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.     

Interspecific somatic hybridization between Brassica napus and Brassica hirta (Sinapis alba L.)

Summary Somatic hybridization between Brassica napus and B. hirta (or Sinapis alba) is described. No cybrid plant with B. napus nucleus exhibiting cytoplasmic male sterility was recovered. Somatic hybrids were identified morphologically and, for some of them, by cytological observations. They were also characterised by Southern hybridization of nuclear rDNA. Chloroplast and mitochondrial DNA restriction analysis showed that 2 plants out of 14 have B. hirta ctDNA, one the B. napus mtDNA and the other a hybrid. Nine possess B. napus ctDNA with a hybrid mtDNA. For six of them, mtDNA patterns present novel bands, suggesting intergenomic recombination during fusion. These hybrids will be included in the breeding program.     

Rapid chloroplast segregation and recombination of mitochondrial DNA in Brassica cybrids

Summary Brassica cybrids were obtained after fusing protoplasts of fertile and cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) B. napus lines carrying the original b. napus, and the Ogura Raphanus sativus cytoplasms, respectively. Iodoacetate treatment of the fertile line and X-irradiation of the CMS line prevented colony formation from the parental protoplasts. Colony formation, however, was obtained after protoplast fusion. Hybrid cytoplasm formation was studied in 0.5 g to 5.0 g calli grown from a fused protoplast after an estimated 19 to 22 cell divisions. Chloroplasts and mitochondria were identified in the calli by hybridizing appropriate DNA probes to total cellular DNA. Out of the 42 clones studied 37 were confirmed as cybrids. Chloroplast segregation was complete at the time of the study. Chloroplasts in all of the cybrid clones were found to derive from the fertile parent. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) segregation was complete in some but not all of the clones. In the cybrids, mtDNA was different from the parental plants. Physical mapping revealed recombination in a region which is not normally involved in the formation of subgenomic mtDNA circles. The role of treatments used to facilitate the recovery of cybrids, and of organelle compatibility in hybrid cytoplasm formation is discussed.     

Protoplast fusion-derived Ogura male sterile cauliflower with cold tolerance

Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. ssp. botrytis) protoplasts with Ogura male sterile and fertile B. oleracea cytoplasms were fused, producing plants with an array of organellar types. Plants with Ogura mitochondria were male sterile; those with B. oleracea chloroplasts were cold tolerant. In some fusions, unfused parental protoplasts were eliminated by double inactivation with iodoacetate and gamma-irradiation; in others, fused protoplasts were physically isolated by micromanipulation or by cell sorting. Double inactivation fusions produced the most plants, including many which were male sterile, female fertile, cold tolerant and diploid.Abbreviations IA iodoacetate - FDA fluorescein diacetate - CMS cytoplasmic male sterility - mtDNA mitochondrial DNA     

Improved protoplast culture and stability of cytoplasmic traits in plants regenerated from leaf protoplasts of cauliflower (Brassica oteracea ssp.botrytis)

Nearly 1000 plants have been regenerated from leaf protoplasts of two cauliflower (Brassica oleracea ssp.botrytis) alloplasmic inbred lines. One line (7642A) carried the Ogura (R1) cms cytoplasm derived from radish; the other line (7642B) carried a normalBrassica cytoplasm and was the fertile maintainer for the cms line. The majority of regenerated plants displayed normal vegetative morphology; they formed normal cauliflower heads and retained the floral characteristics of seed-grown plants from which they were derived. We found no change in either male sterility or in the low temperature-induced chlorosis associated with the 7642A line. Mitochondrial DNA analysis by hybridization with five cloned mtDNA probes revealed no apparent alteration in 75 regenerated plants of both lines. These results indicate that cytoplasmic traits inBrassica oleracea are stable after one cycle of in vitro culture and regeneration.     

Production of new CMS Brassica oleracea by transfer of `Anand' cytoplasm from B. rapa through protoplast fusion

