrast, gene flow between R. raphanistrum and B. napus was very rare. A single R. raphanistrum x B. napus F1 hybrid was detected in 32,821 seedlings from the HR B. napus field experiment. The hybrid was morphologically similar to R. raphanistrum except for the presence of valves, a B. napus trait, in the distorted seed pods. It had a genomic structure consistent with the fusion of an unreduced gamete of R. raphanistrum and a reduced gamete of B. napus (RrRrAC, 2n=37), both B. napus- and R. raphanistrum-specific AFLP markers, and had <1% pollen viability. No hybrids were detected in the greenhouse experiments (1,534 seedlings), the GFP field experiment (4,059 seedlings) or in commercial fields in Québec and Alberta (22,114 seedlings). No S. arvensis or E. gallicum x B. napus hybrids were detected (42,828 and 21,841 seedlings, respectively) from commercial fields in Saskatchewan. These findings suggest that the probability of gene flow from transgenic B. napus to R. raphanistrum, S. arvensis or E. gallicum is very low (<2-5 x 10(-5)). However, transgenes can disperse in the environment via wild B. rapa in eastern Canada and possibly via commercial B. rapa volunteers in western Canada.     

Identification of the A and C genomes of amphidiploid Brassica napus (oilseed rape).

A genetic linkage map consisting of 399 RFLP-defined loci was generated from a cross between resynthesized Brassica napus (an interspecific B. rapa x B. oleracea hybrid) and "natural" oilseed rape. The majority of loci exhibited disomic inheritance of parental alleles demonstrating that B. rapa chromosomes were each pairing exclusively with recognisable A-genome homologues in B. napus and that B. oleracea chromosomes were pairing similarly with C-genome homologues. This behaviour identified the 10 A genome and 9 C genome linkage groups of B. napus and demonstrated that the nuclear genomes of B. napus, B. rapa, and B. oleracea have remained essentially unaltered since the formation of the amphidiploid species, B. napus. A range of unusual marker patterns, which could be explained by aneuploidy and nonreciprocal translocations, were observed in the mapping population. These chromosome abnormalities were probably caused by associations between homoeologous chromosomes at meiosis in the resynthesized parent and the F1 plant leading to nondisjunction and homoeologous recombination.     

Organizational differences between cytoplasmic male sterile and male fertile Brassica mitochondrial genomes are confined to a single transposed locus.

Comparison of the physical maps of male fertile (cam) and male sterile (pol) mitochondrial genomes of Brassica napus indicates that structural differences between the two mtDNAs are confined to a region immediately upstream of the atp6 gene. Relative to cam mtDNA, pol mtDNA possesses a 4.5 kb segment at this locus that includes a chimeric gene that is cotranscribed with atp6 and lacks an approximately 1kb region located upstream of the cam atp6 gene. The 4.5 kb pol segment is present and similarly organized in the mitochondrial genome of the common nap B.napus cytoplasm; however, the nap and pol DNA regions flanking this segment are different and the nap sequences are not expressed. The 4.5 kb CMS-associated pol segment has thus apparently undergone transposition during the evolution of the nap and pol cytoplasms and has been lost in the cam genome subsequent to the pol-cam divergence. This 4.5 kb segment comprises the single DNA region that is expressed differently in fertile, pol CMS and fertility restored pol cytoplasm plants. The finding that this locus is part of the single mtDNA region organized differently in the fertile and male sterile mitochondrial genomes provides strong support for the view that it specifies the pol CMS trait.     

Costs of transgenic herbicide resistance introgressed from Brassica napus into weedy B. rapa

Wild relatives of genetically engineered crops can acquire transgenic traits such as herbicide resistance via spontaneous crop–wild hybridization. In agricultural weeds, resistance to herbicides is often a beneficial trait, but little is known about possible costs that could affect the persistence of this trait when herbicides are not used. We tested for costs associated with transgenic resistance to glufosinate when introgressed into weedy Brassica rapa . Crosses were made between transgenic B. napus and wild B. rapa from Denmark. F₁ progeny were backcrossed to B. rapa and BC₁ plants were selected for chromosome numbers similar to B. rapa . Further backcrossing resulted in a BC₂ generation that was hemizygous for herbicide resistance. We quantified the reproductive success of 457 BC₃ progeny representing six full-sib families raised in growth rooms (plants were pollinated by captive bumblebees). Pollen fertility and seed production of BC₃ plants were as great as those of B. rapa raised in the same growth rooms. Segregation for herbicide resistance in BC₃ plants was 1:1 overall, but the frequency of resistant progeny was lower than expected in one family and higher than expected in another. There were no significant differences between transgenic and nontransgenic plants in survival or the number of seeds per plant, indicating that costs associated with the transgene are probably negligible. Results from this growth-chamber study suggest that transgenic resistance to glufosinate is capable of introgressing into populations of B. rapa and persisting, even in the absence of selection due to herbicide application.     

