Molecular characterisation of inter- and intra- specific somatic hybrids of potato using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers

• Published in: Molecular & general genetics Vol. 233; no. 3; p. 469
• Main Authors: Baird, E. (Scottish Crop Research Inst., Dundee (United Kingdom). Dept. of Cell and Molecular Genetics and Dept. of Crop Genetics), Cooper-Bland, S, Waugh, R, DeMaine, M, Powell, W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 01.06.1992
• Subjects: Base Sequence; Blotting, Southern; Cloning, Molecular; DNA - genetics; FUSION DE PROTOPLASTES; FUSION DEL PROTOPLASTO; GENETIC MARKERS; Genetic Markers - genetics; HIBRIDO SOMATICO; Hybrid Cells; HYBRIDE SOMATIQUE; MARCADORES GENETICOS; MARQUEUR GENETIQUE; Molecular markers; Molecular Sequence Data; Oligodeoxyribonucleotides - genetics; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Polymorphism, Genetic - genetics; Potato; PROTOPLAST FUSION; Protoplasts; Protoplasts - metabolism; RAPDs; SOLANUM TUBEROSUM; Solanum tuberosum - genetics; SOMATIC HYBRIDS
• ISSN: 0026-8925; 1432-1874
• DOI: 10.1007/BF00265445

Protoplast fusion allows the transfer of both mono- and polygenic traits between species that are sexually incompatible. This approach has particular relevance for potato, and somatic hybridisation has been used to introduce a range of disease resistance genes from sexually incompatible wild species into the cultivated potato gene pool. In addition, protoplast fusion allows the resynthesis of tetraploid genotypes from preselected diploid or dihaploid donor parents. A limiting factor for the efficient exploitation of this technology in potato breeding is the difficulty of unequivocally identifying nuclear hybrids (heterokaryons). In order to facilitate the identification of hybrids at an early stage following fusion, Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA markers (RAPDs) have been used to characterise molecularly both inter- and intra-specific somatic hybrids of potato. RAPD markers detect naturally occurring polymorphism in the donor genotypes and utilise short oligonucleotide primers of arbitrary nucleotide sequence in combination with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The exploitation of RAPDs in the characterisation of both somatic and sexual hybrids is discussed.