A new cytoplasmic male sterile genotype in the sugar beet Beta vulgaris L.: a molecular analysis

Summary Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from fertile (N) and possibly new cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) genotypes was studied in the sugar beet Beta vulgaris L. It was found by restriction endonuclease analysis that BMC-CMS, a cytoplasm that was derived from the wild beet Beta maritima, contained a unique type of mtDNA which is distinguishable from both the N and S-CMS, the only other CMS genotype that is currently availabe in B. vulgaris L. The organization of three genes: coxI, coxII and cob, was analyzed by hybridization with heterologous probes from maize. These genes have a similar structure in N and BMC-CMS that is different from S-CMS. It is concluded that BMC-CMS is a novel CMS genotype in the sugar beet.     

High-rate spontaneous reversion to cytoplasmic male sterility in sugar beet: a characterization of the mitochondrial genomes

Summary Among the fertile sugar beet lines with nuclear sterility maintenance genes, rf, in a homozygous recessive state, sublines capable of reverting spontaneously at a high rate to sterility were identified. Of 24 related fertile sublines studied, 6 were found to spontaneously revert to sterility with a frequency of about 19%. Genetic analysis confirmed the cytoplasmic nature of spontaneously arising sterility. Reversion to sterility in these sublines was accompanied by alterations in the mitochondrial genome structure: loss of the autonomously replicating minicircle c (1.3 kb) and changes in the restriction patterns of high-molecular-weight mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Southern hybridixation analysis with cloned minicircle c as a probe revealed no integration of this DNA molecule into the main mitochondrial and nuclear genomes of the revertants. Comparative BamHI and EcoRI restriction analysis of the mtDNA from the sterile revertants and fertile parental subline showed that the spontaneous reversion is accompanied by extensive genomic rearrangement. Southern blot analysis with cloned -subunit of F₁-ATPase (atpA) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit II (COX II) genes as probes indicated that the changes in mtDNA accompanying spontaneous reversion to sterility involved these regions. The mitochondrial genomes of the spontaneous revertants and the sterile analogue were shown to be identical.     

Variation in mitochondrial translation products in fertile and cytoplasmic male-sterile sugar beets

Summary Intact and functional mitochondria were isolated from sugar beet plants (Beta vulgaris L.) containing normal fertile (F) or cytoplasmic male-sterile (S₁–S₄) cytoplasms. Incorporation of ³⁵S-methionine by mitochondria isolated from both roots and leaves showed approximately 20 major and ten minor translation products. Comparison of the polypeptide synthesis patterns produced by leaf mitochondria from fertile plants of three different species within the genus Beta revealed several taxonomically related differences. Contrary to this, the patterns of polypeptides synthesized by mitochondria from roots and leaves of sugar beet plants containing the F and S₁–S₄ cytoplasms were very similar; in the S₁ and S₂ cytoplasms no qualitative, and only a few quantitative, differences from the F cytoplasm were observed. Thus, in these cases, cytoplasmic male sterility in sugar beet is not correlated with the constitutive expression of variant polypeptides. In the S₃ cytoplasm, however, an additional 6 kDa polypeptide was synthesized and in the S₄ cytoplasm an additional 10 kDa polypeptide was observed when compared with the F cytoplasm. The expression of cytoplasmic male sterility in sugar beet may be associated with these variant polypeptides. The mitochondrial polypeptides synthesized were identical in plants with different nuclear backgrounds but with identical S₁ cytoplasms. Mitochondria from plants with variants of the S₄ cytoplasm in the same nuclear genotype also showed identical patterns of polypeptide synthesis, including the synthesis of the 10 kDa S₄-specific polypeptide. Pulse-chase experiments did not affect the synthesis of this polypeptide.     

