Parental genome separation and elimination of cells and chromosomes revealed by AFLP and GISH analyses in a Brassica carinata x Orychophragmus violaceus cross

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The phenomenon of parental genome separation during the mitotic divisions of hybrid cells was proposed to occur under genetic control in intergeneric hybrids between cultivated Brassica species and Orychophragmus violaceus (2n = 24). To elucidate further the cytological and molecular mechanisms behind parental genome separation, Brassica carinata (2n = 34) x O. violaceus hybrids were resynthesized and their chromosome/genomic complements analysed. METHODS: F(1) hybrids of the cross were obtained following embryo rescue, and were investigated for their cytological behaviour and subjected to genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) to determine the contribution of parental genomes. KEY RESULTS: All the F(1) plants with high fertility closely resembled B. carinata in morphological attributes. These were mixoploids with 2n chromosome numbers ranging from 17 to 35; however, 34, the same number as in B. carinata, was the most frequent number of chromosomes in ovary and pollen mother cells (PMCs). GISH clearly identified 16 chromosomes of B. nigra in ovary cells and PMCs with 2n = 34 and 35. However, no O. violaceus chromosome was detected, indicating the presence of the intact B. carinata genome and elimination of the entire O. violaceus genome. However, some AFLP bands specific for O. violaceus and novel for the two parents were detected in the leaves. Cells with fewer than 34 chromosomes had lost some B. oleracea chromosomes. F(2) plants were predominantly like B. carinata, but some contained O. violaceus characters. CONCLUSIONS: The cytological mechanism for the results involves complete and partial genome separation at mitosis in embryos of F(1) plants followed by chromosome doubling, elimination of cells with O. violaceus chromosomes and some introgression of O. violaceus genetic information.     

Cytogenetic and molecular characterization of intergeneric hybrids between Brassica napus and Orychophragmus violaceus.

Twenty-two intergeneric hybrids from a cross between Brassica napus (AACC, 2n = 38) cultivar Oro and the ornamental crucifer Orychophragmus violaceus (OO, 2n = 24) were produced without embryo rescue. The plants were classified into three groups based on morphological and cytological observations and RAPD banding patterns. Plants of Group I had morphological traits of both parents and 2n = 29 chromosomes. In these plants, 62.1% of the pollen mother cells (PMCs) had the pairing configuration 1 III + 9 II + 8 I; the remaining PMCs had 10 II + 9 I. The plants possessed 97.6-98.8% B. napus specific and 9.2-11.7% O. violaceus specific RAPD fragments. Plants of Group II exhibited novel morphological traits and possessed 2n = 35, 36, or 37 chromosomes. Plants of Group III were morphologically similar to B. napus and possessed 2n = 19, 37, 38, or 39 chromosomes. Plants of Group II and Group III had 94.1-99.4% B. napus specific RAPD fragments and no O. violaceus specific RAPD fragments. Chromosome fragments were observed in PMCs of most of the F1 plants in all groups. Based on the cytological results and RAPD analysis, it is suggested that genome doubling and chromosome elimination occurred in the intergeneric hybrids of B. napus x O. violaceus.     

Genome doubling and chromosome elimination with fragment recombination leading to the formation of Brassica rapa-type plants with genomic alterations in crosses with Orychophragmus violaceus.

In distant hybridization of plants, nonclassical hybrids with unexpected chromosome complements, chromosome elimination, and genetic introgression have been well documented. We obtained intergeneric hybrids between Brassica rapa, B. rapa var. chinensis, and another cruciferous species, Orychophragmus violaceus, following embryo rescue. Hybrids mainly displayed phenotypes of B. rapa, although certain O. violaceus or novel characteristics also appeared. Variable numbers of chromosomes were observed in somatic cells in the roots of plantlets on medium and in ovaries and pollen mother cells (PMCs). However, higher numbers were recorded in the roots. GISH revealed that the majority of ovary cells and PMCs contained 20 chromosomes of B. rapa with or without individual O. violaceus chromosomes or fragments added or introgressed. AFLP analysis showed that fragments deleted from the B. rapa genome were much more frequent than novel and O. violaceus fragments. The mechanisms involved genome doubling and successive elimination of O. violaceus chromosomes accompanied by fragment recombination and introgression, producing B. rapa-type plants with modified genetic constitutions and phenotypes.     

