Mitochondrial gene in the nuclear genome induces reproductive barrier in rice.

Abstract

Hybrid incompatibility in F(1) hybrids or later generations is often observed as sterility or inviability. This incompatibility acts as postzygotic reproductive isolation, which results in the irreversible divergence of species. Here, we show that the reciprocal loss of duplicated genes encoding mitochondrial ribosomal protein L27 causes hybrid pollen sterility in F(1) hybrids of the cultivated rice Oryza sativa and its wild relative O. glumaepatula. Functional analysis revealed that this gene is essential for the later stage of pollen development, and distribution analysis suggests that the gene duplication occurred before the divergence of the AA genome species. On the basis of these results, we discuss the possible contribution of the "founder effect" in establishing this reproductive barrier.

• Authors: Yoshiyuki Yamagata, Eiji Yamamoto, Kohichiro Aya, Khin Thanda Win, Kazuyuki Doi, Sobrizal, Tomoko Ito, Hiroyuki Kanamori, Jianzhong Wu, Takashi Matsumoto, Makoto Matsuoka, Motoyuki Ashikari, Atsushi Yoshimura
• Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A) Vol. 107 Issue 4 Pg. 1494-9 (Jan 26 2010) ISSN: 1091-6490 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 20080642 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Topics

• Alleles
• Cell Nucleus (genetics)
• Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
• Genes, Mitochondrial
• Genetic Variation
• Genome, Plant
• Microscopy, Electron
• Molecular Sequence Data
• Oryza (genetics, growth & development, ultrastructure)
• Plant Infertility
• Pollen (genetics, growth & development, ultrastructure)