Somatic hybrids between Arabidopsis thaliana and cytoplasmic male-sterile radish (Raphanus sativus)

Distinct Phylogeographic Structures of Wild Radish (Raphanus sativus L. var. raphanistroides Makino) in Japan

Coastal plants with simple linear distribution ranges along coastlines provide a suitable system for improving our understanding of patterns of intra-specific distributional history and genetic variation. Due to the combination of high seed longevity and high dispersibility of seeds via seawater, we hypothesized that wild radish would poorly represent phylogeographic structure at the local scale. On the other hand, we also hypothesized that wild radish populations might be geographically differentiated, as has been exhibited by their considerable phenotypic variations along the islands of Japan. We conducted nuclear DNA microsatellite loci and chloroplast DNA haplotype analyses for 486 samples and 144 samples, respectively, from 18 populations to investigate the phylogeographic structure of wild radish in Japan. Cluster analysis supported the existence of differential genetic structures between the Ryukyu Islands and mainland Japan populations. A significant strong pattern of isolation by distance and significant evidence of a recent bottleneck were detected. The chloroplast marker analysis resulted in the generation of eight haplotypes, of which two haplotypes (A and B) were broadly distributed in most wild radish populations. High levels of variation in microsatellite loci were identified, whereas cpDNA displayed low levels of genetic diversity within populations. Our results indicate that the Kuroshio Current would have contributed to the sculpting of the phylogeographic structure by shaping genetic gaps between isolated populations. In addition, the Tokara Strait would have created a geographic barrier between the Ryukyu Islands and mainland Japan. Finally, extant habitat disturbances (coastal erosion), migration patterns (linear expansion), and geographic characteristics (small islands and sea currents) have influenced the expansion and historical population dynamics of wild radish. Our study is the first to record the robust phylogeographic structure in wild radish between the Ryukyu Islands and mainland Japan, and might provide new insight into the genetic differentiation of coastal plants across islands.

Complete sequence of heterogenous-composition mitochondrial genome (Brassica napus) and its exogenous source

BACKGROUND

Unlike maternal inheritance of mitochondria in sexual reproduction, somatic hybrids follow no obvious pattern. The introgressed segment orf138 from the mitochondrial genome of radish (Raphanus sativus) to its counterpart in rapeseed (Brassica napus) demonstrates that this inheritance mode derives from the cytoplasm of both parents. Sequencing of the complete mitochondrial genome of five species from Brassica family allowed the prediction of other extraneous sources of the cybrids from the radish parent, and the determination of their mitochondrial rearrangement.

RESULTS

We obtained the complete mitochondrial genome of Ogura-cms-cybrid (oguC) rapeseed. To date, this is the first time that a heterogeneously composed mitochondrial genome was sequenced. The 258,473 bp master circle constituted of 33 protein-coding genes, 3 rRNA sequences, and 23 tRNA sequences. This mitotype noticeably holds two copies of atp9 and is devoid of cox2-2. Relative to nap mitochondrial genome, 40 point mutations were scattered in the 23 protein-coding genes. atp6 even has an abnormal start locus whereas tatC has an abnormal end locus. The rearrangement of the 22 syntenic regions that comprised 80.11% of the genome was influenced by short repeats. A pair of large repeats (9731 bp) was responsible for the multipartite structure. Nine unique regions were detected when compared with other published Brassica mitochondrial genome sequences. We also found six homologous chloroplast segments (Brassica napus).

CONCLUSIONS

The mitochondrial genome of oguC is quite divergent from nap and pol, which are more similar with each other. We analyzed the unique regions of every genome of the Brassica family, and found that very few segments were specific for these six mitotypes, especially cam, jun, and ole, which have no specific segments at all. Therefore, we conclude that the most specific regions of oguC possibly came from radish. Compared with the chloroplast genome, six identical regions were found in the seven mitochondrial genomes, which show that the Brassica family has a stable chloroplast-derived source.

Production and characterization of intertribal somatic hybrids of Raphanus sativus and Brassica rapa with dye and medicinal plant Isatis indigotica

Intertribal somatic hybrids of Raphanus sativus (2n = 18, RR) and Brassica rapa spp. chinensis (2n = 20, AA) with the dye and medicinal plant Isatis indigotica (2n = 14, I I) were firstly obtained by polyethylene glycol-induced symmetric fusions of mesophyll protoplasts. One mature hybrid with R. sativus established in field had intermediate morphology but was totally sterile. It had the expected chromosome number (2n = 32, RRI I) and parental chromosomes were distinguished by genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) analysis, and these chromosomes were paired as 16 bivalents in pollen mother cells (PMCs) at diakinesis and mainly segregated equally as 16:16 at anaphase I (A I), but the meiotic disturbance in second division was obvious. Five mature hybrids with B. rapa established in field were morphologically intermediate but showed some differences in phenotypic traits and fertility, two were partially fertile. Cytological and GISH investigations revealed that these hybrids had 2n = 48 with AAIIII complement and their PMCs showed normal pairing of 24 bivalents and mainly equal segregation 24:24, but meiotic abnormalities of lagging chromosomes and micronuclei appeared frequently during second divisions. AFLP analysis showed that all of these hybrids had mainly the DNA banding pattern from the addition of two parents plus some alterations. Some hybrids should be used for the genetic improvement of crops and the dye and medicinal plant.