New types of cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) in Brassica oleracea would be useful for F₁ hybrid seed production. The `Anand' cytoplasm derives from the wild species B. tournefortii. Rapid cycling stocks of B. rapa and B. oleracea were used in cybridization experiments as donor and recipient of `Anand' (=`tour') CMS, respectively. Prior to fusion with PEG, donor protoplasts were inactivated with 30 krad γ-rays and recipient ones with 3 mM iodoacetate, respectively. No calli were obtained from the pre-treated protoplasts. The frequency of shoot regeneration was 21–43% in untreated B. oleracea controls, but only 0–0.5% in `Anand' B. rapa. Putative cybrids were regenerated from about 3% of the calli from fused protoplasts. Regenerated plants were analyzed for nuclear DNA content, plant and flower morphology, pollen production, female fertility, cold tolerance, and organelle composition. Eighty-one percent of the regenerated controls and 63% of fusion-derived plants were diploid. The rest showed DNA contents corresponding to 2x–4x, 4x, or higher ploidy levels, presumably due to somatic doubling in vitro and/or fusions in which the donor nucleus was not completely eliminated. Sixty-four percent of the cybrids had stamens and petals varying in size and shape and were male-sterile, with indehiscent anthers. Their phenotype was otherwise similar to that of B. oleracea. The remaining plants had normal flowers and were male-fertile. Data from crosses with fertile pollinators indicated good female fertility in some of the sterile lines, both after hand and insect pollinations in cages. Mitochondrial (mt) segregation in the cybrids was slightly biased towards `Anand' mitochondria, and the presence of `Anand' mtDNA fragments was strongly associated with male sterility. Evidence of mtDNA rearrangements was obtained in some cybrids. Segregation of chloroplasts was slightly biased towards B. oleracea. The presence of `Anand' chloroplasts with a B. oleracea nucleus did not result in cold temperature chlorosis, as seen in `Ogura' CMS plants. Received: 22 February 1996 / Accepted: 10 May 1996     

青花菜细胞质雄性不育系线粒体DNA的提取与RAPD分析

利用分子生物学方法提取青花菜不育系及其保持系线粒体的DNA,经琼脂糖凝胶电泳表明所提取的线粒体DNA纯度较高。通过40个引物进行随机引物多态性扩增,结果表明,由引物S66扩增出一条1 000 bp左右的特异条带BMS1000,该条带是不育系m tDNA所特有的,初步推断该特异条带可能与不育性相关。     

Culture and fusion of pollen protoplasts of Brassica oleracea L. var. italica with haploid mesophyll protoplasts of B. rapa L. ssp. pekinensis

Hybrid callus was formed from the successful protoplast fusion between pollen protoplasts of Brassica oleracea var. italica and haploid mesophyll protoplasts of Brassica rapa. The pollen protoplast isolation frequency in broccoli was highly related to the ratio of trinucleate pollens in the male gametophyte population. Large quantities of pollen protoplasts with high vigor could be isolated, and the isolation frequency reached up to 90% in 6.0-7.0 mm long flower buds with about 94.7% trinucleate-stage pollens. Pollen protoplasts could be collected and purified by discontinuous gradient centrifugation. In 1% Na-alginate embedding culture, cell divisions were observed but no further development was found. The haploid mesophyll protoplasts were isolated from in vitro haploid plants of B. rapa. Results strongly showed the variability in culturability of mesophyll protoplasts from different haploid lines. Both pollen protoplasts and haploid mesophyll protoplasts retained a stable round shape in the designed prefusion solution with an osmotic pressure of 0.74 osmol/kg. Polyethylene glycol was used for the protoplast fusion, and 40% polyethylene glycol 4000 enabled the highest fusion frequency of about 20%. Some postfusion protoplasts showed cell divisions up to callus proliferation. Calli were screened by random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis for their hybrid character. Results revealed the existence of the hybrid calli. Some of the hybrid calli grew well with green color and shoot primordia. According to our knowledge, this is the first report about a hybrid formation between two haploid protoplasts. Potential comprehensive applications, as well as problems of this technique, are discussed.     

Fusion-mediated combination of Ogura-type cytoplasmic male sterility with Brassica napus plastids using X-irradiated CMS protoplasts

X-irradiated protoplasts of a Brassica napus line carrying the Ogura Raphanus sativus male sterile cytoplasm were fused to protoplasts of male fertile B. napus cv. Olga. Plants were regenerated from six out of 34 randomly selected clones. In one clone, Bn(RS)26, a plant with male sterile flowers was obtained. Mitochondria of this plant are non-parental as revealed by DNA-DNA hybridization using a species specific probe. Its chloroplasts, however, derive from the fertile parent which results in loss of the sensitivity to low temperatures associated with R. sativus plastids in the male sterile parent. The novel cytoplasm of the Bn(RS)26 cybrid was transmitted through seed.Abbreviations CMS cytoplasmic male sterile - PEG polyethylene glycol - mtDNA mitochondrial DNA - cpDNA chloroplast DNA     

甘蓝与大白菜原生质体的电融合研究

用电融合法进行了萝卜胞质雄性不育甘蓝(Brassica oleracea var.capitata)叶肉原生质体与大白菜(Brassica campestris var.pekinensis)悬浮细胞原生质体的融合.使用宽间距(电极间距1.5mm)电融合小室,操作简易.两种原生质体的异源融合率最高可达46±6%,其中异源双体融合率可达11±1%.异核体在与双亲原生质体共培养(10~4/ml)时,24小时就有近10%发生第一次分裂,48小时后可达70%左右.培养24—48小时后用稀释法挑选出异核体,部份异核体可在低密度(10~2/ml)甚至单细胞条件下持续分裂.由此获得了异核体来源的愈伤组织,并在分化培养基上再生出了根.     