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

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

Cytoplasmic male sterility in hybrids of sterile wild beet (Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima) and O-type fertile sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.): molecular analysis of mitochondrial and nuclear genomes

The organization of the mitochondrial genome of B3, B4 and B5generations of hybrids created by backcrossing sterile wild beet Betamaritima with a fertile O-type sugar beet line was studied usingrestriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. Random amplifiedpolymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis was used to study restoration of the fertile(O-type) sugar beet genotype in hybrids after multiple backcrossings.Restriction of mtDNAs from the cytoplasm of B. maritimaandhybrids revealed BamHI, EcoRI andXhoI restriction patterns different from those for sterileand fertile sugar beet lines. The most conspicuous feature of our accession ofsterile wild beet mtDNA was the absence of the 10.7-kbEcoRI fragment detected in the cytoplasm of S-type sterileB. maritima and sugar beet. The hybridization of digestedmtDNAs with coxII, atpA andatp6 homologous probes revealed alterations within thesegene loci that distinguished wild beet and hybrids from sugar beets.Characteristic hybridization profiles for the wild beet and B3, B4 and B5hybrids were observed for all probes regardless of the restrictase used todigest mtDNA. Notable changes in atpA andatp6 genes resulted when probes that comprised the5flanking sequences of these genes and a small part of the coding sequences wereused. RFLP analysis of the sterile B. maritimamitochondrial genome further supported the unique character of this source ofwild beet sterility. The genotypic differences between hybrids and parentalaccessions were determined by scoring PCR-RAPD reaction products for nineselected primers. The diversity of the B. maritimagenotyperesulted in a lower genetic similarity index in comparison with hybrids,sterileand fertile lines of sugar beet. The dendrogram obtained after cluster analysisdistinguished hybrids as a group that differed from wild beet and themaintainersugar beet line used for backcrossing. These results may indicate incompleterestoration of the fertile sugar beet genotype in hybrids.     

Sugar beet BAC library construction and assembly of a contig spanning <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rf1</Emphasis>, a restorer-of-fertility gene for Owen cytoplasmic male sterility

Rf1 is a nuclear gene that controls fertility restoration in cases of cytoplasmic male sterility caused by the Owen cytoplasm in sugar beet. In order to isolate the gene by positional cloning, a BAC library was constructed from a restorer line, NK198, with the genotype Rf1Rf1. The library contained 32,180 clones with an average insert size of 97.8 kb, providing 3.4 genome equivalents. Five AFLP markers closely linked to Rf1 were used to screen the library. As a result, we identified eight different BAC clones that were clustered into two contigs. The gap between the two contigs was filled by chromosome walking. To map the Rf1 region in more detail, we developed five cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) markers from the BAC DNAs identified, and carried out genotyping of 509 plants in the mapping population with the Rf1-flanking AFLP and CAPS markers. Thirteen plants in which recombination events had occurred in the vicinity of the Rf1 locus were identified and used to map the molecular markers relative to each other and to Rf1. In this way, we were able to restrict the possible location of the Rf1 gene to a minimum of six BAC clones spanning an interval of approximately 250 kb. The first two authors contributed equally to this work.     

Reorganization of mitochondrial genomes of cytoplasmic revertants in cms-S inbred line WF9 in maize

Summary Cytoplasmic reversion to fertility in cms-S maize has been previously correlated with changes in mitochondrial genome organization, specifically with loss of the autonomously replicating linear plasmid-like DNAs, S1 and S2, and with accompanying alterations in the high molecular weight mtDNA (main genome) that specifically involved S1 and S2 sequences. These studies, however, dealt with cytoplasmic revertants occurring in the cms-VG M825 inbred line and in the cms-VG M825/Oh07 F₁ hybrid. This paper deals principally with patterns of mitochondrial DNA reorganization accompanying cytoplasmic reversion to fertility in the WF9 inbred line nuclear background. Here the free S1 and S2 plasmid-like DNAs are retained in the revertants. Mitochondrial DNA analysis by Southern hybridization using cloned fragments of S1 and S2 shows altered organization around S-homologous regions in the main mitochondrial genome of revertants as compared with that of the male-sterile parental controls, but the pattern of main genome changes involving these regions differs from that of the cytoplasmic revertants that occurred in M825 and M825/Oh07 backgrounds. Similar experiments using a clone of the cytochrome oxidase I (COX I) gene of maize as a probe indicate that reorganization in this region is also involved in the changes in mtDNA that accompany cytoplasmic reversion to male fertility in cms-S WF9. The heterogeneity in patterns of reorganization of the main mtDNA genome that accompany cytoplasmic reversion in the same and different nuclear backgrounds are discussed in relation to cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS).     

Microsporogenesis and tapetal development in fertile and cytoplasmic male-sterile sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.)

