Tapetum-specific expression of a cytoplasmic orf507 gene causes semi-male sterility in transgenic peppers.

ABSTRACT: Though cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) in peppers is associated with the orf507 gene, definitive and direct evidence that it directly causes male sterility is still lacking. In this study, differences in histochemical localization of anther cytochrome c oxidase between the pepper CMS line and maintainer line were observed mainly in the tapetal cells and tapetal membrane. Inducible and specific expression of the orf507 gene in the pepper maintainer line found that transformants were morphologically similar to untransformed and transformed control plants, but had shrunken anthers that showed little dehiscence and fewer pollen grains with lower germination rate and higher naturally damaged rate. These characters were different from those of CMS line which does not produce any pollen grains.

SUBMITTER: Ji JJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4406146 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature