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A Killer-Protector System Regulates Both Hybrid Sterility and Segregation Distortion in Rice

2012; American Association for the Advancement of Science; Volume: 337; Issue: 6100 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1126/science.1223702

1095-9203

Jiangyi Yang, Xiaobo Zhao, Ke Cheng, Hongyi Du, Yidan Ouyang, Jiongjiong Chen, Shuqing Qiu, Jianyan Huang, Yunhe Jiang, Liwen Jiang, Jihua Ding, Jia Wang, Caiguo Xu, Xianghua Li, Qifa Zhang,

Genetic Mapping and Diversity in Plants and Animals

Conquering Rice Sterility The hybrid sterility occurring among rice species has long been a puzzle and hampers progress in breeding crops with improved performance and yield characteristics. Yang et al. (p. 1336 ) have identified three linked genes encoding a killer, a partner, and a protector protein. The killer and partner work together to kill female gametes not carrying the functional protector, resulting in preferential transmission of gametes carrying the functional protector, which also causes segregation distortion in the progeny. This explanation for how reproductive isolation is maintained among species of rice, and perhaps other organisms, also offers approaches for boosting yields by intersubspecific heterosis.