Arabidopsis TOBAMOVIRUS MULTIPLICATION (TOM) 2 locus encodes a transmembrane protein that interacts with TOM1. (41/1662)

The tom2-1 mutation of Arabidopsis thaliana reduces the efficiency of intracellular multiplication of tobamoviruses. The tom2-1 mutant was derived from fast-neutron-irradiated seeds, and the original mutant line also carries ttm1, a dominant modifier that increases tobamovirus multiplication efficiency in a tobamovirus-strain-specific manner in the tom2-1 genetic background. Here, we show that the tom2-1 mutation involved a deletion of approximately 20 kb in the nuclear genome. The deleted region included two genes named TOM2A and TOM2B that were both associated with the tom2-1 phenotype, whereas ttm1 corresponded to the translocation of part of the deleted region that included intact TOM2B but not TOM2A. TOM2A encodes a 280 amino acid putative four-pass transmembrane protein with a C-terminal farnesylation signal, while TOM2B encodes a 122 amino acid basic protein. The split-ubiquitin assay demonstrated an interaction of TOM2A both with itself and with TOM1, an integral membrane protein of A.thaliana presumed to be an essential constituent of tobamovirus replication complex. The data presented here suggest that TOM2A is also an integral part of the tobamovirus replication complex.  (+info)

The TIGR rice genome annotation resource: annotating the rice genome and creating resources for plant biologists. (42/1662)

Rice is not only a major food staple for the world's population but it also is a model species for a major group of flowering plants, the monocotyledonous plants. Draft genomic sequence of two subspecies of rice, Oryza sativa spp. japonica and indica ssp. are publicly available. To provide the community with a resource to data-mine the rice genome, we have constructed an annotation resource for rice (http://www.tigr.org/tdb/e2k1/osa1/). In this resource, we have annotated the rice genome for gene content, identified motifs/domains within the predicted genes, constructed a rice repeat database, identified related sequences in other plant species, and identified syntenic sequences between rice and maize. All of the data is available through web-based interfaces, FTP downloads, and a Distributed Annotation System.  (+info)

Marker-assisted introgression of favorable alleles at quantitative trait loci between maize elite lines. (43/1662)

This article reports the marker-assisted introgression of favorable alleles at three quantitative trait loci (QTL) for earliness and grain yield among maize elite lines. The QTL were originally detected in 1992 by means of ANOVA in a population of 96 recombinant inbred lines (RILs). Introgression started from a selected RIL, which was crossed three times to one of the original parents and then self-fertilized, leading to BC(3)S(1) progenies. Markers were used to assist both foreground and background selection at each generation. At the end of the program, the effect of introgression was assessed phenotypically in agronomic trials, and QTL detection was performed by composite interval mapping among BC(3)S(1) progenies. The marker-assisted introgression proved successful at the genotypic level, as analyzed by precision graphical genotypes, although no emphasis was put on the reduction of linkage drag around QTL. Also, QTL positions were generally sustained in the introgression background. For earliness, the magnitude and sign of the QTL effects were in good agreement with those expected from initial RIL analyses. Conversely, for yield, important discrepancies were observed in the magnitude and sign of the QTL effects observed after introgression, when compared to those expected from initial RIL analyses. These discrepancies are probably due to important genotype-by-environment interactions.  (+info)

The pam1 gene is required for meiotic bouquet formation and efficient homologous synapsis in maize (Zea mays L.). (44/1662)

The clustering of telomeres on the nuclear envelope (NE) during meiotic prophase to form the bouquet arrangement of chromosomes may facilitate homologous chromosome synapsis. The pam1 (plural abnormalities of meiosis 1) gene is the first maize gene that appears to be required for telomere clustering, and homologous synapsis is impaired in pam1. Telomere clustering on the NE is arrested or delayed at an intermediate stage in pam1. Telomeres associate with the NE during the leptotene-zygotene transition but cluster slowly if at all as meiosis proceeds. Intermediate stages in telomere clustering including miniclusters are observed in pam1 but not in wild-type meiocytes. The tight bouquet normally seen at zygotene is a rare event. In contrast, the polarization of centromeres vs. telomeres in the nucleus at the leptotene-zygotene transition is the same in mutant and wild-type cells. Defects in homologous chromosome synapsis include incomplete synapsis, nonhomologous synapsis, and unresolved interlocks. However, the number of RAD51 foci on chromosomes in pam1 is similar to that of wild type. We suggest that the defects in homologous synapsis and the retardation of prophase I arise from the irregularity of telomere clustering and propose that pam1 is involved in the control of bouquet formation and downstream meiotic prophase I events.  (+info)

Putative proteins related to group II intron reverse transcriptase/maturases are encoded by nuclear genes in higher plants. (45/1662)

