Suppressed expression of Retrograde-Regulated Male Sterility restores pollen fertility in cytoplasmic male sterile rice plants.

ABSTRACT: Conflict/reconciliation between mitochondria and nuclei in plants is manifested by the fate of pollen (viable or nonviable) in the cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS)/fertility restoration (Rf) system. Through positional cloning, we identified a nuclear candidate gene, RETROGRADE-REGULATED MALE STERILITY (RMS) for Rf17, a fertility restorer gene for Chinese wild rice (CW)-type CMS in rice (Oryza sativa L.). RNA interference-mediated gene silencing of RMS restored fertility to a CMS plant, whereas its overexpression in the fertility restorer line induced pollen abortion. The mRNA expression level of RMS in mature anthers depended on cytoplasmic genotype, suggesting that RMS is a candidate gene to be regulated via retrograde signaling. We found that a reduced-expression allele of the RMS gene r

SUBMITTER: Fujii S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2695074 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature