Molecular tagging of genes for brown planthopper resistance and earliness introgressed from Oryza australiensis into cultivated rice, O. sativa

Molecular mapping and genetic analysis of a rice brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens Stål) resistance gene

The brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens Stål, is a serious insect pest of rice (Oryza saliva L.). We have determined the chromosomal location of a BPH resistance gene in rice using SSR and RFLP techniques. A rice line 'B14', derived from the wild rice Oryza latifolia, showed high resistance to BPH. For tagging the resistance gene in 'B14X', an F2 population and a recombinant inbred (RI) population from a cross between Taichung Native 1 and 'B14' were developed and evaluated for BPH resistance. The results showed that a single dominant gene controlled the resistance of 'B14' to BPH. Bulked segregant SSR analysis was employed for identification of DNA markers linked to the resistance gene. From the survey of 302 SSR primer pairs, three SSR (RM335, RM261, RM185) markers linked to the resistance gene were identified. The closest SSR marker RM261 was linked to the resistance gene at a distance of 1.8 cM. Regions surrounding the resistance gene and the SSR markers were examined with additional RFLP markers on chromosome 4 to define the location of the resistance gene. Linkage of RFLP markers C820, R288, C946 with the resistance gene further confirmed its location on the short arm of chromosome 4. Closely linked DNA markers will facilitate selection for resistant lines in breeding programs and provide the basis for map-based cloning of this resistance gene.

A demonstration of a 1:1 correspondence between chiasma frequency and recombination using a Lolium perenne/Festuca pratensis substitution

A single chromosome of the grass species Festuca pratensis has been introgressed into Lolium perenne to produce a diploid monosomic substitution line 2n = 2x = 14. The chromatin of F. pratensis and L. perenne can be distinguished by genomic in situ hybridization (GISH), and it is therefore possible to visualize the substituted F. pratensis chromosome in the L. perenne background and to study chiasma formation in a single marked bivalent. Recombination occurs freely in the F. pratensis/L. perenne bivalent, and chiasma frequency counts give a predicted map length for this bivalent of 76 cM. The substituted F. pratensis chromosome was also mapped with 104 EcoRI/Tru91 and HindIII/Tru91 amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs), generating a marker map of 81 cM. This map length is almost identical to the map length of 76 cM predicted from the chiasma frequency data. The work demonstrates a 1:1 correspondence between chiasma frequency and recombination and, in addition, the absence of chromatid interference across the Festuca and Lolium centromeres.

Characterization of euploid backcross progenies derived from interspecific hybrids between Oryza sativa and O. eichingeri by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis and genomic in situ hybridization (GISH)

Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis and GISH (genomic in situ hybridization) were performed on euploid plants derived from crosses between Oryza sativa (2n = 24, AA) and two brown planthopper-resistant accessions of O. eichingeri (2n = 24, CC). After screening with 164 RFLP markers, 60 of the 67 euploid plants were identified as introgression lines, each carrying 1–6 small O. eichingeri segments integrated on chromosomes 1, 2, 6, or 10. In the somatic chromosome preparations of F1 hybrid, O. eichingeri chromosomes, fluorescing greenish-yellow in the sequential GISH, appeared to be longer and to contain more heterochromatin than O. sativa ones, and this karyotypic polymorphism can be used to detect some introgressed O. eichingeri segments in euploid plants. In addition, GISH identification presented direct evidence for the transfer of small segments from O. eichingeri to O. sativa chromosome(s) which were subsequently recognized according to their condensation pattern, arm ratio, and chromosome length. The present results would contribute to the molecular mapping and selection of O. eichingeri - derived brown planthopper-resistant gene and positive yield QTLs.Key words: Oryza sativa, Oryza eichingeri, introgression lines, RFLP, genomic in situ hybridization (GISH).

Production of transgenic rice with agronomically useful genes: an assessment

Rice is the most important food crop in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Yield enhancement to increase rice production is one of the essential strategies to meet the demand for food of the growing population. Both abiotic and biotic features limit adversely the productivity of rice growing areas. Conventional breeding has been an effective means for developing high yielding varieties, however; it is associated with its own limitations. It is envisaged that recent trends in biotechnology can contribute to the agronomic improvement of rice in terms of yield and nutritional quality as a supplement to traditional breeding methods. Genetic transformation of rice has demonstrated numerous important opportunities resulting in the genetic improvement of existing elite rice varieties and production of new plant types. Significant advances have been made in the genetic engineering of rice since the first transgenic rice plant production in the late 1980s. Several gene transfer protocols have been employed successfully for the introduction of foreign genes to rice. In more than 60 rice cultivars belonging to indica, japonica, javanica, and elite African cultivars, the protocol has been standardized for transgenic rice production. Selection and use of appropriate promoters, selectable markers, and reporter genes has been helpful for development of efficient protocols for transgenic rice in a number of rice cultivars. The present review is an attempt to assess the current state of development in transgenic rice for the transfer of agronomically useful genes, emphasizing the application and future prospects of transgenic rice production for the genetic improvement of this food crop.