High efficiency production and genomic<Emphasis Type="Italic">in situ</Emphasis> hybridization analysis of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Brassica</Emphasis> aneuploids and homozygous plants

Interspecific and intergeneric hybridizations have been widely used in plant genetics and breeding to construct stocks for genetic analysis and to introduce into crops the desirable traits and genes from their relatives. The intergeneric crosses between Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. & Coss., B. carinata A. Braun and Orychophragmus violaceus (L.) O. E. Schulz were made and the plants produced were subjected to genomic in situ hybridization analysis. The mixoploids from the cross with B. juncea were divided into three groups. The partially fertile mixoploids in the first group (2n = 36-42) mainly contained the somatic cells and pollen mother cells (PMCs) with the 36 chromosomes of B. juncea and additional chromosomes of O. violaceus. The mixoploids (2n = 30-36) in the second and third groups were morphologically quite similar to the mother plants B. juncea and showed nearly normal fertility. The plants in the second group produced the majority of PMCs (2n = 36) with their chromosomes paired and segregated normally, but 1-4 pairs of the O. violaceus chromosomes were included in some PMCs. The plants in the third group produced only PMCs with the 36 B. juncea chromosomes, which were paired and segregated normally. The mixoploids (2n = 29-34) from the cross with B. carinata produced the majority of PMCs (2n = 34) with normal chromosome pairing and segregation, but some plants had some PMCs with 1-3 pairs of chromosomes from O. violaceus and other plants had only PMCs with the B. carinata chromosomes. The Brassica homozygous plants and aneuploids with complete or partial chromosome complements of Brassica parents and various numbers of O. violaceus chromosomes were derived from these progeny plants. The results in this study provided the molecular cytogenetic evidence for the separation of parental genomes which was previously proposed to occur in the hybridizations of these two genera.     

High efficiency production and genomic in situ hybridization analysis of Brassica aneuploids and homozygous plants

Inplantbreedingandgeneticresearch,karyotypicallystablecrosseswhichproducehybridplantshavebeenextensivelyusedtointroduceintocropsthetargettraitsandgenesfromrelatedwildorcultivatedspeciesortoconstructstocksforgeneticanalysis(alienchromosomeadditions,substitutionsandtranslocations)[1—3].Uniparentalgenomeeliminationinkaryotypicallyunstablehybridshasbeenutilizedforhaploidproduction[2,4].Becausetheartificiallysynthesizedallopoly-ploidscannotbeusedascropsformanyreasons,onepurposeofwidehybridizations…     

Indeterminate meiotic restitution (IMR): a novel type of meiotic nuclear restitution mechanism detected in interspecific lily hybrids by GISH

A detailed analysis of microsporogenesis was carried out in three diploid lily cultivars (2n=2x=24) and three diploid interspecific hybrids (2n=2x=24) using DNA in situ hybridisation methods (GISH and FISH). In cvs. Gelria (Lilium longiflorum; L genome), Connecticut King and Mont Blanc (both Asiatic hybrids; Agenome) meiosis was regular and only haploid gametes were formed while the three interspecific hybrids between L. longiflorum×Asiatic hybrid (LA) showed a variable frequency of meiotic nuclear restitution and stainable 2n-pollen formation ranging from 3% to 30%. An analysis of meiotic chromosome behaviour of the LA hybrids through GISH and FISH revealed that: (1) the parental chromosomes could be clearly discriminated into univalents, half-bivalents and bivalents in the PMCs; (2) in some of the PMCs the entire complement was present either as univalents or half-bivalents which had the potential to divide equationally (following centromere division) during the first division leading to first division restitution (FDR) gametes; (3) more frequently, however, in one and the same PMC the univalents and half-bivalents divided equationally whereas the bivalents disjoined reductionally at the same time giving rise to 2n-gametes that could vary from the well-known FDR or SDR 2n-gametes. We indicate this novel type of restitution mechanism as Indeterminate Meiotic Restitution (IMR). In order to confirm the occurrence of IMR gametes, the chromosome constitutions of eight triploid BC₁ progenies derived from backcrossing the 2n-gamete producing the LAhybrids to the Asiatic hybrid parents were analysed through in situ hybridisation. The results indicated that there were seven BC₁ plants in which FDR 2n-gametes, with or without homoeologous recombinations, were functional, whereas in one case the 2n-gamete resulting from IMR was functional. In the latter, there was evidence for the occurrence of genetic recombination through homoeologous crossing-over as well as through the assortment of homoeologous chromosomes. A singular feature of the IMR 2n-gamete was that although it transmitted a euploid number of 24 chromosomes to the BC₁ progeny, the number of chromosomes transmitted from the two parental species was dissimilar: 9 L-genome chromosomes and 15 A-genome chromosomes instead of 12 of each. Received: 15 May 2000 / Accepted: 4 December 2000     

