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ARS Home » Plains Area » Manhattan, Kansas » Center for Grain and Animal Health Research » Hard Winter Wheat Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #297779
Title: Cytological and comparative proteomic analyses on male sterility in Brassica napus L. induced by the chemical hybridization agent monosulphuron ester sodium

Author
item CHENG, YUFENG - Northwest Agricultural & Forestry University
item WANG, QIAN - Northwest Agricultural & Forestry University
item LI, ZHANJIE - Northwest Agricultural & Forestry University
item CUI, JIANMIN - Northwest Agricultural & Forestry University
item HU, SHENGWU - Northwest Agricultural & Forestry University
item ZHAO, HUIXIAN - Northwest Agricultural & Forestry University
item Chen, Ming-Shun

Submitted to: Arthropod-Plant Interactions
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/30/2013
Publication Date: 11/14/2013
Publication URL: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0080191
Citation: Cheng, Y., Wang, Q., Li, Z., Cui, J., Hu, S., Zhao, H., Chen, M. 2013. Cytological and comparative proteomic analyses on male sterility in Brassica napus L. induced by the chemical hybridization agent monosulphuron ester sodium. Arthropod-Plant Interactions. 8(11): e80191.

Interpretive Summary: Heterosis increases grain yield and improves other agronomic traits significantly in various crops. Male sterility is required for utilization of heterosis. However, male sterility cannot be found naturally for many crops, and needs to be induced artificially. The purpose of this study is to find an artificial means to induce male sterility in rapeseed. The study revealed that application of the herbicide Monosulphuron ester sodium (MES) on rapeseed plants at a very low concentration can induce 100% male sterility without apparently affecting plant growth and other traits. Cytological analysis revealed defective tapetal cells and abnormal microspores in developing anthers of MES-treated plants at various development stages, resulting in inviable microspores. Proteomic analysis revealed significant changes in the abundance of 141 proteins in MES-induced plants compared with control plants. This study is the first cytological and dynamic proteomic analysis on MES-induced male sterility in rapeseed, and the results provide new insights into the molecular events of male sterility.

Technical Abstract: Male sterility induced by a chemical hybridization agent (CHA) is an important tool for utilizing crop heterosis. Monosulphuron ester sodium (MES), a new acetolactate synthase-inhibitor herbicide belonging to the sulphonylurea family, has been developed as an effective CHA to induce male sterility in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.). To understand MES-induced male sterility in rapeseed better, comparative cytological and proteomic analyses were conducted in this study. Cytological analysis indicated that defective tapetal cells and abnormal microspores were gradually generated in the developing anthers of MES-treated plants at various development stages, resulting in inviable microspores and male sterility. A total of 141 differentially expressed proteins between the MES-treated and control plants were revealed, and 131 of them were further identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF MS. Most of these proteins decreased in abundance in tissues of MES-treated rapeseed plants, and only a few increased. Notably, some proteins were absent or induced in developing anthers after MES treatment. These proteins were involved in several processes that may be crucial for tapetum and microspore development. Down-regulation of these proteins may disrupt the coordination of developmental and metabolic processes, resulting in defective tapetum and abnormal microspores that lead to male sterility in MES-treated plants. Accordingly, a simple model of CHA-MES-induced male sterility in rapeseed was established. This study is the first cytological and dynamic proteomic investigation on CHA-MES-induced male sterility in rapeseed, and the results provide new insights into the molecular events of male sterility.