An AFLP marker tightly linked to apomixis reveals hemizygosity in a portion of the apomixis controlling locus in Paspalum simplex

A mapping population of Paspalum simplex segregating for apomixis (asexual reproduction through seeds) was screened with AFLPs to find apomixis-linked markers. Four AFLPs linked to apomixis in coupling phase were found. Three of them did not show recombinants among the 87 individuals of the mapping population, whereas the other was more loosely linked. Integrating the AFLP data with those obtained previously with rice RFLP anchor markers, a map was drawn for the chromosome region of P. simplex encompassing apomixis. We cloned the three AFLPs tightly linked with apomixis into plasmid vectors and used them as probes to hybridize the restriction digested DNA of the mapping population. Two of them revealed RFLP bands linked to apomixis together with other alleles, whereas one was proven to belong to a hemizygous portion of the apomixis locus. The total picture resulting from AFLP and RFLP analyses was that a cluster of markers tightly linked with apomixis was detected in P. simplex together with two other markers that were more loosely linked. These two markers enclosed a relatively large chromosome segment characterized by strong repression of recombination. The block of recombination may have caused sequence divergence and, therefore, hemizygosity of some regions belonging to the apomixis-controlling chromosome segment of P. simplex. The potential of developing an apomixis-specific sequence for screening large-fragment libraries for the physical isolation of the locus encompassing apomixis is discussed.