甘蓝型油菜与诸葛菜属间杂种的减数分裂观察

在甘蓝型油莱与诸葛菜属间杂种细胞减数分裂中,观察到两种类型的染色体分离方式。第一种,细胞内的３１条染色体呈两组分离,其中１９条染色体至细胞一极,１２条染色体至另一极;且在两极的染色体进行分裂,产生４个核,两个具有１９条染色体,另两个具有１２条染色体。故杂种细胞通过这种染色体分离方式,可同时产生具有１９与１２条染色体的两类配子。杂种细胞内发生的这种染色体行为,极有可能与来自两个亲本种的染色体组相关;即在细胞两极的１９与１２条染色体分别来自甘蓝型油菜与诸葛菜。第二种,在后期Ｉ至末期Ｉ,花粉母细胞内以６个二价体形式出现的１２条染色体被落后在赤道板附近,而被排斥在末期核之外。这些落后二价体很有可能来自诸葛菜。因此,在杂种细胞减数分裂中,来自两个亲本种的染色体组被分开。文中还对染色体组分开的遗传意义等进行了讨论。     

萝卜与甘蓝属间杂种基因组原位杂交分析

用基因组原位杂交方法（Genomic in situ hybridization, 简称GISH）研究了萝卜( Raphanus sativus,2n=18,RR)和甘蓝（Brassica oleracea , 2n=18, CC）属间杂种F1减数分裂过程。结果表明杂种体细胞染色体组成为RC,2n=18,但花粉母细胞有三种不同类型：1. RC,2n=18, 终变期染色体平均配对构型为14.87Ⅰ+1.20Ⅱ+0.04Ⅲ+0.06Ⅳ, 染色体配对主要发生在萝卜和甘蓝染色体之间, 后期Ⅰ9条萝卜染色体主要以5/4和6/3的分离比移向两极, 所形成配子的染色体数目和组成均不平衡,配子败育; 2. RRCC,4n=36, 终变期染色体形成18个二价体,后期Ⅰ染色体均衡分离,形成RC不减数配子;3. RRCC缺体,4n=30－34, 少数萝卜染色体丢失,形成的配子具有全套的甘蓝染色体和部分萝卜染色体。     

Production and cytogenetics of intergeneric hybrids between the three cultivated Brassica diploids and Orychophragmusviolaceus

It has been proposed that both complete and partial separation of the parental genomes during mitosis and meiosis occurs in the intergeneric hybrids between Orychophragmus violaceus (2n=24) and the three cultivated Brassica tetraploids (B. napus, B. carinata and B. juncea). The hypothesis has been that this and the variations in chromosome numbers of these hybrids and their progenies result from the different roles of the A, B and C genomes originating from Brassica. To test this hypothesis, we produced hybrids between O. violaceus and the cultivated Brassica diploids. The hybrids with B. oleracea (2n=18, CC) had an intermediate morphology, but their petals were purple like those of O. violaceus. They were sterile and had the expected chromosome number (2n=21) in their mitotic and meiotic cells. The hybrid with B. campestris (2n=20, AA) was morphologically intermediate, except for its partial fertility and its yellow petals, which were similar to those of B. campestris. It was mixoploid (2n=23–42), and cells with 2n=34 were most frequent. Partial separation of parental genomes during mitosis, leading to the addition of O. violaceus chromosomes to the B. campestris complement, was proposed to explain the findings in the mitotic and meiotic cells of the hybrid and its progeny. In crosses with B. nigra (2n=16, BB), the majority of the F₁ plants were of the maternal type (2n=16), a small fraction had B. nigra morphology but were mixoploids (2n=16–18), predominantly with 2n=16 cells and three plants, each with a specific morphology, were mixoploids consisting of cells with varying ranges of chromosome numbers (2n=17–26, 11–17 and 14–17). The origin of these different types of plants was inferred to be a result of the complete and partial separation of parental genomes and the loss of O. violaceus chromosomes. Our findings in the three crosses suggest that the A genome was more influential than the C genome with respect to complete genome separation during mitosis and meiosis of the hybrids with B. napus. Possible complete and partial genome separation during mitotic divisions of the hybrids with B. carinata was mainly attributed to the role of the B genome. The combined roles of the A and B genomes would thus contribute to the most variable chromosome numbers of mitotic and meiotic cells in the hybrids with B. juncea and their progenies. The possible cytological mechanisms pertaining to these hybrids and the potential of genome separation in the production of Brassica aneuploids and homozygous plants are discussed. Received: 8 February 1998 / Accepted: 12 March 1999     

