Structural changes in the plastid DNA of rice (Oryza sativa L.) during tissue culture

Nuclear and cytoplasmic genome components of Solanum tuberosum + S. chacoense somatic hybrids and three SSR alleles related to bacterial wilt resistance

The somatic hybrids were derived previously from protoplast fusion between Solanum tuberosum and S. chacoense to gain the bacterial wilt resistance from the wild species. The genome components analysis in the present research was to clarify the nuclear and cytoplasmic composition of the hybrids, to explore the molecular markers associated with the resistance, and provide information for better use of these hybrids in potato breeding. One hundred and eight nuclear SSR markers and five cytoplasmic specific primers polymorphic between the fusion parents were used to detect the genome components of 44 somatic hybrids. The bacterial wilt resistance was assessed thrice by inoculating the in vitro plants with a bacterial suspension of race 1. The disease index, relative disease index, and resistance level were assigned to each hybrid, which were further analyzed in relation to the molecular markers for elucidating the potential genetic base of the resistance. All of the 317 parental unique nuclear SSR alleles appeared in the somatic hybrids with some variations in the number of bands detected. Nearly 80 % of the hybrids randomly showed the chloroplast pattern of one parent, and most of the hybrids exhibited a fused mitochondrial DNA pattern. One hundred and nine specific SSR alleles of S. chacoense were analyzed for their relationship with the disease index of the hybrids, and three alleles were identified to be significantly associated with the resistance. Selection for the resistant SSR alleles of S. chacoense may increase the possibility of producing resistant pedigrees.

Maize BMS cultured cell lines survive with massive plastid gene loss

As part of developing an ex planta model system for the study of maize plastid and mitochondrial gene expression, a series of established Black Mexican Sweet (BMS) suspension cell lines was characterized. Although the initial assumption was that their organelle biochemistry would be similar enough to normal in planta cells to facilitate future work, each of the three lines was found to have plastid DNA (ptDNA) differing from control maize plants, in one case lacking as much as 70% of the genome. The other two BMS lines possessed either near-wild-type ptDNA or displayed an intermediate state of gene loss, suggesting that these clonal lines are rapidly evolving. Gene expression profiles of BMS cells varied dramatically from those in maize leaf chloroplasts, but resembled those of albino plants lacking plastid ribosomes. In spite of lacking most plastid gene expression and apparently mature rRNAs, BMS cells appear to import proteins from the cytoplasm in a normal manner. The regions retained in BMS ptDNAs point to a set of tRNA genes universally preserved among even highly reduced plastid genomes, whereas the other preserved regions may illuminate which plastid genes are truly indispensable for plant cell survival.

The plastid clpP gene may not be essential for plant cell viability

The plastid gene clpP is widely regarded as essential for chloroplast function and general plant cell survival. In this note we provide evidence that certain lines of non-photosynthetic maize (Zea mays) Black Mexican Sweet (BMS) suspension cells do not carry clpP in their plastid genomes. We also discuss several incidences in the literature where clpP is either missing or not expressed in other non-green cell lines and plants. We conclude that clpP is not required for general plant cell survival but instead may only be essential for the development and/or function of plastids with active gene expression.