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Complete nucleotide sequence of the Oenothera elata plastid chromosome, representing plastome I of the five distinguishable euoenothera plastomes.

We describe the 159,443-bp [corrected] sequence of the plastid chromosome of Oenothera elata (evening primrose). The Oe. elata plastid chromosome represents type I of the five genetically distinguishable basic plastomes found in the subsection Euoenothera. The genus Oenothera provides an ideal system in which to address fundamental questions regarding the functional integration of the compartmentalised genetic system characteristic of the eukaryotic cell. Its highly developed taxonomy and genetics, together with a favourable combination of features in its genetic structure (interspecific fertility, stable heterozygous progeny, biparental transmission of organelles, and the phenomenon of complex heterozygosity), allow facile exchanges of nuclei, plastids and mitochondria, as well as individual chromosome pairs, between species. The resulting hybrids or cybrids are usually viable and fertile, but can display various forms of developmental disturbance.

Base Sequence↗

Comparative chloroplast genomics of six Bupleurum (Apiaceae) accessions: candidate barcodes, phylogeny based on available plastomes, and candidate RNA-editing sites.

INTRODUCTION: Bupleurum L. (Apiaceae), a taxonomically intricate genus of about 190 species and a source of Radix Bupleuri (Chai Hu), is difficult to discriminate because of convergent morphology, infraspecific variation, and limited genomic sampling. This study aimed to characterize plastome variation, identify and validate candidate molecular markers, reconstruct plastid phylogenetic relationships, and assess candidate plastid RNA-editing sites in Bupleurum. METHODS: We assembled six plastomes from subgenus Bupleurum, screened 51 Bupleurum plastomes for diagnostic loci, reconstructed whole-plastome and partitioned protein-coding-sequence phylogenies, and predicted plastid C-to-U RNA-editing candidates across the six newly assembled plastomes using a PREP-Cp-compatible workflow. Candidate barcode performance was evaluated against the reference plastome phylogenies, and codon-based models were used to test for positive selection. RESULTS: The plastomes were 154,496-155,778 bp with the canonical quadripartite structure and GC contents of 37.67-37.73%. Gene content was stable (131-132 genes; 86-87 protein-coding genes); B. falcatum subsp. cernuum lacked ycf15 but contained an additional inverted-repeat-associated ycf1 annotation. A/U-ending synonymous codons were favoured. Finite pairwise Ka/Ks estimates were below 1 for most genes, and site-specific codon models detected no positive selection. Each plastome contained 55-61 pure microsatellites, dominated by A/T mononucleotide motifs. MarkerSeek ranked 265 features and identified atpF-atpH, petA-psbJ, rpl32-trnL-UAG, and ycf1 as leading candidate barcodes. ycf1 recovered 38 of 41 nodes strongly supported by both reference trees, whereas a partitioned four-locus analysis recovered 40 of 41 and distinguished all 51 accession sequences. However, only one of seven multi-accession operational binomial groups was monophyletic, and only one showed a positive local barcode gap. The whole-plastome phylogeny recovered Bupleurum as monophyletic relative to Chamaesium. The two sampled Penninervia accessions occupied early-diverging positions without forming an exclusive clade. B. falcatum subsp. cernuum was sister to B. ranunculoides, with B. ranunculoides subsp. telonense sister to that pair. A partitioned 74-CDS analysis recovered the same key relationships and 45 of 50 internal bipartitions. Across the six newly assembled plastomes, 57-63 nonsynonymous C-to-U candidates were predicted per accession (367 total) in 21-22 genes; 269 affected the second codon position and 98 the first. DISCUSSION: Bupleurum plastomes are structurally conservative but retain localised divergence useful for marker development. Concordant whole-plastome and CDS genealogies support genus monophyly, whereas sparse Penninervia sampling and maternal plastid inheritance preclude rejecting traditional subgeneric classification. The predicted RNA-editing sites represent candidates for future experimental validation rather than an established Bupleurum editome. These genomic resources support authentication, conservation, and evolutionary research in Bupleurum.

Apiaceae↗

Plastome evolution and phylogenomic relationships in Ajuga (Lamiaceae, Ajugoideae).

