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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Biological Control of Pests Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #275603
Title: Identification of fertiity restores for S male-sterile maize: beyond PPRs

Author
item CHASE, CHRISTINE - University Of Florida
item WILLIAMS-CARRIER, ROSALIND - University Of Florida
item BARKAN, ALICE - University Of Oregon
item FEOLE, MICHELLE - University Of Florida
item HANNAH, L.CURT - University Of Florida
item Zhao, Liming
item KAMPS, TERRY - State University Of New York (SUNY)
item GABAY-LAUGHNAN, SUSAN - University Of Illinois

Submitted to: Annual International Plant & Animal Genome Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/4/2011
Publication Date: 1/18/2012
Citation: Chase, C., Williams-Carrier, R., Barkan, A., Feole, M., Hannah, L., Zhao, L., Kamps, T., Gabay-Laughnan, S. 2012. Identification of fertiity restores for S male-sterile maize: beyond PPRs. Annual International Plant & Animal Genome Conference. PAGXX: 1813. http://pag.confex.com/pag/xx/webprogram/Paper1813.html.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Nuclear genes are essential for expression of the mitochondrial genome and for the function of mitochondrial protein complexes. Interaction of the plant mitochondrial and nuclear genetic systems is exemplified by mitochondrial-encoded cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) under the control of nuclear fertility restoration (restorer) genes. Most restorer genes cloned to date encode pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins that regulate post-transcriptional expression of mitochondrial CMS genes. Restorer PPR genes have evolved specificity for CMS gene silencing, in contrast to the majority of PPR genes with functions central to organelle gene expression. The CMS-S system of maize is characterized by a pollen collapse phenotype, and by numerous restorer mutations that rescue pollen function but condition homozygous-lethal seed phenotypes. A collection of restorer mutants was recovered from Mutator (Mu) transposon-active, CMS-S lines. Profiling mitochondrial proteins and transcripts in normal-cytoplasm and restored, CMS-S pollen associated several non-allelic mutants with post-transcriptional failure to accumulate mitochondrial-encoded respiratory subunits. Illumina sequencing of Mu-flanking regions demonstrated the co-segregation of one restorer mutation with a Mu insertion in a gene encoding the mitochondrial-targeted ribosomal protein L6. Restorer mutations therefore rescue CMS-S pollen by disrupting central features of mitochondrial gene expression that are expendable in pollen but essential for seed development. CMS-S fertility restoration affords a novel genetic screen that can be used to investigate the nuclea