Breakthrough in dog roses: Scientists decipher reproductive secret!

Breakthrough in dog roses: Scientists decipher reproductive secret!

Görlitz, Deutschland - A really exciting topic of crop protection and reproductive biology brings a research team around Dr. André Marques from the Max Planck Institute in the headlines. As Gabot , the team has together with Prof. Dr. Christiane Ritz from the Senckenberg Museum and Dr. Aleš Kovařík from the Institute of Biophysics, Czech Academy, achieved a breakthrough in the reproduction of dog roses. This type of wild rose (Rosa Canina), which often occurs in Central Europe, has proven to be surprisingly complicated in reproduction.

Background of these studies is the special reproductive method of dog rose, which is known as Canina-Meiosis. With this method, two chromosome rates regularly mate, while three chromosome rates remain unpaired. Such odd structures often lead to infertility, which the scientists presented with a great challenge. The aim of the study was to research the mechanisms that enable the targeted transport of unpaired chromosomes into the egg cell.

results of research

The results - published in the renowned specialist journal "Nature" - showed that differences in the size of the centromerians play a decisive role in the inheritance of chromosome. Extensive analyzes of three different pentaploid dog rose species show that large centromers with specific DNA sequences and an increased CENH3 protein that play a central role during cell division are decisive for successful reproduction.

Another remarkable result of the study is the coexistence of sexual and clonal increase in the same genome. This could not only have biological, but also a practical effect on the breeding of more robust crops. After all, many crops have more than two chromosome sets, which makes reproduction susceptible to mistakes, but at the same time also advantages, such as a higher resistance.

The beauty of wild roses

wild roses, which often serve as a breeding basis for noble roses, are not only botanically interesting, but also ecologically valuable. As explained Future Garten , November is the best planting time for rooted wild roses, which are offered as cheaper alternative to potted roses. These wild roses need little care, are hardy and robust compared to fungal diseases such as rose rust and mildew.

Better still, they are optimally adapted to dry conditions and offer food for pollinators. Their simply flowering flowers ensure that pollen and nectar are easily accessible for bumblebees and bees. After flowering, the rose hips develop, which are an important source of food for many birds and small mammals.

wild diversity

In terms of genetic diversity, the analysis of 2,600 pink samples from Europe shows that there is complex morphological taxonomy within the dog roses. The study published in the journal "PLOS ONE" enabled the identification of 21 dog roses and five other local rose species. These findings suggest that the genetics of wild roses are far more differentiated than it seems at first glance. Plos one emphasizes that the canina-meise is a simultaneous clonal and Sexual transmission of undergrowths allowed, which makes the reproduction of these plant species particularly interesting.