Saturation mapping of a gene-rich recombination hot spot region in wheat

Physical mapping of wheat chromosomes has revealed small chromosome segments of high gene density and frequent recombination interspersed with relatively large regions of low gene density and infrequent recombination. We constructed a detailed genetic and physical map of one highly recombinant region on the long arm of chromosome 5B. This distally located region accounts for 4% of the physical size of the long arm and at least 30% of the recombination along the entire chromosome. Multiple crossovers occurred within this region, and the degree of recombination is at least 11-fold greater than the genomic average. Characteristics of the region such as gene order and frequency of recombination appear to be conserved throughout the evolution of the Triticeae. The region is more prone to chromosome breakage by gametocidal gene action than gene-poor regions, and evidence for genomic instability was implied by loss of gene collinearity for six loci among the homeologous regions. These data suggest that a unique level of chromatin organization exists within gene-rich recombination hot spots. The many agronomically important genes in this region should be accessible by positional cloning.

Applications of tagging and mapping insect resistance loci in plants

This review examines how molecular markers can be used to increase our understanding of the mechanisms of plant resistance to insects and develop insect resistant crops. We provide a brief description of the types of molecular markers currently being employed, and describe how they can be applied to identify and track genes of interest in a marker-assisted breeding program. A summary of the work reported in this field of study, with examples in which molecular markers have been applied to increase understanding of the mechanistic and biochemical bases of resistance in potato and maize plant/pest systems, is provided. We also describe how molecular markers can be applied to develop more durable insect-resistant crops. Finally, we identify key areas in molecular genetics that we believe will provide exciting and productive research opportunities for those working to develop insect-resistant crops.

Generation of a YAC contig encompassing the extra glume gene,eg, in rice

We have used DNA markers from a high density molecular map of rice (Oryza sativa) to tag a single gene expressed as a flower morphogenesis mutation, extra glume (eg). Using an F2population segregating for eg, obtained from a cross between IR24 and F136 (eg/eg), we constructed a partial molecular map and located eg relative to restriction fragment length polymorphism markers. The region between two markers appears to span the eg locus on rice chromosome 1 and extends to a genetic length of 3.8 cM. The yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) library obtained from rice variety 'Nipponbare', which carries the wild-type allele of eg, was screened to completely cover the locus by overlapping YAC clones. The eg allele should be contained in two overlapping YACs. YAC size determination by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis indicated that this region has a physical length of approximately 400 kb. We anticipate that the tagging of eg in a relatively short stretch of DNA will allow a molecular characterization of this gene through map-based cloning. Key words : rice, gene tagging, YAC contig, flower morphogenesis, extra glume.

Identification of two RAPD markers tightly linked with the Nicotiana debneyi gene for resistance to black root rot of tobacco

Linkage of randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers with a single dominant gene for resistance to black root rot (Chalara elegans Nag Raj and Kendrick; Syn. Thielaviopsis basicola [Berk. and Broome] Ferraris) of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.), which was transferred from N. debneyi Domin, was investigated in this study. There were 2594 repeatable RAPD fragments generated by 441 primers on DNAs of 'Delgold' tobacco, a BC5F8 near isogenic line (NIL) carrying the resistance gene in a 'Delgold' background, and 'PB19', the donor parent of the resistance gene. Only 7 of these primers produced eight RAPD markers polymorphic between 'Delgold' and 'PB19', indicating there are few RAPD polymorphisms between them despite relatively dissimilar pedigrees. Five of the eight RAPD markers were not polymorphic between 'Delgold' and the NIL. All of these markers proved to be unlinked with the resistance gene in F2 linkage tests. Of the remaining three RAPD markers polymorphic between 'Delgold' and the NIL, two were shown to be strongly linked with the resistance gene; one in coupling and the other in repulsion. Application of the two RAPDs in the elimination of linkage drag associated with the N. debneyi resistance gene and marker-assisted selection for the breeding of new tobacco cultivars with the resistance gene is discussed.

Classification of rice germplasm. I. Analysis using ALP and PCR-based RFLP

The potential of using a PCR-based approach to detect DNA polymorphism for rice germplasm classification was compared with that of Southern-based RFLP analysis. Thirty-five Iranian rice varieties were studied along with 2 typical Indica and 3 typical Japonica varieties. Thirteen mapped RFLP markers were used as hybridization probes against Southern blots containing digests of one restriction endonuclease; 12 of the 13 probes detected polymorphism in the varieties. Fifteen sets of oligonucleotides derived from sequences near the ends of the same probes and of two other mapped probes were used as primers for PCR amplification of total genomic DNA of the varieties. Amplicon length polymorphisms (ALPs) were detected with 6 of the 15 sets of primers. To identify additional polymorphism, the PCR products were digested with nine different restriction endonucleases recognizing 4- or 5-bp DNA sequences and analyzed by gel electrophoresis in agarose and polyacrylamide. RFLPs were detected for 11 sets of primers, due to point mutations and to addition/deletion events that were too small to be detected as ALPs. Because PCR products are easily generated and may be analyzed in detail through the use of restriction endonucleases that cut rice DNA frequently, PCR-based RFLP analysis is a useful tool for the classification of rice germplasm.