Cloning and characterization of microRNAs from Brassica napus

A library containing approximately 40,000 small RNA sequences was constructed for Brassica napus. Analysis of 3025 sequences obtained from this library resulted in the identification of 11 conserved miRNA families, which were validated by secondary structure prediction using surrounding sequences in the Brassica genome. Two 21 nt small RNA sequences reside within the arm of a pre-miRNA like stem-loop structure, making them likely candidates for novel non-conserved miRNAs in B. napus. Most of the conserved miRNAs were expressed at similar levels in a F1 hybrid B. napus line and its four double haploid progeny that showed marked variations in phenotypes, but many were differentially expressed between B. napus and Arabidopsis. The miR169 family was expressed at high levels in young leaves and stems, but was undetectable in roots and mature leaves, suggesting that miR169 expression is developmentally regulated in B. napus.     

Karyotype and identification of all homoeologous chromosomes of allopolyploid Brassica napus and its diploid progenitors

Investigating recombination of homoeologous chromosomes in allopolyploid species is central to understanding plant breeding and evolution. However, examining chromosome pairing in the allotetraploid Brassica napus has been hampered by the lack of chromosome-specific molecular probes. In this study, we establish the identification of all homoeologous chromosomes of allopolyploid B. napus by using robust molecular cytogenetic karyotypes developed for the progenitor species Brassica rapa (A genome) and Brassica oleracea (C genome). The identification of every chromosome among these three Brassica species utilized genetically mapped bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) from B. rapa as probes for fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). With this BAC-FISH data, a second karyotype was developed using two BACs that contained repetitive DNA sequences and the ubiquitous ribosomal and pericentromere repeats. Using this diagnostic probe mix and a BAC that contained a C-genome repeat in two successive hybridizations allowed for routine identification of the corresponding homoeologous chromosomes between the A and C genomes of B. napus. When applied to the B. napus cultivar Stellar, we detected one chromosomal rearrangement relative to the parental karyotypes. This robust novel chromosomal painting technique will have biological applications for the understanding of chromosome pairing, homoeologous recombination, and genome evolution in the genus Brassica and will facilitate new applied breeding technologies that rely upon identification of chromosomes.     

Interspecific hybrids between a transgenic rapeseed (Brassica napus) and related species: cytogenetical characterization and detection of the transgene.

In interspecific hybrids produced between a transgenic rapeseed, an allotetraploid species, resistant to herbicide, phosphinotricin, and five diploid related species, the risk for gene introgression in weed genomes was explored through cytogenetic and bar gene characterizations. Among the 75 hybrids studied, most had the expected triploid structure, with the exception of B. napus - B. oleracea amphidiploid plants and one B. napus - S. arvensis amphidiploid plant. In triploid hybrid plants, the reciprocal hybrids did not exhibit any difference in their meiotic behavior. The comparison of the percentage of chromosome pairing in the hybrids with that of haploid rapeseed permit to conclude that allosyndesis between AC genomes and related species genomes took place. This possibility of recombination was confirmed by the presence of multivalent associations in all the interspecific hybrids. Nevertheless, in B. napus - B. adpressa hybrids a control of chromosome pairing seemed to exist. The possibility of amphidiploid plant production directly obtained in the F1 generation increased the risk of gene dispersal. The B. napus - B. oleracea amphidiploid plant presented a meiotic behavior more regular than that of the B. napus - S. arvensis amphidiploid plant. Concerning the herbicide bar gene characterization, the presence of the gene detected by DNA amplification was correlated with herbicide resistance, except for two plants. Different hypotheses were proposed to explain these results. A classification of the diploid species was established regarding their gene dispersal risk based on the rate of allosyndesis between chromosomes of AC genomes of rapeseed and the genomes of the related species.     