芸苔属（Brassica）植物中microRNAs的生物信息学预测与分析

MicroRNA (miRNA) 是一类调控基因转录后表达的非编码的小分子RNA．它在生物的发育、细胞增殖、凋亡以及胁迫响应等生物过程中发挥着重要的调控作用．目前,分离和鉴定miRNA的方法主要包括实验方法（遗传筛选、直接克隆）和生物信息学方法．MiRNA存在表达丰度低,表达组织特异性,以及受特殊诱导等问题,用传统的实验法常难发现和鉴定miRNA．通过生物信息学方法在已有的各种基因库中寻找未知miRNA,大大提高了人们发现miRNA及其靶基因的效率．芸苔属（Brassica）的成员包括油菜、芜青、甘蓝等,是世界各国主要油料和食用作物．目前,油菜的miRNA的分离和鉴定工作已有文献报道,而其它的尚属空白．本文将拟南芥、水稻等植物已知的miRNA分别与芜青、甘蓝、野芥菜、黑芥菜、埃塞俄比亚芥的GSS和EST数据库进行比对搜索,采用一系列标准进行筛选,最后分别在芜青和甘蓝中预测到67个和95个miRNA．再把这些预测得到的miRNA分别与芜青和甘蓝的mRNA数据库进行比对搜索,分别找到120个和111个靶基因,除去未知功能及功能不详的,各有62个和48个靶基因．分析结果表明,上述大多数靶基因编码的产物为转录因子及重要代谢酶类,涉及植物的生长发育调控,信号转导及胁迫响应等方面．     

Direct transfer of a cold-tolerant Ogura male-sterile cytoplasm into cabbage (Brassica oleracea ssp. capitata) via protoplast fusion

Cold tolerant cytoplasmic male-sterile (CMS) cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) was produced by the fusion of leaf protoplasts from fertile cabbage and cold-tolerant Ogura CMS broccoli lines. The cabbage lines tested showed great variation in plant regeneration from unfused protoplasts; three with high regenerability were selected as the fusion partners. Several procedures for eliminating the nuclear DNA of the broccoli fusion partner were tested. Diploid cabbage plants were identified by flow cytometry and morphological characters. Gamma-irradiation (30 krad) was the most successful procedure; isolation of cytoplasts from broccoli leaf protoplasts, followed by gamma-irradiation of the cytoplast fraction, also produced diploids. UV-irradiation of the broccoli protoplasts was less effective. PCR using primers for an Ogura CMS-specific mitochondrial DNA sequence permitted the identification of cybrids likely to be CMS. Over 200 diploid plants with the CMS-specific sequence were obtained from 66 independent fusion products and three cabbage lines. Plants were ready for transfer into soil within 8 months after fusion. The plants identified as CMS by PCR produced male-sterile flowers. Our procedures permit the transfer of a desirable male-sterile cytoplasm into cabbage much more rapidly than conventional backcrossing procedures. Received: 4 June 1996 / Accepted: 2 August 1996     

Somatic transfer of cytoplasmic traits in Brassica napus L. by haploid protoplast fusion

Summary Fusions between protoplasts from haploid cytoplasmic atrazine resistant (CATR) and haploid cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) Brassica napus plants were used to produce a diploid CMS/CATR cybrid. The hybrid nature of the cytoplasm was confirmed by comparing the EcoRI restriction fragment patterns of chloroplast and mitochondrial DNA from the cybrid with the parental patterns. The advantages of using haploid protoplasts for fusion experiments as well as the utilization of the CMS/CATR cybrid for hybrid seed production are discussed.     