Summary The development of sporogenous and tapetal cells in the anthers of male-fertile and cytoplasmic male-sterile sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) plants was studied using light and transmission electron microscopy. In general, male-sterile anthers showed a much greater variability in developmental pattern than male-fertile anthers. The earliest deviation from normal anther development was observed to occur in sterile anthers at meiotic early prophase: there was a degeneration or irregular proliferation of the tapetal cells. Other early aberrant events were the occurrence of numerous small vesicles in the microspore mother cells (MMC) and a disorganized chromatin condensation. Deviations that occurred in sterile anthers at later developmental stages included: (1) less distinct inner structures in the mitochondria of both MMC and tapetal cells from middle prophase onwards. (2) dilated ER and nuclear membranes at MMC prophase, in some cases associated with the formation of protein bodies. (3) breakdown of cell walls in MMCs and tapetal cells at late meiotic prophase. (4) no massive increase in tapetal ER at the tetrad stage. (5) a general dissolution of membranes, first in the MMC, then in the tapetum. (6) abortion of microspores and the occurrence of a plasmodial tapetum in anthers reaching the microspore stage. (7) no distinct degeneration of tapetal cells after microspore formation. Thus, it seems that the factors that lead to abortive microsporogenesis are structurally expressed at widely different times during anther development. Aberrant patterns are not restricted to the tetrad stage but occur at early prophase.     

Mitochondrial genome organization of the maize cytoplasmic male sterile type T

Summary A complete SmaI, XhoI, BamHI restriction map of the maize mitochondrial genome from the T male sterile cytoplasm (cmsT) of maize has been established. The genome exists in the form of a complex multicircular structure as found for the maize normal (N) type (Lonsdale et al. 1984) where the entire sequence complexity with a content of 540 kb can be arranged on a single circular master chromosome. However, most of the repeats (inverted or direct) present in the maize cmsT genome are different from those found in the maize N genome. Recombinational events between these repeats generate a population of circular molecules rather different from the multipartite organization of the N genome. The mitochondrial genes are dispersed throughout the genome. The open reading frame coding for a 13 kDa polypeptide associated with cytoplasmic male sterility (Dewey et al. 1986, 1987) has also been located on the map.     

Nuclear effect on mitochondrial protein expression of the CMS Owen cytoplasm in sugar beet

In sugar beet, cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is conferred by the Owen mitochondrion (Svulg). In order to find polypeptides specific to this cytoplasm and putatively involved in CMS, we assessed the protein expressions of Svulg and a non-sterilizing mitochondrion (Nvulg) by in organello protein synthesis of mitochondria isolated from leaves. Given the hydrophobicity of mitochondrial translation products, we compared the in organello synthesis polypeptides of both cytoplasms with an acid-base two-dimensional electrophoresis adapted to hydrophobic protein separation. To evaluate the possible effect of nuclear background, we assessed the mitochondrial protein expression in three different nuclear backgrounds by using three near-isogenic-line pairs. While three to four variant polypeptides were revealed for each nuclear context, each variant polypeptide was specific to a nuclear-cytoplasmic context. Although this study did not enable us to unambiguously find any variant polypeptide related to CMS, we did observe an effect of the nucleus on mitochondrial gene expression. Received: 25 April 2000 / Accepted: 17 October 2000     

Genetic analyses supported by molecular methods provide evidence of a new genic (st1) and a new cytoplasmic (st2) male sterility in Allium schoenoprasum L.

Spontaneous mutations leading to male sterility have been described for many different crops and are of great importance to hybrid breeding, provided that their inheritance is resolved. This paper describes an efficient method to characterise male sterilities with respect to cytoplasmic factors that might be causally related to them. The differentiation of cytoplasmic (CMS) and genic (GMS) male sterility is achieved by a specific transfer of nuclear male sterility factors to different cytoplasm types which have previously been distinguished by means of RFLP analyses using mitochondrial gene probes. The nuclear sterility factors of Allium schoenoprasum used, st1 and st2, showed a monogenic recessive inheritance in their original cytoplasms. While st1 was expressed in four different cytoplasm types, st2 did not show itself in a cytoplasm type differing from the original. Therefore, the st1-sterility is a GMS, while a cytoplasmic factor is necessary for the occurrence of st2-sterility. This cytoplasmic factor was verified by a reciprocal cross, and the CMS system was completed by the selection of maintainer genotypes. Neither of these new sterilities were influenced by high temperatures or tetracycline. The benefits of a new CMS system to practical breeding and the advantages and disadvantages of the environmental influences on the expression of male sterility are discussed. Received: 24 November 1999 / Accepted: 3 December 1999     

