Abstract
During the establishment of an embryogenic cell line from a carrot hypocotyl explant, processes closely resembling meiotic divisions are seen. A microdensitometric analysis revealed that the amount of cellular DNA diminished in the majority of cells to the haploid level. However, the diploid level was re-established in a matter of a few days. The genetic consequences of this segregation were studied by analyzing restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) and randomly amplified polymorphic DNAs (RAPD). The results showed that the great majority of embryos regenerated from segregants and that different segregants had different genetic constitutions.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Backs-Husemann D, Reinert J (1970) Embryo formation by isolated single cells from tissue cultures of Daucus carota. Protoplasma 70:49–60
Bennet MD, Smith JB (1976) Nuclear DNA amount in Angiosperms. Philos Trans R Soc Lond Series V 274:227–274
Borthwick HA (1931) Development of the macrogametophyte and embryo of Daucus carota. Botan Gaz 92:23–44
Campbell CE, Worton RG (1981) Segregation of recessive phenotypes in somatic cell hybrids: role of mitotic recombination, gene inactivation and chromosome nondisjunction. Mol Cell Biol 1:336–346
de Vries SC, Booij H, Meyerink P, Huisman G, Wilde HD, Thomans T, van Kammen A (1988) Acquisition of embryogenic potential in carrot cell-suspension cultures. Planta 176:196–204
Evans DA (1989) Somaclonal variant — genetic basis and breeding applications. Trends Genet 5:42–45
Gavazzi G, Tonelli C, Todesco G, Arreghini E, Raffaldi F, Vecchio F, Barbuzzi G, Biasini MG, Sala F (1987) Somaclonal variation versus chemically induced mutagenesis in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.). Theor Appl Genet 74:733–738
Golubovskaya IN (1989) Meiosis in maize: mei-genes and conception of genetic control of meiosis. Adv Genet 26:149–192
Huskins CL (1948) Segregation and reduction in somatic tissue. J Hered 39:311–318
Larkin JP, Scowcroft WR (1981) Somaclonal variation — a novel source of variability from cell cultures for plant improvement. Theor Appl Genet 60:197–214
Miller OL Jr (1963) Cytological studies in asynaptic maize. Genetics 48:1445–1466
Murray MG, Thompson WF (1980) Rapid isolation of high molecular weight plant DNA. Nucleic Acids Res 8:4321–4325
Nuti Ronchi V, Caligo MA, Nozzolini M, Luccarini G (1984) Stimulation of carrot somatic embryogenesis by proline and serine. Plant Cell Rep 3:210–214
Nuti Ronchi V, Giorgetti L, Tonelli MG, Martini G (1992a) Ploidy reduction and genome segregation in cultured carrot cell lines: I. Prophase chromosome reduction. Plant Cell Tissue Organ Cult 30:107–114
Nuti Ronchi V, Giorgetti L, Tonelli MG, Martini G (1992b) Ploidy reduction and genome segregation in cultured carrot cell lines: II Somatic meiosis. Plant Cell Tissue Organ Cult 30:115–119
Nuti Ronchi V, Giorgetti L, Tonelli MG, Belloni P, Martini G (1992c) Analogies of chromosome reducing events in somatic cultured cells and in micro sporogenesis. In: Ottaviano E, Mulcahy DL, Sari Gorla M, Bergamini Mulcahy G (eds) Angiosperm, pollen and ovules. Springer Verlag, New York, pp 245–247
Patau K (1952) Absorption microphotometry of irregular-shaped objects. Chromosoma 5:341–362
Sambrook J, Fritsch EF, Maniatis T (1989) Molecular cloning: a laboratory manual. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, NY
Siminovitch L (1976) On the nature of heritable variation in cultured somatic cells. Cell 7:1–11
Terzi M (1974) Genetics and the animal cell. Wiley, New York
Terzi M, Sung ZR (1986) Somatic cell genetics of plants. CRC Crit Rev Biotechnol 3:303–330
Vergara R, Verde F, Pitto L, Lo Schiavo F, Terzi M (1990) Reversible variation in the methylation pattern of carrot DNA during somatic embryogenesis. Plant Cell Rep 8:697–700
Waugh R, Powel W (1992) Using RAPD markers for crop improvement. Trends Biochem Sci 10:186–191
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by H. Saedler
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Giorgetti, L., Vergara, M.R., Evangelista, M. et al. On the occurrence of somatic meiosis in embryogenic carrot cell cultures. Molec. Gen. Genet. 246, 657–662 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00290710
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00290710