Properties of the Circular Plasmid-like DNA Bl from Mitochondria of Cytoplasmic Male-sterile Rice

Mitochondrial DNA from suspension-cultured cells of the cytoplasmicmale-sterile rice line, A-58 CMS, was shown to contain fourminicircular DNAs. We chose for further examination the largestminicircular DNA, designated Bl. A molecular clone containingthe complete sequence of Bl was constructed and used to probemitochondrial and nuclear genomes by Southern hybridization.No evidence was found for the existence of integrated copiesof Bl in the main mitochondrial genomes of either male-sterileor fertile rice. Sequences homologous to Bl, however, were foundin nuclear genomes of both the male-sterile and the fertilerice. The complete nudeotide sequence of Bl (2,135 bp) was determined,and found to contain sequences homologous to those in the 1,913bp plasmid-like DNA of maize. (Received May 15, 1987; Accepted July 20, 1987)