Production and cytogenetics of the intergeneric hybrids Brassica juncea×Orychophragmus violaceus and B. carinata×O. violaceus

 Intergeneric hybrids between Brassica juncea (2n=36), B. carinata (2n=34) and Orychophragmus violaceus (2n=24) were produced when B. juncea and B. carinata cultivars were used as female parents. The hybrids between B. juncea and O. violaceus had an intermediate morphology except for petal colour and were partially fertile. The hybrids between B. carinata and O. violaceus had a matroclinous morphology and were nearly fertile. Cytological analysis of the hybrids and their progenies gave the following results. (1) In the hybrids between B. juncea and O. violaceus, the somatic tissues of the roots, leaves and styles were mixoploid (2n=12–42), and cells with 24, 30 or 36 chromosomes were the most frequent. Based on the recorded numbers and behaviour of the mitotic and meiotic chromosomes, complete and partial separation of the parental genomes was proposed to have occurred during mitosis. This resulted in the occurrence of cells with possibly complete and incomplete complements of the parental species and cells with parental complements and some additional chromosomes from the other parent. (2)  Pollen mother cells (PMCs) possibly with both parental chromosome complements, only B. juncea chromosomes or a complete B. juncea complement with additional O. violaceus chromosomes were more competitive in entering meiosis. The majority of fertile gametes were deduced to have been produced by PMCs with a B. juncea complement with or without additional O. violaceus chromosomes. (3) The progeny plants from selfed hybrids between B. juncea and O. violaceus were morphologically either of a B. juncea, hybrid or variable type. Cytologically they were grouped into six types according to the frequencies of cells with various chromosome numbers. All of the plants except 2 which constituted two types, were mixoploids, composed of cells with various chromosome numbers, mainly in a certain serial range. (4) The hybrid plants between B. carinata and O. violaceus were mixoploids with chromosome numbers in the range of 12–34, and cells with 2n=34 were the most frequent. The main categories of PMCs with 17 bivalents at metaphase I and 17 : 17 segregations at anaphase I contributed to the high fertility of the hybrids and the fact that their progeny after selfing were mainly plants with 2n=34. Somatic and meiotic separation of the parental genomes was proposed to have occurred in the hybrids between B. carinata and O. violaceus. (5) Mitotic and meiotic elimination of what could be O. violaceus chromosomes might also have contributed to the observed mitotic and meiotic cell types in the two kinds of hybrids studied. Finally, the possible mechanisms behind these cytological observations and their potential in the production of Brassica aneuploids were discussed. Received: 4 February 1997/Accepted: 29 July 1997     

甘蓝型油菜与诸葛菜属间杂种无性系的变异研究

从形态及细胞学两方面对甘蓝型油菜与诸葛菜属间杂种无性系的变异进行了研究。经过长期继代培养后,杂种在形态上越来越偏向母本甘蓝型油菜,而表现出较少的父本诸葛菜性状,但表现出对等双分枝的新性状。经细胞学观察表明,杂种体内杂种细胞比例下降,而甘蓝型油菜细胞比例大幅度上升并远高于核质杂种细胞（具有油菜细胞质与诸葛菜细胞核）的比例,以至较多的甘蓝型油菜染色体组被遗传下去。在该杂种继代培养中还观察到杂种细胞内的染色体消除及体细胞配对现象。     