BACKGROUND: Ajuga is currently known to include approximately 69 species, with a combined distribution extending throughout Eurasia, Africa, and Australia. Its popularity and significance are largely based on an extensive history of medicinal and horticultural use. It is divided into two sections based on morphological characters, and this sectional classification is also reflected in pronounced geographic patterns. Although previous studies have largely focused on Ajuga sect. Ajuga in East Asia, A. sect. Chamaepithys, which ranges from the Mediterranean to Central Asia, remains insufficiently sampled, thereby limiting a comprehensive understanding of infrageneric sectional relationships within the genus. Here, we generated complete plastid genomes for 12 species representing both sections of the genus and used these data to characterize plastome structure and infer evolutionary relationships. RESULTS: In this study, 21 Ajuga plastomes were analyzed, including 12 newly sequenced plastomes and 9 previously published plastomes representing 19 species. Comparative analyses showed that all plastomes exhibited a highly conserved quadripartite structure, with genome sizes ranging from 149,963 to 150,740 bp and GC contents varying from 38.2% to 38.3%. Each plastome contained 133 genes, including 88 protein-coding genes, 37 transfer RNA genes, and 8 ribosomal RNA genes. The boundaries between the inverted repeat (IR) and single-copy (SC) regions were also highly conserved across species. In addition, 796 simple sequence repeats (SSRs), 874 long repeat sequences (LRSs), and 12 highly variable regions (ccsA-ndhD, ndhF-rpl32, petA-psbJ, rpl32-trnL-UAG, rps2-rpoC2, trnH-GUG-psbA, trnK-UUU-rps16, trnP-UGG-psaJ, trnT-UGU-trnL-UAA, ycf15-trnL-CAA, ndhF, and ycf1) were identified among the 21 plastomes. Phylogenetic analyses based on four datasets and conducted using Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference recovered two major clades corresponding to the traditionally recognized sectional classification, with one distributed from the Mediterranean to Central Asia and the other in East Asia. CONCLUSION: This study represents the most comprehensive plastome-based sampling of Ajuga to date, including representative species from the Mediterranean, Central Asia, and East Asia. Our results have significantly enhanced our understanding of its infrageneric relationships. The plastome resources generated in this study provide a valuable foundation for future research on species delimitation, phylogeny, and the evolutionary history of Ajuga.

Phylogeny↗

Integration of foreign sequences into the tobacco plastome via polyethylene glycol-mediated protoplast transformation.

A new vector, pFaadAII, for transformation of plastids of Nicotiana tabacum L. has been developed. It harbours a chimeric gene consisting of the aadA coding region from Escherichia coli, the 16S rDNA promoter from tobacco combined with a synthetic ribosome-binding site, a 500-bp fragment containing the 3' untranslated transcript region (UTR) of the Chlamydomonas rbcL gene and 3.75-kb (5') and 0.95-kb (3') tobacco plastome sequences allowing for targeting the foreign sequences to the intergenic region between the rpl32 and trnL genes of the tobacco plastome. The vector thus targets foreign sequences to the small single-copy region of the plastome, which has so far not been modified by transformation. Leaf protoplasts of Nicotiana tabacum L. were treated with polyethylene glycol (PEG) in the presence of the vector. The protocol for PEG treatment aiming at plastome transformation was optimized. Cell lines were cultured in the presence of spectinomycin and streptomycin using a novel and efficient protoplast culture and selection system. Regenerants were characterized by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis, Southern hybridization and reciprocal crossing. The transformation procedure is described in detail and parameters influencing its efficiency are presented. Special effort is placed on analyzing suitable selection conditions. Only a proportion of the cell lines with a resistant phenotype could be confirmed by molecular analysis and/or reciprocal crossings to represent plastome transformants. Integration of the plastome specific aadA cassette into the nuclear genome accounted for a fraction of the resistant cell lines. Still, as many as 20-40 plastome transformants can be expected from the treatment of 10(6) protoplasts. Therefore, the improved protocol for PEG-mediated plastome transformation in combination with the new aadA-vector supplies a simple, reproducible and cost-efficient alternative to the biolistic procedure.

Base Sequence↗

Genetic diversity, phylogenetic relationships, and marker development between Hydrangea serrata and H. macrophylla based on plastome and 45S nrDNA.

