Stable, fertile lines produced by hybridization between allotetraploids Brassica juncea (AABB) and Brassica carinata (BBCC) have merged the A and C genomes. Issue 3 (6th March 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Katche, Elvis; Gaebelein, Roman; Idris, Zurianti; Vasquez‐Teuber, Paula; Lo, Yu‐tzu; Nugent, David; Batley, Jacqueline; Mason, Annaliese S.
• Is Part Of: New phytologist. Volume 230:Issue 3(2021)
• Page Start: 1242
• Page End: 1257
• Publication Date: 2021-03-06
• Subjects: Brassica -- genome rearrangement -- homoeologous exchanges -- interspecific hybridization -- polyploidy; Botany -- Periodicals; 580
• DOI: 10.1111/nph.17225
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0028-646X

Abstract

Summary: Many flowering plant taxa contain allopolyploids that share one or more genomes in common. In the Brassica genus, crop species Brassica juncea and Brassica carinata share the B genome, with 2 n = AABB and 2 n = BBCC genome complements, respectively. Hybridization results in 2 n = BBAC hybrids, but the fate of these hybrids over generations of self‐pollination has never been reported. We produced and characterized B. juncea × B. carinata (2 n = BBAC) interspecific hybrids over six generations of self‐pollination under selection for high fertility using a combination of genotyping, fertility phenotyping, and cytogenetics techniques. Meiotic pairing behaviour improved from 68% bivalents in the F1 to 98% in the S5 /S6 generations, and initially low hybrid fertility also increased to parent species levels. The S5 /S6 hybrids contained an intact B genome (16 chromosomes) plus a new, stable A/C genome (18–20 chromosomes) resulting from recombination and restructuring of A and C‐genome chromosomes. Our results provide the first experimental evidence that two genomes can come together to form a new, restructured genome in hybridization events between two allotetraploid species that share a common genome. This mechanism should be considered in interpreting phylogenies in taxa with multiple allopolyploid species.