Meiotic abnormalities underlying pollen sterility in wild potato hybrids and spontaneous populations

Wild potato species are widely distributed in the Americas, where they spontaneously grow in very diverse habitats. These species - with low chromosome differentiation - form polyploid series with 2n = 2x, 3x, 4x and 6x (x =12). They are isolated in nature by external and internal hybridisation barriers that can be incomplete, allowing hybridisation in areas of sympatry. Nevertheless, most accessions in germplasm banks, regardless of genetic background of the sampled spontaneous populations, have been assigned specific categories based on morphological characters. To further investigate the extent of hybridisation in the group and for comparative purposes, pollen viability was estimated in (i) artificial hybrids between a commercial cultivar (Calén INTA) of the common potato (tetraploid Solanum tuberosum ssp. tuberosum) and the tetraploid cytotype of the related wild species S. gourlayi, and (ii) samples of plants (accessions) and inflorescences of natural populations from Argentina, tentatively classified as 'presumed hybrids' (S. infundibuliforme-S. gourlayi) and 'species' (S. infundibuliforme, S. gourlayi and S. chacoense). Regardless of origin, 98 out of 103 plants analysed had zero to 70% pollen viability (zero to 40% in eight of them). Pollen grains were of variable size and morphology and, in mostly male sterile plants, the only viable pollen grains were 2n and/or 4n. Furthermore, male sterile plants shared various abnormalities in meiosis I and II (unpaired chromosomes, unequal chromosome distribution, precocious/lagging chromosomes, parallel, tripolar, fused and multiple spindles, unequal size nuclei, dyads, triads and pentads in addition to normal tetrads, among others). These results provide novel evidence to support field observations of early potato botanists on the extent of spontaneous hybridisation in wild Argentinian potato populations, which is not reflected in the current taxonomy and has significant consequences for germplasm conservation and breeding.     

Changes in abscisic and gibberellic acids contents during the release of potato seed dormancy

Gas chromatographic measurements demonstrated that the content of endogenous gibberellic acid increased and that of abscisic acid decreased during storage of potato seeds, suggesting that the dormancy of the seeds is controlled by the balance between these two hormones. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Use of functional male sterility in seed production of tomato hybrids

The aim of our research is the elaboration of a simple method of tomato hybrid seed production at the development of hybrids F₁ (common and parthenocarpic) on the basis of functional male sterility for ecological conditions of Belarus. The results of study of tomato flowering biology are discussed. The optimal term for pollination without emasculation of functional male sterile forms Z-313 and B-3-1-8 is the 3-6-th days and parthenocarpic functional male sterile forms B-2-2, B-2-5, B-2-6, ą-3, ą-4, Z-1-3 — the 2-4-th days after the phase of yellow-green bud. Forms with short pistil (C-9464, C-3-1, ą-2) may be used in hybrid seed production after the removal of filaments directly before pollination. The existence of a marker gene (potato leaf) gives a good possibility to reject non-hybrid seedlings.     

高等植物胞质雄性不育及育性恢复的分子生物学研究进展

综述了几种植物胞质雄性不育的分子机理研究进展,着重介绍了与细胞质雄性不育相关的线粒体连锁位点的分析及育性恢复的几种假说,并对今后的研究进行了讨论。     

3种小麦细胞质雄性不育系及其杂种线粒体DNA的RFLP分析

对细胞质分别来源于提莫菲维（Ｔ．ｔｉｍｏｔｈｅｅｖｉｉ）,粘果山羊草（Ａｅ．ｋｏｔｓｃｈｙｉ）,偏凸山羊草（Ａｅ．ｖｅｎｙｒｉｃｏｓａ）的３种普通小麦的雄性不育系,相应保持系和恢复系及其上的ｍｔＤＮＡ用１２个线粒体基因探针进行了ＲＦＬＰ分析,结果为：⑴Ｔ、Ｋ、Ｖ型不育系的ｍｔＤＮＡ在组织结构上存在显著差异;⑵Ｔ、Ｋ、Ｖ不育系的ｍｔＤＮＡ与共同的保持系间显著不同,失测ｍｔＤＮＡ与小麦ｃｍｓ有关;⑶在     