Ornamental hydrangeas (genus Hydrangea) are cultivated worldwide for their diverse flower colors and attractive morphology. Here, we assembled the complete plastid genome (plastome) and 45S nuclear ribosomal DNA (45S nrDNA) sequences of 22 individuals representing H. serrata, H. macrophylla, and related species (H. arborescens, H. paniculata, H. petiolaris, and H. hydrangeoides). The plastomes contained up to 2,344 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 367 insertions/deletions (InDels) within the genus, whereas the assembled 45S nrDNA sequences showed 119 SNPs and 10 InDels. Phylogenetic analyses based on plastome and 45S nrDNA sequences clearly separated H. serrata and H. macrophylla from the other Hydrangea species. In the plastome-based tree, H. petiolaris was placed in the same clade as H. arborescens, whereas in the 45S nrDNA-based tree it showed a close relationship to H. hydrangeoides. The H. serrata and H. macrophylla samples were not always separated according to their species boundaries, as observed in samples Hse8-Hse12. Notably, one H. serrata sample (Hse8), collected from a wild mountainous region of Japan, exhibited a closer genetic relationship to H. macrophylla samples, indicating that cultivated hydrangeas may have originated from a specific wild lineage of H. serrata adapted to mountainous habitats. Using plastome-derived molecular markers, 66 Hydrangea samples were further classified into five groups, with Group II comprising both cultivated H. macrophylla and a subset of wild H. serrata samples, suggesting a close genetic affinity between this group and the ancestral gene pool of cultivated H. macrophylla. Based on these genomic resources, eight plastome-derived molecular markers were developed to differentiate cultivated hydrangeas from wild genotypes and to assess genetic diversity within H. serrata and H. macrophylla, providing practical tools for germplasm identification, breeding, and genetic resource management of Hydrangea species.

hydrangea↗

Transfer of defined numbers of chloroplasts into albino protoplasts by subprotoplast/protoplast microfusion: chloroplasts can be "cloned", by using suitable plastome combinations or selective pressure.

Defined numbers (1-5) of (donor) chloroplasts were transferred into (acceptor) protoplasts of plastid albino mutants by subprotoplasts/protoplast microfusion. Single transferred plastids gave rise to new organelle populations in the progeny of the fusion products when suitable combinations of plastomes were used or when selective pressure for the plastome transferred was applied. This process is termed "chloroplast cloning" and is the first reported case of "cloning" a cell organelle. The plastome combination and the presence or absence of selective pressure were found to influence the frequencies with which cell lines, containing both plastomes or acceptor or donor only, were obtained, and the number of cell generations needed for complete segregation - as measured by the duration of culture before the green donor plastome could be detected. The high frequency of cell lines and regenerated shoots recovered with donor plastome only, even when only a single chloroplast was transferred, leads to the conclusion that all organelles present in the fusion product contribute to the organelle population of the progeny, i.e. organelle death or loss are not regularly occurring events during plant regeneration from protoplasts in Nicotiana tabacum.

Cells, Cultured↗

The Oenothera plastome mutator: effect of UV irradiation and nitroso-methyl urea on mutation frequencies.

Oenothera plants homozygous for a recessive plastome mutator allele (pm) showed spontaneous mutation frequencies for plastome genes that are 200-fold higher than spontaneous levels. Mutations occurred at high frequencies in plants grown in the field, in a glasshouse, or as leaf tip cultures under fluorescent light, indicating that the plastome mutator activity is UV-independent. However, the chlorotic sectors became visible at an earlier stage of development when seedlings were irradiated, compared to seedlings that were not exposed to UV. These results imply that the rate of sorting-out was increased by the irradiation treatment, possibly due to a decrease in the effective number of multiplication-competent plastids, or a reduction in the extent of cytoplasmic mixing. Nitroso-methyl urea treatment of seeds had a dramatic effect on mutation frequency in both wild-type and plastome mutator samples. When the background mutation rates were low, the combination of the plastome mutator nucleus and the chemical mutagenesis treatment resulted in a synergistic effect, suggesting that the plastome mutator may involve a cpDNA repair pathway.

Homozygote↗

Comprehensive plastome variation and RNA editing in Mentha: insights into phylogenetic relationships and candidate DNA barcodes.

