Heterogeneous plastid genomes in anther culture-derived albino rice plants

Large-scale deletions in the plastid genome of albino plants derived fromanther culture of japonica rice have in previous studies been detected bySouthern blot analysis. In the present study, PCR was applied to detectlarge-scale deletions in the plastid genome of albino and green plantsgenerated from the anther culture of japonica-indica hybrid-derived DHlines. The rice plastid genome (134.5 kbp) was separated into sevenregions and each one (approximately 20 kbp) was amplified by long PCR. The plastid sequences of all 22 albino and 19 green plants were amplifiedat all the seven regions, indicating that large-scale deletions in the plastidgenome were not detected by long PCR. The concentrations of two plastidgenome regions were measured by competitive PCR. Four of 29 albinoplants analyzed showed different concentrations between the two regions,indicating that both deleted and complete plastid molecules were presentin each of the four albino plants. Such plastid genome heterogeneity wasnot detected in 17 green plants.