Low probability of chloroplast movement from oilseed rape (Brassica napus) into wild Brassica rapa

Pollen-mediated movement of transgenes from transplastomic oilseed rape (Brassica napus) into wild relatives will be avoided if chloroplasts are maternally transmitted. We assess the probability of chloroplast exchange between conventional oilseed rape and wild Brassica rapa to model the future behavior of transplastomic cultivars. Primers specific to cpDNA were used to demonstrate maternal inheritance of chloroplasts in 47 natural hybrids between cultivated B. napus and wild B. rapa. We conclude that there will be no or negligible pollen-mediated chloroplast dispersal from oilseed rape. Transgene introgression could still occur in mixed populations, however, if B. napus acted as the recurrent female parent. Rate of transfer would then depend on the abundance of mixed populations, their persistence as mixtures, and hybridization frequency within stands. A low incidence of sympatry (0.6-0.7%) between wild B. rapa and cultivated B. napus along the river Thames, UK, in 1997 and 1998, suggests mixed stands will form only rarely. Eighteen feral populations of B. napus also showed a strong tendency toward rapid decline in plant number, seed return, and ultimately, extinction within 3 years. Conversely, hybrid production is significant in mixed stands, and the absence of control practices means that oilseed rape will have slightly greater persistence. We infer that some introgression from transplastomic B. napus into B. rapa is inevitable in mixed populations even though such populations will occur infrequently and will tend to lose B. napus plants relatively quickly. Chloroplast exchange will be extremely rare and scattered.     

Mitigation using a tandem construct containing a selectively unfit gene precludes establishment of Brassica napus transgenes in hybrids and backcrosses with weedy Brassica rapa

Transgenic oilseed rape ( Brassica napus ) plants can interbreed with nearby weedy Brassica rapa , potentially enhancing the weediness and/or invasiveness of subsequent hybrid offspring. We have previously demonstrated that transgenic mitigation effectively reduces the fitness of the transgenic dwarf and herbicide-resistant B. napus volunteers. We now report the efficacy of such a tandem construct, including a primary herbicide-resistant gene and a dwarfing mitigator gene, to preclude the risks of gene establishment in the related weed B. rapa and its backcross progeny. The transgenically mitigated and non-transgenic B. rapa  ×  B. napus interspecific hybrids and the backcrosses (BC₁) with B. rapa were grown alone and in competition with B. rapa weed. The reproductive fitness of hybrid offspring progressively decreased with increased B. rapa genes in the offspring, illustrating the efficacy of the concept. The fitness of F₂ interspecific non-transgenic hybrids was between 50% and 80% of the competing weedy B. rapa , whereas the fitness of the comparable T₂ interspecific transgenic hybrids was never more than 2%. The reproductive fitness of the transgenic T₂ BC₁ mixed with B. rapa was further severely suppressed to 0.9% of that of the competing weed due to dwarfism. Clearly, the mitigation technology works efficiently in a rapeseed crop–weed system under biocontainment-controlled environments, but field studies should further validate its utility for minimizing the risks of gene flow.     

Transfer of the Brassica tournefortii cytoplasm to B. napus for the production of cytoplasmic male sterile B. napus

The donor-recipient fusion method was used to combine the cytoplasm of Brassica lournefortii with the nucleus of B. napus for the production of cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) plants. X-ray-irradiated mesophyll protoplasts of B. tournefortii were fused with iodoacetamide (lOA)-inactivated hypocotye protoplasts of B. napus . Selective conditions of IOA concentrations and X-ray doses were determined, which resulted in recovery of fusion products and inhibition of further growth of unfused parental cells. In total, 54 plants were obtained from different fusion experiments, of which 25 were verified as cybrids or partial hybrids. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analyses using 5 mitochondrial gene probes revealed that 20 of the 25 fusion-derived plants had mtDNA either identical, or with varying degrees of similarity, to B. lournefortii . These plants were classified into four groups on the basis of pollen viability and number. Seven plants were categorised as male sterile since they did not produce pollen or had non-viable pollen. Of the male sterile plants, five had a mtDNA pattern identical to B. tournefortii and a nuclear DNA content corresponding to B. napus . The nuclear-mito-chondrial constitution of these plants thus indicates that the combination of B. tournefortii cytoplasm with the B. napus nucleus results in CMS. Furthermore, mtDNA analysis of the two additional male sterile plants which displayed a rearranged mtDNA, revealed that the only mtDNA similarity shared among all male sterile plants was specific for B. tournefortii atp6 pattern. This indicates that the atp6 region of B. tournefortii may be involved in the expression of CMS.