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Map‐based cloning of a fertility restorer gene, Rf‐1 , in rice ( Oryza sativa L.)
Author(s) -
Komori Toshiyuki,
Ohta Shozo,
Murai Nobuhiko,
Takakura Yoshimitsu,
Kuraya Yoshiki,
Suzuki Shoichi,
Hiei Yukoh,
Imaseki Hidemasa,
Nitta Naoto
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
the plant journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.058
H-Index - 269
eISSN - 1365-313X
pISSN - 0960-7412
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-313x.2003.01961.x
Subject(s) - pentatricopeptide repeat , cytoplasmic male sterility , biology , oryza sativa , genetics , gene , sterility , hybrid seed , intron , botany , hybrid , rna editing
Summary A rice nuclear gene, Rf‐1 , restores the pollen fertility disturbed by the BT‐type male sterile cytoplasm, and is widely used for commercial seed production of japonica hybrid varieties. Genomic fragments carrying Rf‐1 were identified by conducting chromosome walking and a series of complementation tests. Isolation and analysis of cDNA clones corresponding to the fragments demonstrated that Rf‐1 encodes a mitochondrially targeted protein containing 16 repeats of the 35‐aa pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) motif. Sequence analysis revealed that the recessive allele, rf‐1 , lacks one nucleotide in the putative coding region, presumably resulting in encoding a truncated protein because of a frame shift. Rice Rf‐1 is the first restorer gene isolated from cereal crops that has the property of reducing the expression of the cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS)‐associated mitochondrial gene like many other restorer genes. The present findings may facilitate not only elucidating the mechanisms of male sterility by the BT cytoplasm and its restoration by Rf‐1 but also isolating other restorer genes from cereal crops, especially rice.