Characteristics of fertile somatic hybrids of G. hirsutum L. and G. trilobum generated via protoplast fusion

• Published in: Theoretical and applied genetics Vol. 125; no. 7; pp. 1503 - 1516
• Main Authors: Yu, X. S., Chu, B. J., Liu, R. E., Sun, J., Brian, Joseph Jones, Wang, H. Z., Shuijin, Zhu, Sun, Y. Q.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.11.2012; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agriculture; Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Cell Fusion - methods; Cell hybridization; Cell Separation; Chloroplasts - genetics; Cotton; Crosses, Genetic; Fertility - genetics; Flow Cytometry; Gene Expression Profiling; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Genetic aspects; Genome, Plant - genetics; Genomics; Glucose; Gossypium - cytology; Gossypium - genetics; Hybridization, Genetic; Life Sciences; Methods; Microsatellite Repeats - genetics; Mitochondria - genetics; Morphology; Original Paper; Photosynthesis - genetics; Physiological aspects; Plant Biochemistry; Plant breeding; Plant Breeding/Biotechnology; Plant Genetics and Genomics; Plant Stomata - physiology; Ploidies; Polymorphism; Protoplasts - cytology; Protoplasts - metabolism; Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; Regeneration - genetics; RNA, Messenger - genetics; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; China; Coker; Upland Cotton; Somatic Hybrid; AFLP Analysis; Verticillium Wilt
• ISSN: 0040-5752; 1432-2242
• DOI: 10.1007/s00122-012-1929-0

Fertile somatic hybrids between tetraploid upland cotton G. hirsutum L. cv. Coker 312 and wild cotton G. trilobum were generated by symmetric electrofusion. Comparisons of morphology, combined with flow cytometric, RAPD, SRAP and AFLP analyses confirmed the hybrid nature of the regenerated plants. The hybrids differed morphologically from the parent plants. Flow cytometric analysis showed that the hybrids had DNA similar in amount to the total combined DNA content of the two parents, and the use of molecular markers revealed that the hybrids contained genomic fragments from both fusion parents, further indicating the hybrid nature of the regenerated plants. The stability of the morphological features of the hybrids was examined in following generations. The hexaploid fusion plants showed strong photosynthesis and a high expression level of some photosystem-related genes. Our results suggest that novel traits may be incorporated in cotton breeding programs through the production of somatic hybrids and the backcrossing of these plants with elite cultivars.