The effects of cytoplasmic male sterility on cytonuclear disequilibria in hybrid zones

Male sterility is studied in hybrid zones by different measures of cytonuclear disequilibria, D, D₁, D₂, and D₃. Of particular interest are the dynamics of disequilibria as the system evolves to equilibrium. Our first model, the hybrid swarm model, yields equilibrium results identical to those observed in a model with random mating. In our second model of a hybrid zone, predictions of the sign pattern of disequilibrium values can be made based on migration values. A characteristic sign pattern may help to distinguish cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) from other mechanisms of selection. Our simple CMS model with migration is successfully fit to cytonuclear data on a hybrid population of cottonwoods.     

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.     

Mitochondrial gene expression and cytoplasmic male sterility in sorghum

Variation in sorghum mitochondrial translation products has enabled fertile (Kafir) cytoplasm to be distinguished from Milo cytoplasmic male sterile cytoplasm and from three alternative sources of cytoplasmic male sterile cytoplasm. Mitochondria from Milo cytoplasm synthesised a 65 000 mol. wt. polypeptide which was not synthesised by those from Kafir cytoplasm. In the cytoplasmic male sterile combination of Kafir nucleus in Milo cytoplasm synthesis of this polypeptide was dramatically increased. Mitochondria from two cytoplasmic male sterile lines (Kafir nucleus in IS1112 cytoplasm and Yellow Feterita nucleus in M35-1 cytoplasm) did not synthesise the 65 000 mol. wt. polypeptide but synthesised additional high molecular weight polypeptides (from 54 000 to 82 000 mol. wt.), the major one being 82 000. Mitochondria from cytoplasm IS1112 were also distinguished by synthesis of an additional 12 000 mol. wt. polypeptide. Mitochondria from the cytoplasmic male sterile line Martin nucleus in 9E cytoplasm synthesised an additional 42 000 mol. wt. polypeptide but did not synthesise a 38 000 mol. wt. polypeptide detected in all other cytoplasms. Immunoprecipitation of mitochondrial translation products with antiserum raised against subunit I of yeast cytochrome oxidase tentatively identified the 38 000 mol. wt. polypeptide as subunit I of sorghum cytochrome oxidase. The 42 000 mol. wt. polypeptide was also immuno-precipitated by this antiserum and thus is probably an altered form of cytochrome oxidase subunit I.Analysis of native mitochondrial DNA by agarose gel electrophoresis revealed the presence of two plasmid-like DNA species of molecular weight 5.3 and 5.7 kb in the cytoplasmic male sterile lines Kafir nucleus in cytoplasm IS1112 and Yellow Feterita nucleus in M35-1 cytoplasm. Thus there is a positive correlation between the synthesis of the 82 000 mol. wt. polypeptide and the presence of the additional DNA species.     

转基因雄性不育系及其在杂种种子生产上的应用

雄性不育为农作物杂种优势的利用开辟了一条经济有效的途径。本综述了利用生物技术培育转基因雄性不育的多种策略,以及繁育用作大田配制杂交种的母本雄性不育系的新方法;探讨了其应用于商业化杂种生产的重要性及前景。     

d‐glufosinate as a male sterility agent for hybrid seed production

A chemical male sterility system based on anther‐localized conversion of the inactive d ‐enantiomer of the herbicide, glufosinate (2‐amino‐4‐(methylphosphinyl)‐butanoate) to the phytotoxic l is described. Highly pure d ‐glufosinate was isolated in >98% enantiomeric excess from the racemate via fermentation with a strain of Escherichia coli expressing the PAT (l ‐glufosinate N‐acetyl transferase) gene and purification of the unreacted d ‐enantiomer from the broth by ion exchange. A modified (F58K, M213S) form of the d ‐amino acid oxidase (DAAO) (EC 1.4.3.3) from Rhodosporidium toruloides was designed, tested in vitro and found to efficiently oxidize d ‐glufosinate to its 2‐oxo derivative [2‐oxo‐4‐(methylphosphinyl)‐butanoic acid]. Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plants were transformed to express this modified oxidase under control of the TAP1 tapetum‐specific promoter. A number of the resultant transgenic lines exhibited complete male sterility that persisted for two or more weeks immediately following foliar treatment with 75 or 200 g/ha of d ‐glufosinate without exhibiting obvious phytotoxic symptoms or any measurable decline in female fertility. Similarly, plants containing the same construct and, additionally, a PAT gene expressed from a plastocyanin promoter exhibited significantly reduced male fertility and no reduction in female fertility following foliar application of racemic glufosinate. Thus, foliar application of d ‐glufosinate either purified or as the commercial herbicide, combined with anther expression of a modified DAAO promises to provide a cost‐effective conditional chemical male sterility system with the characteristics necessary for practical F₁ hybrid seed production.     