Tripsacum-maize interaction: a novel cytogenetic system

The genera Zea and Tripsacum cross readily when they are not isolated by gametophytic barriers, and it has been postulated that intergeneric introgression played a role in the evolution of maize. The basic x = 9 Tripsacum and x = 10 Zea genomes have little cytological affinity for each other in hybrids that combine 10 Zea with 18 Tripsacum chromosomes. However, one to four Tripsacum chromosomes sometimes associate with Zea chromosomes in hybrids between Z. mays (2n = 20) and T. dactyloides (2n = 72). These hybrids with 10 Zea and 36 Tripsacum chromosomes frequently produce functional female gametes with 36 Tripsacum chromosomes only. When they are pollinated with maize, their offspring again have 36 Tripsacum and 10 maize chromosomes, but the Tripsacum genome is contaminated with maize genetic material. In these individuals, intergenome pairing is the rule, and when they are pollinated with maize, their offspring have 36 Tripsacum and 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, or 20 Zea chromosomes. Plants with 36 Tripsacum and 20 Zea chromosomes behave cytologically as alloploids, although the Tripsacum genome is contimated with maize, and one basic maize genome is contaminated with with Tripsacum genetic material. When they are pollinated with maize, offspring with 18 Tripsacum and 20 Zea chromosome are obtained. Further successive backcrosses with maize selectively eliminate Tripsacum chromosomes, and eventually plants with 2n = 20 Zea chromosomes are recovered. Many of these maize plants are highly "tripsacoid." Strong gametophytic selection for essentially pure Zea gametes, however, eliminates all obvious traces of Tripsacum morphology within a relatively few generations.     

Reproduction and cytogenetic characterization of interspecific hybrids derived from Cucumis hystrix Chakr. x Cucumis sativus L

Interspecific hybrids between Cucumis hystrix Chakr. (2n = 2 x = 24) and Cucumis sativus L. (2n = 2 x = 14) were produced by means of F(1) (2n = 19) embryo rescue and subsequent chromosome doubling. The hybridity was confirmed by genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) and chromosome analysis. The amphidiploid (2n = 38) was self-pollinated and backcrossed to cucumber resulting in lines with improved crossability to C. sativus. Examination of shape, stainability, and germination rate of pollen grains and yield as a function of mature fruit set per ten pollinated flowers indicated a tendency for increased fertility in BC(1)S(1) progeny when compared to F(1) and amphidiploid offspring. Cytogenetic characterization of F(1) and amphidiploid progeny was performed. Generally normal meioses produced viable pollen grains, and fertilization resulted in partial fertility restoration in amphidiploid progeny. Chromosome anomalies such as "frying-pan trivalent", chromosome lagging and spindle mis-orientation were also observed. In most of the PMCs of the F(1) diploid hybrid progeny, 19 univalents were observed at diakinesis and MI. In the amphidiploid, more than 90% of the configurations at MI consisted of the predicted 19 bivalents and less than 5% contained multivalents [trivalents (2.3%) + quadrivalents (0.3%)], suggesting the presence of preferential pairing, and a distinctive parental genome as well. The chiasmata observed between homoeologous chromosomes further demonstrated the introgression of the C. hystrix genome into that of C. sativus.     

