KUALA LUMPUR, June 20 (Bernama) -- New findings show that the selfish genetic element in rice was first found in plants challenging the renowned Mendel's Law of segregation. Earlier Chinese scientists discovered the selfish genetic element in mice and nematodes.
Selfish genes are the core of Mendelian genetics and the concept is that gametes are equally likely to carry either of the two parental copies of a gene which offspring traits might be more similar to its father or mother and it is same with selfish genetic element in rice, a statement said.
However, selfish genes weaken the advantages of O. sativa ssp japonica (DJY1) hybrids. The selfish genetic elements are pervasive in eukaryote genomes but their role remains controversial.
Professor Wan's group from Nanjing Agricultural University has discovered the mechanism of hybrid sterility causing by the selfish genetic element and there are two closely related genes ORF2 and ORF3 in hybrid male sterility locus between (DJY1) and wild rice (Oryza meridionalis).
ORF2 aborts pollen in a sporophytic manner while ORF3 protects pollen in a gametophytic manner. Moreover, wide compatible varieties created by CRISPR technology to facilitate utilisation of the strong hybrid vigor in rice agriculture.
Nanjing Agricultural University in a statement said the article has been published by the world's top academic science journals recently. The authors of the article, Dr. Xiaowen Yu and Professor Zhigang Zhao are from the College of Agriculture of Nanjing Agricultural University.
The article was also written by the corresponding author Jianmin Wan, an academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering. Further information on the finding can be accessed at science.sciencemag.org/content/360/6393/1130.
-- BERNAMA
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