水稻两种细胞质雄性不育“三系”及其F1杂交种线粒体DNA的RFLP分析

对水稻BT型和WA型细胞质的雄性不育系,相应保持系和恢复系以及杂种的mtDNA用12个线粒体探针进行了RFLP分析,结果如下(1)BT型和WA型不育系的mtDNA在组织结构上存在差异;(2)不育系的mtDNA与其保持系间存在显著差异,推测mtDNA与水稻的cms有关;(3)atp9探针检测到WA型不育系与F1之间的多态性,Frag36探针检测到BT型不育系与F1之间的多态性,Frag9探针检测到WA型和BT型不育系与其F1之间的多态性,证明核恢复基因影响mtDNA的结构;(4)对mtDNA的结构变异与细胞质雄性不育的关系进行了分析与探讨.     

萝卜CMS不育系与保持系小孢子发生的细胞学研究

研究了萝卜胞质雄性不育系A2、A4及其相应保持系B2、B4的小孢子发生与花药壁发育的细胞学特征.结果表明,不育系A2的绒毡层细胞在四分体时期出现异常,小液泡增多,至单核期汇合形成大液泡,绒毡层细胞异常膨大;小孢子外壁染色浅,细胞壁受到破坏,最后与绒毡层一同降解.不育系A4在减数分裂期即表现出异常,绒毡层异常肥大;花药发育后期,小孢子外壁亦染色较浅;绒毡层细胞融合形成细胞团块侵入药室挤压小孢子,两者一同降解.     

Molecular basis of cytoplasmic male sterility and fertility restoration in rice

Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is a maternally inherited trait that causes dysfunctions in pollen and anther development. CMS is caused by the interaction between nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. A product of a CMS-causing gene encoded by the mitochondrial genome affects mitochondrial function and the regulation of nuclear genes, leading to male sterility. In contrast, the RESTORER OF FERTILITY gene (Rf gene) in the nuclear genome suppresses the expression of the CMS-causing gene and restores male fertility. An alloplasmic CMS line is often bred as a result of nuclear substitution, which causes the removal of functional Rf genes and allows the expression of a CMS-causing gene in mitochondria. The CMS/Rf system is an excellent model for understanding the genetic interactions and cooperative functions of mitochondrial and nuclear genomes in plants, and is also an agronomically important trait for hybrid seed production. In this review article, pollen and anther phenotypes of CMS, CMS-associated mitochondrial genes, Rf genes, and the mechanism that causes pollen abortion and its agronomical application for rice are described.     

Variable presence of the 1.94kb mitochondrial plasmid in maize S cytoplasm and its relationship to cytoplasmic male sterility

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was isolated from over 100 different maize nucleo-cytoplasmic combinations. DNA preparations were assayed for the presence of the 1.94kb mitochondrial plasmid by agarose gel electrophoresis and hybridization to a recombinant clone of the plasmid. The plasmid was present in all tested inbreds which carried N, male fertile, cytoplasm or the cytoplasmically male sterile (cms) groups,cms-T andcms-C. However, members of thecms-S group differed with respect to the presence of the plasmid. Cytoplasms I, J and S possessed the plasmid, whereas cytoplasms B, CA, D, G, H, IA, ME, ML, PS, RD and VG did not.Cms-S group lines which had spontaneously reverted to fertility (nuclear and cytoplasmic revertants) did not exhibit a concomitant change in 1.94kb plasmid levels, although all such lines showed the previously reported alteration in levels of the linear mtDNAs, S1 and S2. The presence or absence of the plasmid was not correlated with (i) frequency of reversion to fertility, (ii) the degree of male sterility expressed, (iii) the presence or absence of standard nuclear restorer to fertility genes and (iv) nuclear genotype. Latin American races carrying RU cytoplasm possessed the plasmid, as did sweet corn varieties. The relevance of the data tocms and evolution of thecms-S group is discussed.     

