Dataset Information

Hybrid weakness in a rice interspecific hybrid is nitrogen-dependent, and accompanied by changes in gene expression at both total transcript level and parental allele partitioning.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Hybrid weakness, a phenomenon opposite to heterosis, refers to inferior growth and development in a hybrid relative to its pure-line parents. Little attention has been paid to the phenomenological or mechanistic aspect of hybrid weakness, probably due to its rare occurrence.

Methodology/principal findings

Here, using a set of interspecific triploid F1 hybrids between Oryza sativa, ssp. japonica (genome AA) and a tetraploid wild rice species, O. alta (genome, CCDD), we investigated the phenotypic and physiological differences between the F1 hybrids and their parents under normal and nitrogen-limiting conditions. We quantified the expression levels of 21 key genes involved in three important pathways pertinent to the assayed phenotypic and physiological traits by real-time qRT-PCR. Further, we assayed expression partitioning of parental alleles for eight genes in the F1 hybrids relative to the in silico "hybrids" (parental cDNA mixture) under both normal and N-limiting conditions by using locus-specific cDNA pyrosequencing.

Conclusions/significance

We report that the F1 hybrids showed weakness in several phenotypic traits at the final seedling-stage compared with their corresponding mid-parent values (MPVs). Nine of the 21 studied genes showed contrasted expression levels between hybrids and parents (MPVs) under normal vs. N-limiting conditions. Interestingly, under N-limiting conditions, the overtly enhanced partitioning of maternal allele expression in the hybrids for eight assayed genes echo their attenuated hybrid weakness in phenotypes, an observation further bolstered by more resemblance of hybrids to the maternal parent under N-limiting conditions compared to normal conditions in a suite of measured physiological traits. Our observations suggest that both overall expression level and differential partitioning of parental alleles of critical genes contribute to condition-specific hybrid weakness.

SUBMITTER: Sun S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5332110 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Hybrid weakness in a rice interspecific hybrid is nitrogen-dependent, and accompanied by changes in gene expression at both total transcript level and parental allele partitioning.

Sun Shuai S Wu Ying Y Lin Xiuyun X Wang Jie J Yu Jiamiao J Sun Yue Y Miao Yiling Y Li Qiuping Q Sanguinet Karen A KA Liu Bao B

PloS one 20170301 3

<h4>Background</h4>Hybrid weakness, a phenomenon opposite to heterosis, refers to inferior growth and development in a hybrid relative to its pure-line parents. Little attention has been paid to the phenomenological or mechanistic aspect of hybrid weakness, probably due to its rare occurrence.<h4>Methodology/principal findings</h4>Here, using a set of interspecific triploid F1 hybrids between Oryza sativa, ssp. japonica (genome AA) and a tetraploid wild rice species, O. alta (genome, CCDD), we i ...[more]

PMID: 28248994

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Project description:Reproductive barriers perform a vital role during speciation1. Hybrid weakness, the poor development of hybrids compared to their parents, hinders gene exchange between different species at the postzygotic stage2,3. The molecular and evolutionary mechanisms of hybrid weakness are poorly understood2. Here, we report that two incompatible dominant loci (Hwi1 and Hwi2) involving three genes determine the high temperature-dependent expression of hybrid weakness in interspecific hybrids of rice. Hwi1 comprises two indispensable wild rice (Oryza rufipogon)-specific leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase (LRR-RLK) genes, 25L1 and 25L2, for inducing hybrid weakness, and the genes possibly undergo balancing selection. Hwi2, a rare allele that is predominantly distributed in indica rice (Oryza sativa), encodes a secreted putative subtilisin-like protease. Functional analysis indicated that pyramiding of Hwi1 and Hwi2 activates the autoimmune response in the basal nodes of hybrids, interrupting root formation and then impairing shoot growth, likely due to immune signal is transmitted from the basal nodes to the above-ground parts. Considering the nature of RLK activity of Hwi1 and the protease activity of Hwi2, we propose that a certain endogenous signaling molecule produced by Hwi2 is perceived by Hwi1 to activate autoimmunity through ligand-receptor signal transduction. These findings bring new insights into our understanding of reproductive isolation and may benefit rice breeding to maximally utilize invaluable genes from wild rice. We conducted microarray analysis to unravel the global changes in gene expression of a pair of NILs (nearly isogenic lines). Plants were cultivated at constant 20°C for 20 days and then shifted to constant 30°C conditions. The basal nodes of NIL(Hwi1) and NIL(hwi1) were harvested immediately before the temperature shift (set as the 0 point) or at 3, 7 or 15 days after the shift. Three biological replicates (each comprising basal nodes from 15–20 individuals) were used for each time point.

Dataset Information

Hybrid weakness in a rice interspecific hybrid is nitrogen-dependent, and accompanied by changes in gene expression at both total transcript level and parental allele partitioning.

Background

Methodology/principal findings

Conclusions/significance

Publications

Hybrid weakness in a rice interspecific hybrid is nitrogen-dependent, and accompanied by changes in gene expression at both total transcript level and parental allele partitioning.

Similar Datasets

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