Genetic Mapping of the HLA1 Locus Causing Hybrid Lethality in Nicotiana Interspecific Hybrids.

Hybrid lethality, a postzygotic mechanism of reproductive isolation, is a phenomenon that causes the death of F1 hybrid seedlings. Hybrid lethality is generally caused by the epistatic interaction of two or more loci. In the genus Nicotiana, N. debneyi has the dominant allele Hla1-1 at the HLA1 locus that causes hybrid lethality in F1 hybrid seedlings by interaction with N. tabacum allele(s). Here, we mapped the HLA1 locus using the F2 population segregating for the Hla1-1 allele derived from the interspecific cross between N. debneyi and N. fragrans. To map HLA1, several DNA markers including random amplified polymorphic DNA, amplified fragment length polymorphism, and simple sequence repeat markers, were used. Additionally, DNA markers were developed based on disease resistance gene homologs identified from the genome sequence of N. benthamiana. Linkage analysis revealed that HLA1 was located between two cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence markers Nb14-CAPS and NbRGH1-CAPS at a distance of 10.8 and 10.9 cM, respectively. The distance between these markers was equivalent to a 682 kb interval in the genome sequence of N. benthamiana.

Two Nicotiana occidentalis accessions enable gene identification for Type II hybrid lethality by the cross to N. sylvestris.

Hybrid lethality, meaning the death of F1 hybrid seedlings, has been observed in many plant species, including Nicotiana. Previously, we have revealed that hybrids of the selected Nicotiana occidentalis accession and N. tabacum, an allotetraploid with S and T genomes, exhibited lethality characterized by the fading of shoot color. The lethality was suggested to be controlled by alleles of loci on the S and T genomes derived from N. sylvestris and N. tomentosiformis, respectively. Here, we extended the analysis of hybrid lethality using other two accessions of N. occidentalis identified from the five tested accessions. The two accessions were crossed with N. tabacum and its two progenitors, N. sylvestris and N. tomentosiformis. After crosses with N. tabacum, the two N. occidentalis accessions yielded inviable hybrid seedlings whose lethality was characterized by the fading of shoot color, but only the T genome of N. tabacum was responsible for hybrid lethality. Genetic analysis indicated that first-mentioned N. occidentalis accession carries a single gene causing hybrid lethality by allelic interaction with the S genome.

HWA1- and HWA2-Mediated Hybrid Weakness in Rice Involves Cell Death, Reactive Oxygen Species Accumulation, and Disease Resistance-Related Gene Upregulation.

Hybrid weakness is a type of reproductive isolation in which F1 hybrids of normal parents exhibit weaker growth characteristics than their parents. F1 hybrid of the Oryza sativa Indian cultivars 'P.T.B.7' and 'A.D.T.14' exhibits hybrid weakness that is associated with the HWA1 and HWA2 loci. Accordingly, the aim of the present study was to analyze the hybrid weakness phenotype of the 'P.T.B.7' × 'A.D.T.14' hybrids. The height and tiller number of the F1 hybrid were lower than those of either parent, and F1 hybrid also exhibited leaf yellowing that was not observed in either parent. In addition, the present study demonstrates that SPAD values, an index correlated with chlorophyll content, are effective for evaluating the progression of hybrid weakness that is associated with the HWA1 and HWA2 loci because it accurately reflects degree of leaf yellowing. Both cell death and H2O2, a reactive oxygen species, were detected in the yellowing leaves of the F1 hybrid. Furthermore, disease resistance-related genes were upregulated in the yellowing leaves of the F1 hybrids, whereas photosynthesis-related genes tended to be downregulated. These results suggest that the hybrid weakness associated with the HWA1 and HWA2 loci involves hypersensitive response-like mechanisms.

Nicotiana suaveolens accessions with different ploidy levels exhibit different reproductive isolation mechanisms in interspecific crosses with Nicotiana tabacum.

Reproductive isolation, including prezygotic and postzygotic barriers, is a mechanism that separates species. Many species in the Nicotiana section Suaveolentes exhibit reproductive isolation in crosses with Nicotiana tabacum. In this study, we investigated whether the chromosome numbers and ploidy levels of eight Nicotiana suaveolens accessions are related to the reproductive isolation after crosses with N. tabacum by flow cytometry and chromosome analyses. Additionally, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of the eight N. suaveolens accessions were sequenced and compared with the previously reported sequences of 22 Suaveolentes species to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships in the section Suaveolentes. We revealed that four N. suaveolens accessions comprised 64 chromosomes, while the other four accessions carried 32 chromosomes. Depending on the ploidy levels of N. suaveolens, several types of reproductive isolation were observed after crosses with N. tabacum, including decreases in the number of capsules and the germination rates of hybrid seeds, as well as hybrid lethality and abscission of enlarged ovaries at 12-17 days after pollination. A phylogenetic analysis involving ITS sequences divided the eight N. suaveolens accessions into three distinct clades. Based on the results, we confirmed that N. suaveolens accessions vary regarding ploidy levels and reproductive isolation mechanisms in crosses with N. tabacum. These accessions will be very useful for revealing and characterizing the reproductive isolation mechanisms in interspecific crosses and their relationships with ploidy levels.

Protocol for Producing Synthetic Polyploid Oats.

A protocol to produce synthetic oats by introducing alien genetic variations into cultivated oats is proposed based on suitable genetic relationships between Avena species. Furthermore, artificial hybridization procedures between different ploidy species are explained. Amphiploids can be produced by rescuing aborted embryos and treating the F1 hybrids with colchicine to overcome sterility between interspecific plants. Furthermore, I present the cytological methods for observing somatic and meiotic chromosomes in the treated hybrids.

Genomic and polyploid evolution in genus Avena as revealed by RFLPs of repeated DNA sequences.

Phylogenetic relationships and genome affinities were investigated by utilizing all the biological Avena species consisting of 11 diploid species (15 accessions), 8 tetraploid species (9 accessions) and 4 hexaploid species (5 accessions). Genomic DNA regions of As120a, avenin, and globulin were amplified by PCR. A total of 130 polymorphic fragments were detected out of 156 fragments generated by digesting the PCR-amplified fragments with 11 restriction enzymes. The number of fragments generated by PCR-amplification followed by digestion with restriction enzymes was almost the same as those among the three repeated DNA sequences. A high level of genetic distance was detected between A. damascena (Ad) and A. canariensis (Ac) genomes, which reflected their different morphology and reproductive isolation. The A. longiglumis (Al) and A. prostrata (Ap) genomes were closely related to the As genome group. The AB genome species formed a cluster with the AsAs genome artificial autotetraploid and the As genome diploids indicating near-autotetraploid origin. The A. macrostachya is an outbreeding autotetraploid closely related with the C genome diploid and the AC genome tetraploid species. The differences of genetic distances estimated from the repeated DNA sequence divergence among the Avena species were consistent with genome divergences and it was possible to compare the genetic intra- and inter-ploidy relationships produced by RFLPs. These results suggested that the PCR-mediated analysis of repeated DNA polymorphism can be used as a tool to examine genomic relationships of polyploidy species.