Genetic determination of male sterility in gynodioecious Silene nutans

Gynodioecy, the coexistence of female and hermaphrodite plants within a species, is often under nuclear–cytoplasmic sex determination, involving cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) genes and nuclear restorers. A good knowledge of CMS and restorer polymorphism is essential for understanding the evolution and maintenance of gynodioecy, but reciprocal crossing studies remain scarce. Although mitochondrial diversity has been studied in a few gynodioecious species, the relationship between mitotype diversity and CMS status is poorly known. From a French sample of Silene nutans, a gynodioecious species whose sex determination remains unknown, we chose the four most divergent mitotypes that we had sampled at the cytochrome b gene and tested by reciprocal crosses whether they carry distinct CMS genes. We show that gynodioecy in S. nutans is under nuclear–cytoplasmic control, with at least two different CMSs and up to four restorers with epistatic interactions. Female occurrence and frequency were highly dependent on the mitotype, suggesting that the level of restoration varies greatly among CMSs. Two of the mitotypes, which have broad geographic distributions, represent different CMSs and are very unequally restored. We discuss the dynamics of gynodioecy at the large-scale meta-population level.     

Evaluation under long-day conditions of 4x-2x progenies from crosses between potato cultivars and haploid Tuberosum-Solanum chacoense hybrids

Twelve 4x families (obtained from a sub‐set of crosses between seven 4x‐potato cultivars and three 2x haploid Tuberosum‐Solanum chacoense hybrids) were evaluated at Hancock, Wisconsin (USA). The 4x‐parents were elite cultivars selected for adaptation in three continents (Europe, South America, and North America). The 2x male clones were able to produce 2n‐pollen grains by a mechanism akin to first‐division restitution with crossover (FDR‐CO). The estimation of the degree of heterosis for total tuber yield (TTY) was obtained by comparing the field performance of the progenies with their respective 2x and 4x parents. Haulm maturity (HM) and general tuber appearance (GTA) were also evaluated. For TTY, the 4x‐2x families (as a group) outyielded both the 4x and 2x parental groups by 10.6% and 42.5%, respectively. In addition, 5 out of 12 families outyielded their corresponding 4x‐parents. These best five families outyielded the group of 4x‐parents by 40.6%. A considerable variability was observed for HM but, in general, the families were later maturing than the 4x cultivars. The identification of 4x‐2x families with GTA within the range of the 4x commercial cultivars was another important observation. An overall lack of parent‐offspring correlation was detected indicating that performance of the parents per se cannot provide a reliable prediction about the performance of the families. Therefore, progeny testing would be an imperative step for selection of parental clones at both ploidy levels. Our study indicated that haploid Tuberosum‐S. chacoense hybrids are able to generate heterotic 4x‐2x families for TTY in combination with good GTA. These results reinforce the view that selection of superior clones for the Northern Hemisphere can be feasible using germplasm with ～25% genomic contribution of this wild South American species.     

