Reciprocal chromosome translocation associated with TDNA-insertion mutation in Arabidopsis: genetic and cytological analyses of consequences for gametophyte development and for construction of doubly mutant lines

Planta. 2009 Mar;229(4):731-45. doi: 10.1007/s00425-008-0868-0. Epub 2008 Dec 12.

Abstract

Chromosomal rearrangements may complicate construction of Arabidopsis with multiple TDNA-insertion mutations. Here, crossing two lines homozygous for insertions in AtREV3 and AtPOLH (chromosomes I and V, respectively) and selfing F1 plants yielded non-Mendelian F2 genotype distributions: frequencies of +/++/+ and 1/1 2/2 progeny were only 0.42 and 0.25%. However, the normal development and fertility of double mutants showed AtPOLH-1 and AtREV3-2 gametes and 1/1 2/2 embryos to be fully viable. F2 distributions could be quantitatively predicted by assuming that F1 selfing produced inviable (1,2) and (+,+) gametophytes 86% of the time. Some defect intrinsic to the F1 selfing process itself thus appeared responsible. In selfing AtREV3 (+/2 ) single mutants, imaging of ovules and pollen showed arrest or abortion, respectively, of half of gametophytes; however, gametogenesis was normal in AtREV3 ( 2/2 ) homozygotes. These findings, taken together, suggested that T-DNA insertion at AtREV3 on chromosome I had caused a reciprocal I-V translocation. Spreads of meiosis I chromosomes in selfing AtREV3 (+/2 ) heterozygotes revealed the predicted cruciform four-chromosome structures, which fluorescence in situ hybridization showed to invariably include both translocated and normal chromosomes I and V. Sequencing of the two junctions of T-DNA with AtREV3 DNA and the two with gene At5g59920 suggested translocation via homologous recombination between independent inverted-repeat T-DNA insertions. Thus, when crosses between TDNA-insertion mutants yield anomalous progeny distributions, TDNA-linked translocations should be considered.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Arabidopsis / cytology
  • Arabidopsis / genetics*
  • Arabidopsis / growth & development
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics
  • Chromosomes, Plant / genetics*
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics*
  • DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / genetics
  • Flowers / genetics
  • Flowers / growth & development
  • Gene Frequency
  • Genotype
  • Heterozygote
  • In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
  • Models, Genetic
  • Mutagenesis, Insertional
  • Mutation*
  • Pollen / genetics
  • Pollen / growth & development
  • Translocation, Genetic*

Substances

  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • T-DNA
  • AtREV3 protein, Arabidopsis
  • DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase
  • Rad30 protein