A Male-Associated DNA Sequence in a Dioecious Plant, Schisandra nigra.

In the present work, the male-associated DNA sequence was analyzed in a dioecious plant, Schisandra nigra. The randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) method was used to detect potential male-specific markers. Genomic DNA of Schisandra nigra was isolated from male and female plants and subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with decamer nucleotide primers of arbitrary sequence. Out of 120 primers tested, only one primer, OPA-17, produced a nucleotide segment of approximately 800 bp that appeared to be male specific. This male-specific segment was cloned and used as a probe for hybridization with genomic DNA. When the male DNA and female DNA were allowed to hybridize, this probe was found to be male specific. Analysis of the nucleotide sequence of the male-specific RAPD marker did not show any significant homology with previously reported sequences. The nucleotide sequence was used to design a sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) marker of 486 bp in length and male-specific. This SCAR could be useful for a precise, early and rapid identification of male plants during breeding programs of Schisandra nigra.