Alterations in DNA methylation and genome structure in two rice mutant lines induced by high pressure

By using high-pressure treatment, two mutant lines were obtained from a genetically stable japonica rice cultivar Bijing38. Genomic DNA of the mutant lines, together with the original line (Bijing38), was either undigested or digested by Hpa II/Msp I, and then subjected to molecular analy-sis using two markers, ISSR and RAPD. Results indicated that changes in the PCR amplification pro-files of both markers are apparent in the two mutant lines compared with the original rice cultivar, suggesting that there had been both sequence changes and DNA methylation modifications in the mutant lines. Southern blot analysis using diverse sequences, including two cellular genes (S2 and S3), a set of retrotransposons (Osr7, Osr36, Tos19 and more), and a MITE transposon family (mPing and Pong), confirmed the results, and indicated that changes in DNA methylation pattern, genomic structure, and possible activation of some transposons indeed occurred in the mutant lines. Moreover, these changes are stably maintained through selfed generations and in different organs. Thus, our results indicate that it is possible to obtain stable mutants in rice by high pressure treatments, and the molecular basis of the mutants may include both genetic and epigenetic changes. Therefore, high hydrostatic pressure seems a promising approach for plant mutagenesis.