INTRODUCTION: Mentha is an economically and medicinally important genus in Lamiaceae, but its taxonomy and species delimitation remain challenging because of frequent hybridization, polyploidy, and marked morphological plasticity. METHODS: In this study, we comparatively analyzed 12 plastomes representing major Mentha species, hybrid taxa, and unresolved accessions, including four newly assembled genomes, to characterize plastome structure, repeat composition, sequence divergence, phylogenetic relationships, and plastid RNA editing. The M. arvensis plastome and RNA-seq datasets originated from independent Swiss and Indian accessions, respectively. RESULTS: The plastomes were highly conserved in overall organization, ranging from 151,824 to 152,154 bp and displaying the typical quadripartite structure. Gene content and order were largely stable across taxa, with only minor variation likely associated with annotation differences at IR/SC boundary regions. Codon usage analysis revealed a clear bias toward A/U-ending synonymous codons, and most shared protein-coding genes showed low Ka/Ks ratios, indicating predominant purifying selection. Repeat analyses showed that simple sequence repeats were mainly composed of A/T-rich mononucleotide motifs, whereas long repeats were concentrated in the 30-40 bp size class. Comparative analyses identified six hypervariable regions, namely ccsA-ndhD, ycf1, ndhD, rpl32-trnL-UAG, rbcL-accD, and petA-psbJ, which represent promising candidate plastid markers for species discrimination. Phylogenetic analysis based on complete plastomes provided strong support for relationships among the sampled taxa and recovered a close affinity among M. aquatica, M. arvensis, and M. canadensis. In addition, RNA-seq analysis of M. arvensis identified 17 candidate plastid RNA editing sites, most of which were C-to-U conversions and nonsynonymous events. DISCUSSION: Together, these results expand plastid genomic resources for Mentha and provide a useful framework for phylogenetic inference, species identification, and future germplasm utilization.

RNA editing↗

Nucleo-cytoplasmic incompatibility in cybrid plants possessing an Atropa genome and a Nicotiana plastome.

Twenty-nine cybrids possessing an Atropa belladonna nuclear genome and a Nicotiana tabacum plastome were selected from two independent protoplast fusion experiments. In contrast to the previously described reciprocal, green and fertile cybrids with a Nicotiana nuclear genome and an Atropa plastome (Kushnir et al. 1987), the plants obtained were totally chlorophyll-deficient. An Atropa nuclear genome and a Nicotiana plastome from these chlorophyll-deficient cybrids were combined with an Atropa or a Scopolia plastome and a Nicotiana nuclear genome, respectively, in control fusion experiments. All of these nuclear genome/plastome combinations gave rise to normal, green plants. Therefore, we conclude that an N. tabacum plastome is incompatible with an A. belladonna nuclear genome.

Amylases↗

Detection of point mutations in chloroplast genes of Antirrhinum majus L. I. Identification of a point mutation in the psaB gene of a photosystem I plastome mutant.

A point mutation in the plastome-encoded psaB gene of the mutant en:alba-1 of Antirrhinum majus L. was identified by an analysis of chloroplast DNA with a modified PCR-SSCP technique. Application of this technique is indicated when a gene or a group of genes is known in which the point mutation is located. Analysis of primary photosynthetic reactions in the yellowish white plastome mutant indicated a dysfunction of photosystem (PS) I. The peak wavelength of PS I-dependent chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence emission at 77 K was shifted by 4 nm to 730 nm, as compared to fluorescence from wild-type. There were no redox transients of the reaction center Chl P700 upon illumination of leaves with continuous far-red light or with rate-saturating flashes of white light. The PS I reaction center proteins PsaA and PsaB are not detectable by SDS-PAGE in mutant plastids. Hence, plastome encoded PS I genes were regarded as putative sites of mutation. In order to identify plastome mutations we developed a modified SSCP (single-strand conformation polymorphism) procedure using a large PCR fragment which can be cleaved with various restriction enzymes. When DNA from wild-type and en:alba-1 was submitted to SSCP analysis, a single stranded HinfI fragment of a PCR product of the psaB gene showed differences in electrophoretic mobility. Sequence analysis revealed that the observed SSCP was caused by a single base substitution at codon 136 (TAT-->TAG) of the psaB gene. The point mutation produces a new stop codon that leads to a truncated PsaB protein. The results presented indicate that the mutation prevents the assembly of a functional PS I complex. The applicability to other plastome mutants of the new method for detection of point mutations is discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Plastome-genome interactions affect plastid transmission in Oenothera.

