文章所采用的多分蘖矮秆突变体为htd1-2(high-tillering dwarf 1-2), 是野生型籼稻品种9311经350Gy的60Co- g射线辐射处理后产生的后代中选育出来的稳定多分蘖矮秆突变体。遗传分析表明, 突变体htd1-2多分蘖矮秆性状是由一对隐性核基因的突变造成的。文章利用简单重复序列(Simple sequence repeat, SSR)、酶切扩增多态性序列(Cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence, CAPS)和衍生型CAPS(derived CAPS, dCAPS)等分子标记的方法, 最终将多分蘖矮秆基因HIGH-TILLERING DWARF1-2(HTD1-2)定位在水稻第4号染色体116 kb的物理区间内。在该物理区间内有一个已经克隆的控制水稻分蘖的基因HIGH-TILLERING DWARF1(HTD1), 经过测序比对和dCAPS特异性分析, 认为HTD1就是HTD1-2基因。尽管突变体htd1与突变体htd1-2是等位基因的不同位点发生突变, 但是由于遗传背景的不同, 两者表型并不完全相同。此外, 通过去除分蘖芽的实验证明了突变体htd1-2的矮化部分是由于分蘖过多造成的。
Tillering is one of the most important agronomic traits of rice. In order to explore the molecular mechanism of rice tillering, a high-tillering dwarf 1-2 (htd1-2) mutant was isolated from the offspring of the indica rice (Oryza sativa L. ssp. indica) variety 9311 treated with 350Gy 60Co γ-radiation. Genetic analysis showed that both high tillering and dwarf phenotypes of htd1-2 were controlled by a single recessive nuclear gene. By means of molecular marker technique, the HIGH-TILLERING DWARF1-2(HTD1-2) gene was mapped between two CAPS markers A6 and E2 on chromosome 4 within 116 kilobases. Within this region, there is a cloned gene HIGH-TILLERING DWARF1(HTD1), which controls rice tillering. By comparing sequences of HTD1 between htd1-2 and 9311, in combination with the results from dCAPS analysis, we believed that HTD1 is an orthologue of the gene HTD1-2. Because of different genetic backgrounds, htd1 and htd1-2 have different phenotypes although they are the allelic mutants. Furthermore, removal of axillary buds proved that dwarfism of htd1-2 mutant is partly attributed to its excessive tillers.