节节麦-簇毛麦属间杂种的形态学和细胞遗传学研究

通过远缘杂交,结合杂种幼胚离体培养,获得了节节麦（Aegilops tauschii,2n=14,DD）和簇毛麦（Dasypyrum villosum,2n=14,VV）的属间杂种F1。对杂种F1花粉母细胞减数(PMC)分裂中期Ⅰ (MⅠ)染色体配对行为进行观察发现,“节节麦×簇毛麦”杂种F1平均每PMC有1.25个棒状二价体, 染色体的平均构型为2n=14=11.49Ⅰ+1.25Ⅱ (Xta=1.25), 大部分被观察的细胞出现1～5个二价体, 表明节节麦D染色体与簇毛麦V染色体间具有相对较高的部分同源配对, D和V染色体之间存在一定的部分同源性。F1植株高度自交不育,经染色体加倍处理后能够自交结实。Abstract: ‘Aegilops tauschii×Dasypyrum villosum’ F1 hybrids were obtained by the combination of hybridization and embryo culture in vitro. Chromosome pairing behavior in meiosis of the hybrid F1 was carried out. Results showed that in an average , 1.25 rod bivalents were observed in one PMC, meiotic configuration was 2n=14=11.49Ⅰ+1.25Ⅱ(Xta=1.25) and most of PMCs possessed 1～5(rod) bivalens, indicating that the relatively high homeology was detected between the D genome of Ae.tauschii and the V genome of D.villosum. The morphological differences between F1 hybrids and their parents were significant. F1 plants were highly self-sterile, but partially self-fertile after treated by chromosome doubling technique.     

普通小麦×根茎冰草×黑麦三属杂种自交可育性的细胞学机理

普通小麦（ＴｒｉｔｉｃｕｍａｅｔｉｖｕｍＬ．,２ｎ＝６ｘ＝４２;ＡＡＢＢＤＤ）和根茎冰草（ＡｇｒｏｐｙｒｏｎｍｉｃｈｎｏｉＲｅｓｈｅｖ．,２ｎ＝４ｘ＝２８;ＰＰＰＰ）间的Ｆ１杂种（２ｎ＝５ｘ＝３５：ＡＢＤＰＰ）与两个黑麦（ＳｅｃａｌｅｃｅｒｅａｌｅＬ．,２ｎ＝２ｘ＝１４;ＲＲ）品种杂交,产生了自交可育的三属杂种。经细胞学研究表明,这种自交可育性是由于在某些细胞中通过两种方式发生了第一次减数分裂的失败,即单价染色体在赤道板发生分裂和单价染色体在一极的聚集,从而异致了有功能的雌、雄配子的形成。有功能配子的形成受染色体配对频率、基因型和环境状况的影响。冰草属的Ｐ染色体组存在染色体分离的控制基因,从而引起含有冰草属的杂种能够形成有功能的配子且自交可育。     

Molecular-genetic analysis of wheat (T. aestivum L.) genome with introgression of Ae. cylindrica Host genetic elements

Wheat-aegilops hybrid plants Triticum aestivum L. (2n = 42) x Aegilops cylindrica Host (2n = 28) were investigated with using microsatellite markers. In two BC1F9 lines some genome modifications connected with losing DNA fragments of initial variety or appearing of Aegilops genome elements were detected. In some investigated hybrids new amplicons lacking in parental plants were found. Substitution of wheat chromosomes for aegilops chromosomes was not revealed. Analysis of microsatellite loci in BC2F5 plants showed stable introgression of aegilops genetic elements into wheat; elimination of some transferred aegilops DNA fragments in the course of backcrossing; decreasing size of introgressive elements after backcrossing. Introgressive lines were classified according to genome changes.     

Tracing B-genome chromatin in Brassica napus x B. juncea interspecific progeny.

We used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) techniques to demonstrate the presence of Brassica B-genome chromosomes and putative B-genome introgressions in B. napus x B. juncea interspecific progeny. The B-genome--specific repeat sequence pBNBH35 was used to generate PCR products and FISH probes. The highest frequencies of viable progeny were obtained when B. napus was the maternal parent of the interspecific hybrid and the first backcross. B-genome--positive PCR assays were found in 34/51 fertile F2 progeny (67%), which was more than double the proportion found in fertile BC(1) progeny. Four B-genome--positive F(2)-derived families and 1 BC(1)-derived family were fixed or segregating for B. juncea morphology in the F(4) and BC(1)S(2), respectively, but in only 2 of these families did B. juncea-type plants exhibit B. juncea chromosome count (2n = 36) and typical B-genome FISH signals on 16 chromosomes. The remaining B. juncea-type plants had B. napus chromosome count (2n = 38) and no B-genome FISH signals, except for 1 exceptional F(4)-derived line that exhibited isolated and weak B-genome FISH signals on 11 chromosomes and typical A-genome FISH signals. B. juncea morphology was associated with B-genome--positive PCR signals but not necessarily with 16 intact B-genome chromosomes as detected by FISH. B-genome chromosomes tend to be eliminated during selfing or backcrossing after crossing B. juncea with B. napus, and selection of lines containing B-genome chromatin during early generations would be promoted by use of this B-genome repetitive marker.     