Plastids of Oenothera, the evening primrose, can be transmitted to the progeny from both parents. In a constant nuclear background, the frequency of biparental plastid transmission is determined by the types of plastid genomes (plastomes) involved in the crosses. In this study, the impact of nuclear genomes on plastid inheritance was analyzed. In general, the transmission efficiency of each plastome correlated strongly with its compatibility with the nuclear genome of the progeny, suggesting that plastome-genome interactions can influence plastid transmission by affecting the efficiency of plastid multiplication after fertilization. Lower frequencies of plastid transmission from the paternal side were observed when the pollen had poor vigor due to an incompatible plastome-genome combination, indicating that plastome-genome interactions may also affect the input of plastids at fertilization. Parental traits that affect the process of fertilization can also have an impact on plastid transmission. Crosses using maternal parents with long styles or pollen with relatively low growth capacity resulted in reduced frequencies of paternal plastid transmission. These observations suggest that degeneration of pollen plastids may occur as the time interval between pollination and fertilization is lengthened.

Cell Nucleus↗

Genetically Programmed Chloroplast Dedifferentiation as a Consequence of Plastome-Genome Incompatibility in Oenothera.

Comparision of chloroplast from plants with one of four plastome types (I, II, III, IV) in the nuclear background of Oenothera elata strain Johansen addressed the effects of plastome-genome incompatibility with respect to leaf pigmentation, plastid ultrastructure, chlorophyll a/chlorophyll b ratio, and photosynthetic electron transport. Previous observations of plastomes I, II, and IV in this nuclear background have revealed no indications of incompatibility, but the studies reported here demonstrate that chloroplasts of plastome IV have subtle alterations in their photosynthetic abilities, in particular, deficiencies in photosystem II. The well-characterized "hybrid bleaching" of plants with the AA genotype and plastome III involves leaves that become bleached in the center while remaining green at the tips, edges, and veins. Electron transport assays performed on fractionated bleached and green tissue from the same plants show photosynthetic defects in both the green and bleached regions, although defects in the latter are more severe. Ultrastructural studies show that chloroplasts in the bleached areas enlarge, thylakoid membranes become swollen and vesiculated, and production of new thylakoids is blocked, with chloroplasts appearing to undergo a programmed senescence. A time course revealed that the senescence is actually a reversible dedifferentiation. Alterations in the composition of medium to which AA/III seedlings were transferred showed that the presence of auxin can prevent the development of the typical incompatibility response, with leaf tissue remaining green rather than bleaching. It is proposed that differences in concentrations of plant growth regulators may be responsible for the persistence of normal chloroplasts near the vascular tissue and leaf blade edges and that seasonal fluctuations in auxin levels could explain the periodic bleaching that occurs in older plants.

Journal Article↗

The plastid genome of the critically endangered Valeriana trinervis (= Centranthus trinervis) and insights from comparison with other Valeriana plastomes (Caprifoliaceae).

The first complete plastid genome of the critically endangered species Valeriana trinervis was sequenced, assembled and compared with other published Valeriana plastomes. In this study, we assembled the plastid genome of the critically endangered, endemic species Valeriana trinervis (= Centranthus trinervis) and compare it with all published plastomes of Valeriana. We found not only differences in the inverted repeats boundaries, in the type and abundance of repeats, but also similarities in codon usage and microsatellite numbers. We detected non-canonical start codons in several genes and identified variation in several regions that could be useful for phylogenetic and phylogeographic studies. The phylogenetic tree inference based on both full plastomes and coding sequence data indicated that V. trinervis is sister to all Eurasian Valeriana accessions confirming the phylogenetic position recently investigated. This is the first plastome available for a species of the Mediterranean clade of Valeriana previously known as Centranthus, and it adds further data to understand the evolution and diversification of this systematically debated genus.

Genome, Plastid↗

Self-fertile cybrids Nicotiana tabacum (+ Hyoscyamus aureus) with a nucleo-plastome incompatibility.

Cytoplasmic hybrids (cybrids) in a novel inter-generic combination, Nicotiana tabacum (+ Hyoscyamus aureus), were generated by fusion of protoplasts from a plastome tobacco albino mutant (line R100a1) and gamma-irradiated green protoplasts of H. aureus. Cybrids possessed a plastome of H. aureus and a rearranged mitochondrial DNA. The cybrids displayed a syndrome of nucleo-plastome incompatibility expressed as a partial chlorophyll-deficiency of cotyledonary and true leaves at the early stage of vegetative development of plants grown from seeds in soil. During later development, the plants restored a normal green coloration. This character is phenotypically indistinguishable from the same syndrome in previously generated cybrids N. tabacum (+ H. nigrum). In contrast to the cybrids N. tabacum (+ H. nigrum), cybrids N. tabacum (+ H. aureus) were self-fertile, and did not manifest other features that were interpreted as nucleo-mitochondrial incompatibilities in N. tabacum (+ H. nigrum) plants. Therefore, the cybrids N. tabacum (+ H. aureus) present a self-propagating system of Nicotiana (+ Hyoscyamus) nucleo-plastome incompatibility in its pure form.

