Plant cytoplasmic male sterility: Long-standing questions, practical issues and the evolution of restorer-of-fertility genes
Abstract
Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is a well-studied mitochondrion-encoded trait in plants. The recent discovery of CMS in the freshwater snail Physa acuta has broadened the known distribution of this trait and is likely to stimulate new discussions between plant and animal researchers. In this review we focus on naturally occurring CMS in beet (Beta vulgaris) to highlight key topics in plant CMS and stimulate further study. Plant CMS is associated with a hydrophobic protein that is unique to CMS mitochondria. CMS plants characteristically develop morphologically aberrant mitochondria lacking proper internal structure in tissues surrounding male gametes (the tapetum). Such mitochondrial abnormalities resemble dysfunctional mitochondria in yeast and mammal. From the perspective of mitochondrial quality control, their persistence raises the question of why they are not degraded but instead accumulate. Mathematical models suggest an increased rate of mitochondrial damage and/or reduced efficiency in degrading damaged mitochondria. The CMS phenotype varies from completely sterile to nearly male fertile. This can be explained by the action of the nuclear suppressor gene restorer-of-fertility (Rf) which may possess multiple alleles differing in strength and environmental sensitivity. Comparative analyses of Rf genes revealed molecular signatures consistent with an evolutionary arms race among different Rf types. Some researchers have even proposed that Rf evolution preceded the emergence of the corresponding CMS mitochondria.
Related
- Deletion of orf352 in Wild Abortive-type cytoplasmic male sterile rice restores pollen starch accumulation but not seed fertility
- Inhibitory Effects of Metal Ions in Radiopharmaceuticals on PCR Amplification for Rapid Sterility Tests
- GW182 Proteins Directly Recruit Cytoplasmic Deadenylase Complexes to miRNA Targets
- Preface to the special issue “Cytoplasmic Genome Regulation: Genomes and Regulatory Mechanisms of Chloroplasts and Mitochondria”
- Cytoplasmic Lipid Membrane Biogenesis in Prokaryotes: From Soluble Lipid Building Blocks to a Dynamic and Functional Boundary Layer
BibTeX
@article{katsura2026plant,
title = {{Plant cytoplasmic male sterility: Long-standing questions, practical issues and the evolution of restorer-of-fertility genes}},
author = {Naoyuki Katsura and Takumi Arakawa and Kazuyoshi Kitazaki and Pascal Touzet and Tomohiko Kubo},
journal = {Plant Biotechnology},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.5511/plantbiotechnology.26.0803a},
url = {https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/plantbiotechnology/43/3/43_26.0803a/_article},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Plant cytoplasmic male sterility: Long-standing questions, practical issues and the evolution of restorer-of-fertility genes
AU - Naoyuki Katsura
AU - Takumi Arakawa
AU - Kazuyoshi Kitazaki
AU - Pascal Touzet
AU - Tomohiko Kubo
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/25
JO - Plant Biotechnology
DO - 10.5511/plantbiotechnology.26.0803a
UR - https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/plantbiotechnology/43/3/43_26.0803a/_article
AB - Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is a well-studied mitochondrion-encoded trait in plants. The recent discovery of CMS in the freshwater snail Physa acuta has broadened the known distribution of this trait and is likely to stimulate new discussions between plant and animal researchers. In this review we focus on naturally occurring CMS in beet (Beta vulgaris) to highlight key topics in plant CMS and stimulate further study. Plant CMS is associated with a hydrophobic protein that is unique to CMS mitochondria. CMS plants characteristically develop morphologically aberrant mitochondria lacking proper internal structure in tissues surrounding male gametes (the tapetum). Such mitochondrial abnormalities resemble dysfunctional mitochondria in yeast and mammal. From the perspective of mitochondrial quality control, their persistence raises the question of why they are not degraded but instead accumulate. Mathematical models suggest an increased rate of mitochondrial damage and/or reduced efficiency in degrading damaged mitochondria. The CMS phenotype varies from completely sterile to nearly male fertile. This can be explained by the action of the nuclear suppressor gene restorer-of-fertility (Rf) which may possess multiple alleles differing in strength and environmental sensitivity. Comparative analyses of Rf genes revealed molecular signatures consistent with an evolutionary arms race among different Rf types. Some researchers have even proposed that Rf evolution preceded the emergence of the corresponding CMS mitochondria.
SN - 1347-6114
SN - 1342-4580
ER -