Cytogenetic studies on two F1 hybrids of autotetraploid rice varieties showing extremely high level of heterosis

Mechanisms of two F1 hybrids (D46A × DTP-4 and D46A × Dminghui63) of autotetraploid rice (2n = 4x = 48) showing extremely high pollen fertility 87.40% and 85.97%, respectively, seed set 82.00% and 79.00%, respectively and extremely high level of heterosis were analyzed cytologically. The chromosome pairing of D46A × DTP-4 and D46A × Dminghui63 was normal at metaphase I(MI), and had almost no I or III, with an average of 0.020I +14.36 II 6.44rod+7.91ring) +0.01III + 4.80 IV + 0.01VIII and 0.06 I + 17.67 II (11.01rod + 6.67ring)] + 0.06 III +3.10IV+0.01VI, respectively. The most frequent chromosome configurations were 10II+7IV and 12II+bIV. The bivalent frequency was less frequent in hybrids than that in restoring parents, and the same results were gained from univalents, trivalent and multivalents. However, the quadrivalent frequency was significantly higher in hybrids than that in restoring parents at MI. The other meiotic phases progressed normally, except for low percentages of PMCs with lagging chromosomes at AI and low percentages of PMCs with micronuclei at telophaseI (TI) and telophaseII (TII). PMCs with lagging chromosomes at AI and PMCs with micronuclei at TI and TII showed negative correlation between pollen fertility and seed set. Above 90% of the PMCs could form normal microspores, which resulted in the production of viable pollen grains, abnormal microspores were observed including penta-fission and hexa-fission. Based on these results we suggest that the two F1 hybrids had better behaviors of chromosome pairing and genetic stability than autotetraploid rice and other autotetraploid plants ever studied.     

Genome discrimination in progeny of interspecific hybrids between Brassica napus and Raphanus raphanistrum.

Genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) applied to the F1 interspecific hybrid between oilseed rape (Brassica napus, AACC, 2n = 38) and wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum, RrRr, 2n = 18) showed the predicted 19 chromosomes from B. napus and 9 chromosomes from R. raphanistrum. The very low female fertility of these interspecific hybrids when backcrossed to R. raphanistrum led to only two descendants. Their chromosome number varied between 45 and 48. Both of these progenies showed only 9 chromosomes from R. raphanistrum and 36-39 chromosomes from B. napus. These results indicate the efficiency and limits of GISH as a suitable tool to assess and interpret the behavior of chromosomes after such interspecific crosses. The unexpected chromosome combination is discussed.     

Production and characterization of intertribal somatic hybrids of Raphanus sativus and Brassica rapa with dye and medicinal plant Isatis indigotica

Intertribal somatic hybrids of Raphanus sativus (2n = 18, RR) and Brassica rapa spp. chinensis (2n = 20, AA) with the dye and medicinal plant Isatis indigotica (2n = 14, I I) were firstly obtained by polyethylene glycol-induced symmetric fusions of mesophyll protoplasts. One mature hybrid with R. sativus established in field had intermediate morphology but was totally sterile. It had the expected chromosome number (2n = 32, RRI I) and parental chromosomes were distinguished by genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) analysis, and these chromosomes were paired as 16 bivalents in pollen mother cells (PMCs) at diakinesis and mainly segregated equally as 16:16 at anaphase I (A I), but the meiotic disturbance in second division was obvious. Five mature hybrids with B. rapa established in field were morphologically intermediate but showed some differences in phenotypic traits and fertility, two were partially fertile. Cytological and GISH investigations revealed that these hybrids had 2n = 48 with AAIIII complement and their PMCs showed normal pairing of 24 bivalents and mainly equal segregation 24:24, but meiotic abnormalities of lagging chromosomes and micronuclei appeared frequently during second divisions. AFLP analysis showed that all of these hybrids had mainly the DNA banding pattern from the addition of two parents plus some alterations. Some hybrids should be used for the genetic improvement of crops and the dye and medicinal plant.