Intraspecific Variation and Multicircularity in Brassica Mitochondrial Dnas

Intraspecific variation was examined among 25 mitochondrial DNAs (mtDNAs), representing between two and five lines of eight agriculturally important Brassica species. Each of the approximately 140 restriction sites surveyed was invariant within each species. Only two length polymorphisms, deletions of 700 bp and 100 bp in a Brassica nigra line, were detected. A single inversion polymorphism was found; this distinguished two different mtDNA populations within a single line of Brassica hirta. Approximately 60% of the mtDNA molecules in this line and in two other B. hirta lines were identical, whereas the other 40% of the molecules in the first line differed by a 62-kb inversion. Levels of within-species variability in mtDNA appear to be lower in Brassica than in other groups of plants. These mtDNA comparisons are in agreement with cpDNA studies regarding the maternal ancestry of three amphidiploid Brassica species. This agreement and others imply that the two cytoplasmic genomes must have shared a common, maternal mode of transmission throughout the history of the genus. Finally, analysis of a supercoiled fraction of mtDNA from cauliflower (Brassica oleracea) provides the strongest evidence yet in support of the multicircular model for plant mtDNAs.     

CMS due to tapetal failure in cybrids between Nicotiana tabacum and Petunia hybrida

Cytoplasmic hybrids (cybrids) between the two sexually incompatible species Nicotiana tabacum and Petunia hybrida were constructed. Three green plants were obtained after fusion of leaf protoplasts from a cytoplasmic chlorophyll deficient mutant of tobacco, with iodoacetamide inactivated protoplasts of P. hybrida. All regenerated plants were phenotypically similar to tobacco, but male and female sterile. Chromosome and isoenzyme analyses of the nuclear genome, and restriction and blot hybridization analyses of the organelle composition revealed that the regenerated cybrids possessed nuclear genome of N. tabacum, chloroplasts from P. hybrida and recombinant chondriomes. In vitro culture of ovules from one cybrid plant pollinated by N. tabacum resulted in the regeneration of cytoplasmic male sterile progeny plants. Cross-section of anthers from these CMS plants showed that male sterility was due to a failure of tapetum development. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Construction of rice cybrid plants

Summary The mitochondrial genomes of rice cells were transferred to a fertile rice variety (N8) from a cytoplasmic male sterile variety (CMS) by asymmetric protoplast fusion based on metabolic complementation. Protoplasts derived from CMS were X-irradiated (125 krad) and electrofused with protoplasts which had been treated with iodoacetamide. Metabolic complementation, presumably between nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments, enabled fused protoplasts to form colonies at high efficiency. Restriction digest analysis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) indicated that hybrid cells carried mtDNA derived from both parents. Of the plants regenerated from hybrid calli, 68% carried a diploid chromosome set (2n=24) and the rest of them carried 48 chromosomes. All of them expressed the aryl acylamidase I deficient phenotype encoded by the recessive allele of the fertile N8 parent. These results indicate that the novel somatic hybrid plants regenerated were cybrids, deriving their nucleus from the iodoacetamide treated parent and their mitochondria from both parents.     

Morphological characteristics and chloroplast DNA distribution in different cytoplasmic parasexual hybrids of Nicotiana tabacum

Summary Protoplast fusion makes possible the fusion of two different cytoplasms, allowing genetical analysis of cytoplasmic factors. Two varieties of Nicotiana tabacum differing by their cytoplasms have been used. Techne, the first variety, obtained by an interspecific cross between N. debneyi (female) and N. tabacum (male) is characterized by the nuclear tabacum genome inside the debneyi cytoplasm. Techne plants present abnormal flowers with cytoplasmic male sterility (cytoplasmic marker) and sessile leave (nuclear marker). Techne leaf protoplasts were fused with leaf protoplasts of N. tabacum var. Samsun (or Xanthi). The last variety is characterized by petiolated leaves and normal flowers, because it possesses the nuclear tabacum genome associated with the tabacum cytoplasm. The nuclear marker (leaf shape) and the cytoplasmic one (flower shape inducing male sterility or fertility) have been used to distinguish among the whole regenerated plants the somatic nuclear hybrids and the cytoplasmic hybrids (cybrids) displaying the nuclear phenotype of one of the two parents associated with a modified flower type, intermediate between the parental ones.The chloroplastic (cp) DNA contained in each parent has been specifically identified by using EcoRI restriction nuclease and gel electrophoresis. EcoRI fragment patterns of cp DNA isolated from the first progeny of the regenerated cytoplasmic hybrids revealed that only one of the two parental cp DNAs is present in all cases; neither mixture of both parental cp DNAs nor recombinant cp DNA molecules were observed. This indicates that a specific elimination of one or the other parental cp DNAs occurs after the initial mixing of the cytoplasms. The study of the association of the modified flower type with the cp DNA isolated from the corresponding plant showed that cp DNA seems independent from the mechanism of cytoplasmic male sterility in tobacco.     

Regeneration of Hybrid Plantlets Via Pollen-Hypocotyl Protoplast Fusion in Brassica spp.

