Unreduced clonal gamete formation and polyploid genome design in the solanaceae
AssigneeMax-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Wissenschaften e.V.
InventorsCharles J. UNDERWOOD, Yazhong WANG, Raphael MERCIER
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In contrast to meiosis, where meiotic recombination, random segregation of chromosomes and ploidy reduction occurs, Mitosis instead of Meiosis (MiMe), an engineered form of apomeiosis, leads to unreduced clonal gametes in the Solanaceae (night-shades), and, via selfing, to tetraploid offspring that stably inherit genome-wide heterozygosity and plant phenotypes. In the MiMe system, factors involved in meiotic recombination, sister chromatid cohesion, and meiosis II entry are knocked out or knocked down. Engineered clonal unreduced gamete formation by MiMe can be used as a component of synthetic apomixis, and to develop polyploid genome design.
Claims15
A method of generating a parent plant capable of apomeiosis, so as to produce viable clonal male and female gametes having the same genome ploidy level as the parent plant, the method comprising:
- (I) reducing the level or activity of an endogenous REC8 polypeptide in the parent plant or a cell thereof, so as to ablate sister chromatid cohesion;
- (II) reducing the level or activity of an endogenous TAM polypeptide in the parent plant or a cell thereof, so as to prevent entry to the second meiotic division;
- and
- (III) reducing the level or activity of an endogenous SPO11-1, SPO11-2, MTOPVIB, PRD1, PRD2, PRD3, or DFO polypeptide in the parent plant or a cell thereof, so as to ablate meiotic recombination;
- wherein the parent plant is from the Solanaceae family.
A parent plant capable of apomeiosis, so as to produce viable clonal male and female gametes having the same genome ploidy level as the parent plant, having:
- (i) a reduced level or activity of an endogenous REC8 polypeptide, so as to ablate sister chromatid cohesion;
- (ii) a reduced level or activity of an endogenous TAM polypeptide, so as to prevent entry to the second meiotic division;
- and
- (iii) a reduced level or activity of an endogenous SPO11-1, SPO11-2, MTOPVIB, PRD1, PRD2, PRD3, or DFO polypeptide, so as to ablate meiotic recombination;
- wherein the parent plant is from the Solanaceae family.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.