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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stuttgart, Arkansas » Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #297691
Title: Characterization of an RNase Z nonsense mutation identified exclusively in environment-conditioned genic male sterile rice

Author
item ZHANG, HUA - Zhejiang University
item HUANG, JIAN - Zhejiang University
item LIU, QING - Zhejiang Academy Of Agricultural Sciences
item NAWAZ, ZARQA - Zhejiang University
item LU, HAI - Zhejiang University
item GONG, JUN - China National Rice Research Institute
item ZHU, YU - China National Rice Research Institute
item Yan, Wengui
item SHU, QING - Zhejiang University

Submitted to: Molecular Breeding
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/7/2014
Publication Date: 2/19/2014
Citation: Zhang, H.L., Huang, J.Z., Liu, Q.L., Nawaz, Z., Lu, H.P., Gong, J.Y., Zhu, Y.J., Yan, W., Shu, Q.Y. 2014. Characterization of an RNase Z nonsense mutation identified exclusively in environment-conditioned genic male sterile rice. Molecular Breeding. 34:481-489. doi: 10.1007/s11032-014-0051-1.

Interpretive Summary: The two-line system for production of hybrid rice depends on environmentally induced male sterility (EGMS) due to either photoperiod (PGMS), or temperature (TGMS), or both (PTGMS). The influence of temperature makes EGMS hybrid rice breeding and seed production difficult because the environmental conditions can be irregular during critical growth stages. Furthermore, up to 18 EGMS genes have been mapped but it is unclear if some of these are the same or overlapping. This makes it difficult to make effective use of genes in breeding programs. The current study identified a gene mutation exclusively associated with the EGMS trait that was found in 32 EGMS lines, but not in 310 non-EGMS lines. Accordingly, we developed two genetic markers to detect the mutant gene and verified the effectives of the markers. Therefore, these markers can be applied to breeding programs to help select EGMS progenies and improve breeding efficiency and accuracy for developing male sterile lines for use in the two-line system of producing hybrid rice.

Technical Abstract: Two-line system that is becoming more and more important for development of rice hybrids depends on environmentally conditioned genic male sterility (EGMS) due to either photoperiod (PGMS), or temperature (TGMS), or both (PTGMS). Up to 18 EGMS genes have been mapped with two being cloned, but controversies exist. For example, three different genes control the TGMS trait in three cultivars, Annong S-1, Zhu 1S and Guangzhan 63S that have served as the basis for many hybrids. In the present study, we confirmed that these three TGMS genes appeared to be at the same chromosomal region. Then, we took advantage of recent progress on association of a mutant allele (RNZm) of a ribonuclease gene (RNZ) with the TGMS trait found in the variety Guangzhuan 63S. We sequenced the RNZ gene for 14 commercial EGMS and 21 non-EGMS lines, and developed two dCAPS markers that detected the RNZm allele among 32 EGMS and 310 non-EGMS lines. The sequencing and marker analyses demonstrated that the RNZm allele existed exclusively in EGMS lines and was not detected among 331 non-EGMS lines at all. Joint use of two dCAPS markers successfully differentiated the silent RNZm allele in EGMS lines from functional RNZgc or RNZtc alleles in non-EGMS lines. Furthermore, the usefulness of the markers was confirmed in two populations of 2429 individuals that were segregating for sterility. This demonstrates that the two dCAPS markers can be applied to breeding programs to help select TGMS progenies, which will greatly improve the efficiency and accuracy for the two-line system of hybrid rice breeding.