Effects of nuclear restorer genes on the cytochrome content of corn pollen mitochondria

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Abstract
Mitochondria were isolated from mature pollen grains of corn (Zea mays L.) having normal (N) or restored Texas male-sterile (TRf) cytoplasm. Comparison of the cytochrome content of the two sources by low-temperature difference spectroscopy indicates that inbred lines carrying nuclear restorer genes and T cytoplasm have an increased cytochrome oxidase content. A lower cytochrome oxidase concentration was found in mitochondria isolated from anthers of nonrestored Texas (cms-T) male-sterile cytoplasm corn than from those isolated from nonexserted anthers of N or TRf plants. Mitochondria in nonsporogenous tissue of cms-T anthers collected just before the time of anthesis of N plants had fewer well defined cristae than mitochondria in comparable anther tissue of N or TRf plants.