Hybrid mimics and hybrid vigor in Arabidopsis

Abstract

F1 hybrids can outperform their parents in yield and vegetative biomass, features of hybrid vigor that form the basis of the hybrid seed industry. The yield advantage of the F1 is lost in the F2 and subsequent generations. In Arabidopsis, from F2 plants that have a F1-like phenotype, we have by recurrent selection produced pure breeding F5/F6 lines, hybrid mimics, in which the characteristics of the F1 hybrid are stabilized. These hybrid mimic lines, like the F1 hybrid, have larger leaves than the parent plant, and the leaves have increased photosynthetic cell numbers, and in some lines, increased size of cells, suggesting an increased supply of photosynthate. A comparison of the differentially expressed genes in the F1 hybrid with those of eight hybrid mimic lines identified metabolic pathways altered in both; these pathways include down-regulation of defense response pathways and altered abiotic response pathways. F6 hybrid mimic lines are mostly homozygous at each locus in the genome and yet retain the large F1-like phenotype. Many alleles in the F6 plants, when they are homozygous, have expression levels different to the level in the parent. We consider this altered expression to be a consequence of transregulation of genes from one parent by genes from the other parent. Transregulation could also arise from epigenetic modifications in the F1. The pure breeding hybrid mimics have been valuable in probing the mechanisms of hybrid vigor and may also prove to be useful hybrid vigor equivalents in agriculture.I n Arabidopsis some ecotypes with similar genome sequences produce F1 hybrids with large increases in vegetative and reproductive yields (1, 2). These results appear to be at variance with the generalization that the larger the genetic distance between parents, the greater the hybrid vigor (3); however, the Arabidopsis ecotypes have different epigenomes that may be important for hybrid vigor (4). In hybrids between C24 and Ler, we found altered levels in two epigenetic systems: 24nt siRNAs and DNA methylation (4, 5). These epigenetic changes appear common among hybrid systems with similar observations being made in maize and rice hybrids (6). The epigenetic changes can correlate with changes in gene expression and contribute to the unique gene expression profile of the F1 hybrid (7). Not all crosses result in hybrid vigor (heterosis); some result in decreased vigor and yield referred to as "hybrid weakness" (8).Heterotic F1 hybrids are featured in agricultural and horticultural crops, and in all species, the yield gains are restricted to the F1 generation. The F2 and subsequent selfed generations are discarded because of reduced yields and heterogeneity of morphological and developmental traits. A hybrid crop system requires an efficient method of F1 hybrid seed production dependent on male sterility in the female parent and synchronous flowering of the male and female parents.QTL analysis in maize and rice has confirmed that hundreds of genome segments contribute to the heterotic phenotype, but the main m...

PIF4-controlled auxin pathway contributes to hybrid vigor in Arabidopsis thaliana

“…Altered hormone abscisic acid (ABA) and defense response have also been reported in rice hybrids (5). Despite the contrasting phenotypes of the F1 and F2 populations, we were able to develop "pure breeding" F5/F6 lines with phenotypes comparable to the F1 hybrids (hybrid mimics) (2). The hybrid mimic lines retained the production properties of the F1 hybrids in biomass and had phenotypic uniformity in the F5/F6 and subsequent generations.…”

“…The small phenotype line has each of these segments derived from the genome of the alternative parent, so one or more loci needed for the large hybrid mimic phenotype are likely to be on each segment. recurrent phenotypic selection program, plants with a phenotype similar to the selected F2 plant were produced in a few generations (2). We have generated six pure breeding F6 plant lines and assessed the growth patterns of these lines against those of the parents and F1 hybrids (Fig.…”

“…In a previous paper (2), transcriptome analyses showed that in the hybrids, most genes are expressed at the same levels as in the parents. Compared with the average level of gene expression in the parents, ∼2,000 genes (6% of the genome) have altered expression in the hybrids and are likely to be involved in the generation of the hybrid vigor phenotype.…”

“…These characteristics also apply to the F1 and F2 populations in Arabidopsis hybrids (2). The processes of capture of light and assimilation of CO 2 into photosynthate are the same in the hybrid and parents and as the hybrids have larger leaves than their parents, they produce more photosynthate (3).…”

“…Transcriptome analysis of the hybrid mimics showed that many differentially expressed genes in the F1 hybrids maintain their expression levels in the hybrid mimics. In contrast to the heterozygous F1 hybrids, the genomes of the hybrid mimics are homozygous for chromosome segments contributed by both parents (2).…”