The editing sites in transcripts of functional genes of rice mi-tochondria

Abstract

RNA editing exists extensively in the higher plant mitochondria, and is a required step for forming functional proteins. There may be some relationship between RNA editing and cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS), a kind of phenomenon that is attributed to mitochondrial genome mutations. The research materials used are the gametophytic male sterility line (A), maintainer line (B) and F1 hybrid (F1) of HL-type CMS rice. cDNAs and DNAs of atp6 and coxII have been obtained from A, B and F11 by PCR and RT-PCR. Comparing sequences of cDNAs and DNAs, 18 and 15 editing sites were found respectively in the transcripts of atp6 and coxII. A, B and F1 shared the same editing sites. RNA editing improves hydrophobicity and conservation of the predicted protein as compared with other organisms.