Journal Article↗

Nuclear-organelle interaction in Solanum: interspecific cybridizations and their correlation with a plastome dendrogram.

Alloplasmic compatibility, namely the functional interaction between the nuclear genome of a given species with plastomes and chondriomes of alien species, is of considerable relevance in plant biology. The genus Solanum encompasses a wide spectrum of species and is therefore suitable for a study of this compatibility. We thus chose the nuclear genome of Solanum tuberosum (potato) and organelles (chloroplast and mitochondria) from 14 other Solanum species to initiate an investigation of intrageneric nucleus/organelle interactions. An assessment of the diversity of the chloroplast DNAs from these 15 species resulted in the construction of a plastome dendrogram (phylogenetic tree). In parallel we extended a previous study and performed ten additional fusion combinations by the "donor-recipient protoplast fusion" procedure, using potato protoplasts as recipients and protoplasts from any of ten other Solanum species as donors. We found that two fusion combinations did not yield cybrids and that the chloroplasts of S. polyadenium and the mitochondria (or mitochondrial components) from S. tarijense could not be transferred to cybrids bearing potato nuclei. In general, there is a correlation, albeit not perfect, between the cybridization data and the plastome dendrogram. These results furnish valuable information toward future transfer of plasmone-encoded breeding traits from wild Solanum species into potato. This information should also be useful for the planning of asymmetric protoplast fusion between potato and wild accessions for the improvement of pathogen and stress resistance of potato cultivars.

Blotting, Southern↗

Plastome mutation affecting the chloroplast ATP synthase involves a post-transcriptional defect.

In a plastid genome (plastome) mutation of Oenothera hookeri, at least two of the plastome-coded polypeptides (the beta and epsilon subunits) of the chloroplast ATP synthase are directly affected. As in other plastid chromosomes, the genes for the beta and epsilon subunits are located next to each other on the Oenothera ptDNA molecule and are cotranscribed. Immunoanalysis and peptide mapping of in vivo products suggests that a fusion of the two genes may have occurred in the plastome mutant. In contrast to the in vivo data, in vitro translation of the RNA using a heterologous system results in polypeptides which cannot be distinguished from those of wild-type. In addition, neither the mRNA sizes nor plastid DNA restriction fragment patterns differ from wild-type. To reconcile the paradox of these results, it is suggested that either a defect in a translational signal or some other post-transcriptional event is responsible for the mutant phenotype.

Chloroplasts↗

Sequence variation in the putative replication origins of the five genetically distinct basic Euoenothera plastid chromosomes (plastomes).

Approximately 4,200 nucleotides of the 16S/23S rDNA spacer and the 5' region flanking the rrn operon of the plastid chromosomes representing the five basic, phylogenetically related Euoenothera plastomes were sequenced and compared. The sequences that harbor the putative replication origins are almost identical except for a 785-bp intercistronic segment between the genes for the 16S rRNA and trnI. Differences are mainly caused by insertions/deletions and duplications; the predicted potential for formation of quite extensive secondary structure differs among the plastomes. Unexpected intraplastome variation has also been noted. Furthermore, the sequence-based and published genetically deduced plastome pedigrees differ significantly.

Chromosomes↗

Structural features of a wheat plastome as revealed by complete sequencing of chloroplast DNA.

Structural features of the wheat plastome were clarified by comparison of the complete sequence of wheat chloroplast DNA with those of rice and maize chloroplast genomes. The wheat plastome consists of a 134,545-bp circular molecule with 20,703-bp inverted repeats and the same gene content as the rice and maize plastomes. However, some structural divergence was found even in the coding regions of genes. These alterations are due to illegitimate recombination between two short direct repeats and/or replication slippage. Overall comparison of chloroplast DNAs among the three cereals indicated the presence of some hot-spot regions for length mutations. Whereas the region with clustered tRNA genes and that downstream of rbcL showed divergence in a species-specific manner, the deletion patterns of ORFs in the inverted-repeat regions and the borders between the inverted repeats and the small single-copy region support the notion that wheat and rice are related more closely to each other than to maize.

DNA, Chloroplast↗