Analysis of organelle genomes in a somatic hybrid derived from cytoplasmic male-sterile Brassica oleracea and atrazine-resistant B. campestris

Summary An atrazine-resistant, male-fertile Brassica napus plant was synthesized by fusion of protoplasts from the diploid species B. oleracea and B. campestris. Leaf protoplasts from B. oleracea var. italica carrying the Ogura male-sterile cytoplasm derived from Raphanus sativus were fused with etiolated hypocotyl protoplasts of atrazine-resistant B. campestris. The selection procedure was based on the inability of B. campestris protoplasts to regenerate in the media used, and the reduction of light-induced growth of B. oleracea tissue by atrazine. A somatic hybrid plant that differed in morphology from both B. oleracea and B. campestris was regenerated on medium containing 50 M atrazine. Its chromosome number was 36–38, approximately that of B. napus. Furthermore, nuclear ribosomal DNA from this hybrid was a mixture of both parental rDNAs. Southern blot analyses of chloroplast DNA and an assay involving tetrazolium blue indicated that the hybrid contained atrazine-resistant B. campestris chloroplasts. The hybrid's mitochondrial genome was recombinant, containing fragments unique to each parent, as well as novel fragments carrying putative crossover points. Although the plant was female-sterile, it was successfully used to pollinate B. napus.     

Restoration of normal stamen development and pollen formation by fusion of different cytoplasmic male-sterile cultivars of Nicotiana tabacum

Summary Fusion of two cytoplasmic male-sterile cultivars of Nicotiana tabacum, one with N. bigelovii cytoplasm and one with N. undulata cytoplasm, resulted in the restoration of male fertility in cybrid plants. All male-fertile cybrids exhibited fused corollas, which is characteristic for the cultivar with N. undulata cytoplasm, while their stamen structures varied from cybrid to cybrid, some producing stamens with anthers fused to petal-like appendages and one producing stamens of a normal appearance for N. tabacum. Restriction enzyme digestion and agarose gel electrophoresis of mitochondrial DNA showed that mitochondrial DNA of the fertile cybrids was more similar to the male-sterile cultivar with the cytoplasm of N. undulata than to the cultivar with N. bigelovii cytoplasm. Some restriction fragments were unique to the male-fertile cybrids. Comparisons between stamen structure and mitochondrial DNA for eight fertile progeny from one cybrid plant led to the identification of several restriction fragments that appeared at enhanced levels in connection with normal stamen development.     

Molecular characterization of mitochondrial DNA of different subtypes of male-sterile cytoplasms of the sugar beet Beta vulgaris L.

Summary Mitochondrial (mt) DNA from eight cytoplasmic male-sterile (cms) lines of sugar beet from different breeding stations was investigated by restriction fragment analysis and Southern hybridization. All cms lines showed similar but not identical restriction and hybridization signal patterns, readily distinguishable from those of fertile (N) cytoplasm. Digestion of the mtDNA with BamHI, EcoRI, SalI, and XhoI revealed distinct differences between the sterile lines, and six subtypes of the S cytoplasm could be distinguished. Differences between the sterile lines were confirmed by hybridization with a gene probe revealing minor, line-specific hybridization signals. The data presented provide evidence for the existence of considerable variation within the only commercially used source of cms in the sugar beet, the Owen's type of cytoplasm.     

Efficiency of one- and two-stage selection indexes for improvement of net economic merit in White Leghorns

Summary Mitochondrial (mt) and chloroplast (ct) DNAs from sugar beet lines carrying normal and introduced sources of male sterile cytoplasms have been characterized and compared on the basis of restriction enzyme analysis. Normal cytoplasm was shown to contain mt and ctDNAs which differed from those of the male sterile cytoplasms examined in the present investigation. On the other hand, four groups of male sterile cytoplasms could be differentiated by their own characteristic mtDNA digest patterns, while two were separated by ctDNA comparisons. In addition, a greater degree of variability of the mitochondrial genome is suggested. Our results also imply strict maternal inheritance of mt and ctDNAs. Thus, the organelle DNA assay provides a positive and alternative means of identifying various male sterile cytoplasms.