Chloroplast DNA distribution in parasexual hybrids as shown by polypeptide composition of fraction I protein

Abstract

Sixteen different mature interspecific parasexual hybrids, produced by fusing leaf protoplasts of Nicotiana glauca (G) and N. langsdorffii (L), were analyzed for fraction I protein (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase) which consists of large subunit polypeptides coded by chloroplast DNA and small subunit polypeptides coded by nuclear DNA. All the hybrids showed the combined small subunits of both parents, thus confirming the hybridity of each of the fusion products. Fourteen of the hybrids displayed the large subunit electrofocusing pattern characteristic of only one parent (eight L and six G). From one hybrid callus, two plants were regenerated, of which one had exclusively L-type large subunit and the other had exclusively G. A single plant retained a mixture of L ang G chloroplast DNA's; this later yielded six F2 progeny from one branch, all of which were G type, and three asexual progeny from another branch, all of which had the L-type pattern. In all, 46 F2 progeny and 8 different F3s were analyzed and each of these, with few if any exceptions, showed the same single subunit type as the F1 and F2 parent hybrid plants. Reasons for the rapid sorting out of the chloroplast types are discussed.