It has been reported that "gameto-somatic hybridization" was induced by fusion of microspore tetrad protoplasts with somatic protoplasts in Nicotiana and Petunia. However, since the success of isolation of pollen protoplasts in recent years, the use of protoplasts at pollen stage as one of the fusion partners in such hybridization is a novel experimentation. Young pollen protoplasts were isolated from the pollen grains of Brassica chinensis at mid-late unicellular to early bicellular stage the pollens for 1.5--2.5 h at 25℃ in a CPW solution containing 0.8 % of eellulase, 0.5 % pectinase, 0.1% pectolyase, 1 3 % mannitol, 1 0 % glucose, 0. 3% potassium dextran sulphate and 3 mmol/L MES. The purified pollen protoplasts were then fused with the hypocotyl protoplasts of B. napus by PEG method. Heterokaryons were identified by means of visualization of the fluorescence from FITC-prela-beled pollen protoplasts. In order to increase heterokaryons and reduce hypocotyls homokaryons, the denstity of hypocotyl protoplasts were lowered and the ratio of the number of hypocotyl vs. pollen protoplasts were adjusted from 1 : 3 to 1 : 6. The fusion products were cultured in a liquid KM8p medium supplemented with 0.4 mol/L glucose, 0.8 mg/L 2, 4-D, 0.25 mg/L NAA. 0. 5 mg/L BA, 500 mg/L glutamine and 3 mmol/L MES where cell division and callus formation took place. The calli, after being transferred to a MS medium supplemented with 2.0 mg/L BA, 3 % sucrose and 0.4 % agarose, differentiated into a few shoots. The shoots were transferred onto a half-strength MS medium supplemented with 2% sucrose, 0.1--0. 2 mg/L NAA, 0.5 mg/L IBA and 20% potato juice for root formation. Finally, three plantlets were regenerated. Chromosome counts by roottip squash method revealed that one plantlet was 2n= 48, corresponding to an allotriploid resulted from a fusion between one pollen protoplast of B. chinensis (2n = 20) and one hypocotyl protoplast of B. napus (2n = 38), and the other two plantlets were 2n = 58, which might be an allotetraploid originated from a fusion between two pollen protoplasts and one hypocotyl protoplast. The isozyme patterns of leaf esterases showed that all the three plantlets had bands characteristic of both parents. This is the first case of success in "gameto-somatic hybridization" by using pollen protoplasts rather than tetrad protoplasts as the haploid partner.     

Production of intertribal somatic hybrids between Brassica napus L. and Lesquerella fendleri (Gray) Wats

Intertribal Brassica napus (+) Lesquerella fendleri hybrids have been produced by polyethylene glycol-induced fusions of B. napus hypocotyl and L. fendleri mesophyll protoplasts. Two series of experiments were performed. In the first, symmetric fusion experiments, protoplasts from the two materials were fused without any pretreatments. In the second, asymmetric fusion experiments, X-ray irradiation at doses of 180 and 200 Gy were used to limit the transfer of the L. fendleri genome to the hybrids. X-ray irradiation of L. fendleri mesophyll protoplasts did not suppress the proliferation rate and callus formation of the fusion products but did significantly decrease growth and differentiation of non-fused L. fendleri protoplasts. In total, 128 regenerated plants were identified as intertribal somatic hybrids on the basis of morphological criteria. Nuclear DNA analysis performed on 80 plants, using species specific sequences, demonstrated that 33 plants from the symmetric fusions and 43 plants from the asymmetric fusions were hybrids. Chloroplast and mitochondrial DNA analysis revealed a biased segregation that favoured B. napus organelles in the hybrids from the symmetric fusion experiments. The bias was even stronger in the hybrids from the asymmetric fusion experiments where no hybrids with L. fendleri organelles were found. X-ray irradiation of L. fendleri protoplasts increased the possibility of obtaining mature somatic hybrid plants with improved fertility. Five plants from the symmetric and 24 plants from the asymmetric fusion experiments were established in the greenhouse. From the symmetric fusions 2 plants could be fertilised and set seeds after cross-pollination with B. napus. From the asymmetric fusions 9 plants could be selfed as well as fertilised when backcrossed with B. napus. Chromosome analysis was performed on all of the plants but 1 that were transferred to the greenhouse. Three plants from the symmetric fusions contained 50 chromosomes, which corresponded to the sum of the parental genomes. From the asymmetric fusions, 11 hybrids contained 38 chromosomes. Among the other asymmetric hybrids, plants with 50 chromosomes and with chromosome numbers higher than the sum of the parental chromosomes were found. When different root squashes of the same plant were analysed, a total of 6 plants were found that had different chromosome numbers.