A cytonuclear incompatibility causes anther sterility in Mimulus hybrids

Multilocus interactions (also known as Dobzhansky-Muller incompatibilities) are thought to be the major source of hybrid inviability and sterility. Because cytoplasmic and nuclear genomes have conflicting evolutionary interests and are often highly coevolved, cytonuclear incompatibilities may be among the first to develop in incipient species. Here, we report the discovery of cytoplasm-dependent anther sterility in hybrids between closely related Mimulus species, outcrossing M. guttatus and selfing M. nasutus. A novel pollenless anther phenotype was observed in F2 hybrids with the M. guttatus cytoplasm (F2G) but not in the reciprocal F2N hybrids, F1 hybrids or parental genotypes. The pattern of phenotypic segregation in the F2G hybrids and two backcross populations fit a Mendelian single-locus recessive model, allowing us to map the underlying nuclear locus to a small region on LG7 of the Mimulus linkage map. Anther sterility was associated with a 20% reduction in flower size in backcross hybrids and we mapped a major cytoplasm-dependent corolla width QTL with its peak at the anther sterility locus. We argue that the cytonuclear anther sterility seen in hybrids reflects the presence of a cryptic cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) and restorer system within the hermaphroditic M. guttatus population and therefore name the anther sterility locus restorer-of-male-fertility (RMF). The genetic mapping of RMF is a first step toward testing hypotheses about the molecular basis, individual fitness consequences, and ecological context of CMS and restoration in a system without stable CMS-restorer polymorphism (i.e., gynodioecy). The discovery of cryptic CMS in a hermaphroditic wildflower further suggests that selfish cytoplasmic evolution may play an important, but often undetected, role in shaping patterns of hybrid incompatibility and interspecific introgression in plants.     

Production of potato intraspecific somatic hybrids with improved tolerance to PVY and Pythium aphanidermatum

Somatic hybridization can be an interesting alternative for the selection of heterozygous and vigorous potato plants through combination of dihaploid genomes. The resulting hybrids can harbour interesting characters and thus can be used in agriculture if they are in agreement with agronomic criteria.

In this report, we used an intraspecific somatic hybridization technique for the production of tetraploid potato lines. Two parental combinations were used in protoplast electrofusion procedure: Aminca-Cardinal and Cardinal-Nicola. The selection of somatic hybrids was based on in vitro plant vigour. Therefore, among the 75 regenerated plants obtained from Aminca-Cardinal fusion, 3 putative hybrids were retained and 2 plant lines were selected among the 54 regenerated from the Cardinal-Nicola fusion. Heterosis was observed in the larger hybrid tuber size compared to the parents’. Our results also showed a precocity in the in vitro tuberization for the hybrids. Moreover, all of the regenerated putative hybrids were tetraploid (2n=4x=48 chromosomes). Isocitrate dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase isoenzyme analyses confirmed the hybrid nature of these lines. A molecular characterization performed by PCR amplification of simple sequence repeats and inter-simple sequence repeats confirmed that all these lines were somatic hybrids.

The effect of potato virus Y infection on these hybrid lines was tested by mechanical inoculation of plants cultivated in a greenhouse. The majority displayed a reduction of infection rate associated with a delayed appearance of symptoms compared to the parents. Moreover, complete resistance was noted for one hybrid line (CN2). All hybrids also showed improved tolerance to Pythium aphanidermatum infection during tuber storage or after plant inoculation.     

Characterization of somatic hybrids of potato by use of RAPD markers and isozyme analysis

Electrofusion of mesophyll protoplasts from two male sterile dihaploid Solanum tuberosum genotypes. DHAK-11 and DHAK-33, was performed. Selection of putative fusion products was based on vigorous callus growth. Regeneration of rooted putative hybrid plants was scored 14 weeks after fusion. Characterization of hybrids was performed by use of morphological assessment, random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), and cytological and isozyme analysis. The rate of regenerated hybrids from callus was ca 6%. Of the putative hybrids, 45% were confirmed as true hybrids. Morphological assessment of the putative hybrids revealed that tetraploid and neartetraploid hybrids were vigorous plants with intermediate characteristics between the two parental phenotypes in respect to internode length, leaf size and shape, and purple pigmentation on the abaxial side of the leaves. Near-hexaploid hybrids were slender plants with small leaves and short petioles. Selected RAPD primers showed unique marker bands for the two parental genotypes. Hybrid plants revealed the unique marker bands from both parents. A total of 53 randomly chosen decamer primers were tested and 26 primers (49%) detected polymorphism between the two dihaploid parentals. Two primers revealed that one parental marker band was missing in two aneuploid hybrids. However, of 51 putative hybrids, a double test with two independently chosen primers showed unequivocally the hybrid character of 23 plants. The ploidy level of the hybrids was analysed by chromosome numbers in root tip cells and by number of guard cell chloroplasts. A strong correlation between the chromosome number and the number of chloroplasts was obtained. The hybrid nature of all RAPD-verified hybrids was confirmed by isozyme analysis with malate dehydrogenase.