The Arabidopsis thaliana nuclear genome sequence revealed several open reading frames encoding proteins related to group II intron-encoded reverse transcriptase/maturases. Here, we show via sequence alignments that at least four such open reading frames are conserved in the nuclear genomes of A.thaliana and Oryza sativa (rice) and that they encode putative proteins belonging to two different classes (nMat-1 and nMat-2), neither of which is associated with a group II intron RNA structure. The two nMat-1 proteins have reverse transcriptase, maturase and DNA endonuclease domains characteristic of canonical group II intron-encoded proteins, while the two nMat-2 proteins have reverse transcriptase and maturase domains linked to a novel C-terminal domain. Although some nMat proteins have mutations expected to inactivate intron mobility functions, all could potentially retain the RNA splicing function. These nuclear maturase-like proteins may be imported into organelles to function in group II intron splicing and/or they may have assumed other cellular functions. Nuclear-encoded maturases could regulate organellar gene expression and may reflect a step in the evolution of mobile group II introns into spliceosomal introns.  (+info)

Quantitative trait loci analysis of nitrogen use efficiency in Arabidopsis. (46/1662)

Improving plant nitrogen (N) use efficiency or controlling soil N requires a better knowledge of the regulation of plant N metabolism. This could be achieved using Arabidopsis as a model genetic system, taking advantage of the natural variation available among ecotypes. Here, we describe an extensive study of N metabolism variation in the Bay-0 x Shahdara recombinant inbred line population, using quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping. We mapped QTL for traits such as shoot growth, total N, nitrate, and free-amino acid contents, measured in two contrasting N environments (contrasting nitrate availability in the soil), in controlled conditions. Genetic variation and transgression were observed for all traits, and most of the genetic variation was identified through QTL and QTL x QTL epistatic interactions. The 48 significant QTL represent at least 18 loci that are polymorphic between parents; some may correspond to known genes from the N metabolic pathway, but others represent new genes controlling or interacting with N physiology. The correlations between traits are dissected through QTL colocalizations: The identification of the individual factors contributing to the regulation of different traits sheds new light on the relations among these characters. We also point out that the regulation of our traits is mostly specific to the N environment (N availability). Finally, we describe four interesting loci at which positional cloning is feasible.  (+info)

Genetic mapping of the evergrowing gene in peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch]. (47/1662)

In temperate locations, terminal apices on evergrowing (also called evergreen) peach trees keep growing in winter until killed by low temperatures, while the lateral buds go into dormancy. A recessive allele of a single gene (evergrowing or evg) controls this trait in peach. The amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) technique and bulked segregant analysis were applied to construct a local genetic linkage map for the evg gene from the cross Empress op op dwarf x Evergrowing (P.I. 442380). This map, comprising nine AFLP markers and the evg locus, covers a total genetic distance of 79.3 cM. Four dominant AFLP markers (EAT/MCAC, ETT/MCCA2, EAT/MCTA, and ETT/MACC) were linked to the evg locus at distances of 1, 5.3, 6.7, and 11.7 cM, respectively. EAT/MCAC and EAT/MCTA were converted into polymorphic sequence-tagged sites. Microsatellite markers in the evg region were developed from peach bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones that hybridized to the AFLP marker fragments. Using three microsatellite anchor markers (pchgms12, pchgms17, and pchgms19), the local genetic linkage map was integrated into one minor linkage group of a previously constructed peach rootstock genetic linkage map. Three AFLP markers from the rootstock genetic linkage map were found linked to the evg locus.  (+info)

Mapping of QTL associated with nitrogen storage and remobilization in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) leaves. (48/1662)

Nitrogen uptake and metabolism are central for vegetative and reproductive plant growth. This is reflected by the fact that nitrogen can be remobilized and reused within a plant, and this process is crucial for yield in most annual crops. A population of 146 recombinant inbred barley lines (F(8) and F(9) plants, grown in 2000 and 2001), derived from a cross between two varieties differing markedly in grain protein concentration, was used to compare the location of QTL associated with nitrogen uptake, storage and remobilization in flag leaves relative to QTL controlling developmental parameters and grain protein accumulation. Overlaps of support intervals for such QTL were found on several chromosomes, with chromosomes 3 and 6 being especially important. For QTL on these chromosomes, alleles associated with inefficient N remobilization were associated with depressed yield and higher levels of total or soluble organic nitrogen during grain filling and vice versa; therefore, genes directly involved in N recycling or genes regulating N recycling may be located on these chromosomes. Interestingly, the most prominent QTL for grain protein concentration (on chromosome 6) did not co-localize with QTL for nitrogen remobilization. However, QTL peaks for nitrate and soluble organic nitrogen were detected at this locus for plants grown in 2001 (but not in 2000). For these, alleles associated with low grain protein concentration were associated with higher soluble nitrogen levels in leaves during grain filling; therefore, gene(s) found at this locus might influence the nitrogen sink strength of developing barley grains.  (+info)