Selection of a universal hybridizer in Sinapis turgida Del. and regeneration of plantlets from somatic hybrids with Brassica species.

A double-mutant cell line, which was unable to grow in a medium with NO 3 (-) as the sole nitrogen source and was resistant to 5-methyl-tryptophan (5MT), was selected from cell suspensions of Sinapis turgida Del. (Brassicaceae) by culturing the cells in AA medium (Toriyama and Hinata, 1985, Plant Sci. 41, 179-183) supplemented with 50 mM chlorate and 229 μM 5MT. Protoplasts of this cell line were fused with mesophyll protoplasts of Brassica oleracea L. with dextran, and six somatic hybrids were selected initially by culture in the NO 3 (-) medium and then by transfer to the NO 3 (-) medium supplemented with 229 μM 5MT. The somatic hybrids produced embryoids, leaves and plantlets on a regeneration medium. The hybrid characters were confirmed by investigations of acid phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.2) and peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7) isoenzymes, chromosome number, growth on NO 3 (-) medium, 5MT resistance, and capacity to regenerate plants. Somatic hybrids between S. turgida Del. and B. nigra (L.) Koch were also obtained using this method. These results indicate that the double-mutant cell line established here will be able to serve as a universal hybridizer to select somatic hybrids after protoplast fusion with any other wild-type partner.